Alec Bradley Black Market Toro Review

The blend combines a darker Nicaraguan wrapper with a Sumatra binder and Honduran/Panamanian fillers. Common tasting notes include red and black pepper, cocoa or dark chocolate, espresso, cedar, earth, and a touch of sweetness that occasionally leans floral or honey-like.

Brand Heritage and Blend Story

Alec Bradley Cigars are one of those modern brands that managed to carve out a spot on the same shelves as long-standing names like Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta. Founder Alan Rubin built the brand’s portfolio around a mix of core blends and bolder experiment-style releases, and the Black Market line quickly became one of its mainstays.

Released around 2011, the Black Market earned a following among cigar smokers who wanted something darker in tone without stepping into powerhouse territory. The line has also earned notable recognition over the years.

One of the Black Market variants received a 93-point rating from Cigar Aficionado and appeared in the magazine’s Top 10 Cigars of the Year, helping cement the line’s reputation and keeping the name relevant more than a decade later.

The Toro size tends to showcase the blend well, offering enough length for flavor consistency and enough ring gauge for easy smoke production.

Pre-Light and Impressions: Alec Bradley Black Market

Visually, the Black Market Toro is unmistakable. The large paper “tube-style” band and secondary band give it a strong shelf presence, while the dark brown wrapper shows light oil, minimal veins, and a clean triple cap.

Aromas from the wrapper and foot include earth, hay, cedar, espresso, cocoa, and mild spice. On the cold draw, cedar, pepper, and a hint of sweetness lead the way. Some have also noted herbal or floral touches, clove, rose-like sweetness, or even lemongrass, though these tend to stay secondary and didn't particularly stand out to me personally. 

Everything about the pre-light suggests a medium-to-full cigar centered around darker flavors with a little sweetness in the background. With that, let's dive right in!

First Third: Opening Flavor & Early Impressions

The Black Market Toro opens with a clean and direct profile. The first few draws deliver black and red pepper, earth, cedar, and dark chocolate. Pepper shows up prominently on the retrohale and the back of the palate, but it stays controlled rather than sharp.

A mild cocoa-based sweetness appears underneath, giving the opening a bit of balance. Smoke production is full and steady, the draw lands in a comfortable middle ground, and the burn line stays mostly clean with just light waviness. The first third establishes the cigar’s core profile: pepper, cocoa, cedar, and earth with medium-plus strength.

Second Third: Third: Mid-Smoke Balance

As the cigar enters the halfway point, the flavor profile rounds out. Pepper pulls back slightly, allowing more espresso, cedar, leather, and earth to come forward. There’s also an occasional hint of mild sweet spice or herbal sweetness in the background, something noted by several reviewers, but still secondary to the main flavor mix.

Construction remains strong. The burn stays even without the need for touch-ups, ash holds tight, and the draw stays consistent. Strength remains in the medium-to-full range without climbing.

In terms of transitions, this third stays relatively stable. The cigar smooths out a bit, but the core flavors remain similar to the first third. It’s balanced and enjoyable, though this is also where the cigar begins to feel slightly one-dimensional.

Final Third: Finish, Strength, and Closing Notes

The final third brings back more intensity. Pepper returns to a higher level, and the profile shifts toward dark chocolate, espresso with a mild bitter edge, toasted oak, earth, and black pepper on the finish.

Sweetness continues to fade, and the cigar settles into a more direct, darker mix of flavors. If smoked too quickly, it can develop some rougher edges, but at a normal pace, it stays controlled and consistent.

This is where the cigar’s straightforward nature becomes most noticeable. The cigar doesn’t introduce new flavors late; it simply reinforces what’s been present throughout the smoke. If you prefer steady, predictable profiles, the finish works well. If you’re seeking large transitions or layered complexity, this final third may feel a bit disappointing. 

Burn, Draw & Construction Performance

The Black Market Toro performs consistently from start to finish. The draw remains clean with just the right level of resistance, and the burn line stays mostly straight with only minor waviness. Ash holds in tight, clean segments and drops predictably without flaking. 

This is a cigar you can light, settle into, and not have to manage throughout or fuss around with it, which I always appreciate. 

Price & Value of the Alec Bradley Black Market Toro

Most online retailers price the Black Market Toro box in the mid-two-hundreds for 24 cigars, which typically puts the per-stick cost just above ten dollars. That positions the blend well among medium-to-full cigars with strong name recognition and a consistent performance record.

At After Action Cigars, we carry the Black Market Toro in singles and in box format, with per-stick pricing that falls right in that same range. It’s a practical option for smokers who enjoy this darker flavor lane or want to explore more of Alec Bradley’s lineup. It also fits nicely into the Alec Bradley samplers we offer for those comparing blends across the brand.

Final Thoughts: Alec Bradley Black Market

The Alec Bradley Black Market Toro offers a bold presentation, dependable construction, and a flavor profile built around pepper, cocoa, cedar, and earth. It performs steadily, transitions cleanly, and finishes with enough strength to satisfy medium-to-full smokers without pushing too far.

If you enjoy cigars that lean toward darker flavor notes with consistent burn performance, the Black Market Toro is a solid stick and makes for an easy choice to reach for, either as a regular rotation cigar or as part of a broader Alec Bradley lineup.

Ratings Breakdown

A sharp-looking cigar with a steady medium-to-full profile and dependable performance.

Where to Buy Alec Bradley Cigars Online

If you’d like to try the Alec Bradley Black Market Toro for yourself, you can find it at After Action Cigars in both single and box options, along with other blends and even Alec Bradley.

You'll also find Alec Bradley cigar samplers and a Black Market travel bundle if you're on the go or interested in exploring the brand. It’s an easy way to try something new and compare the Black Market lineup against the rest of the Alec Bradley portfolio.