Filthy Hooligan Shamrock by Alec Bradley

Going Irish tonight with this review— it's a seasonal release each year around Saint Paddy's Day, but I was about to deploy, and I was tuned in to the livestream ODF Flogging Molly from Dublin and the Dropkick Murphys from Boston... I may also have had a wee bit to drink!

About a month ahead of Saint Paddy's Day each year, Alec Bradley releases the dual-wrapper Filthy Hooligan Barber Pole— just two years ago, however, they introduced the triple-wrapper Shamrock, adding it to the Filthy Hooligan line. I've had the Barber Pole and enjoyed it, but that was well before I started writing reviews, so maybe next year I'll get to that one. Tonight, I'll be smoking one of my remaining Shamrocks for review.

Cigar: Filthy Hooligan Shamrock by Alec Bradley (2021 release)

Vitola: Toro (6” x 50)

Price: $12.50/stick

Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Honduran Candela, Nicaraguan Habano Seco, and Nicaraguan Habano Maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Honduran and Panamanian
Body: Medium

Rating (out of 10): 9.7

Appearance:
Shamrock features a striking triple-wrapper: a green Candela, a golden brown Habano Seco, and a deep chocolate brown Habano Maduro. The band features a similar color motif, displaying the company name “Alec Bradley” along a banner wrapped around a shamrock. The artwork has a very tattoo-artist feel to it.

There are light veins and a fine sheen of oil along the barrel.

Construction:
It's clear that great care was put into the construction of this stick. The three layers of wrapper are perfectly even the whole way up the barrel, the cap is neatly placed, and the band is perfectly flush. There is no visible damage or discoloration anywhere on the stick.

Aroma:
The barrel smells of wood, coffee, and chocolate, and smells particularly of coffee at the foot, where there is also a faint peaty undertone.

First Third:
The cold draw is a wee bit tight, and tastes of coffee with a touch of cedar.

Match-lit again tonight. I find that as long as conditions allow for using matches (i.e., I don't have wind to fight with), I end up with a cooler and more even burn/light.

Initial flavor just after lighting is much the same, coffee and cedar, but now with just a touch of salt on the lips.

As it burns, some chocolate notes come through, as well.

And then, like an idiot, I drop the cigar onto my thigh. Didn't catch the cherry, so I didn't burn myself, but the ash is everywhere.

A few moments later, though, the burn is still perfectly even.

Second Third:
The burn line is perfect and razor sharp at the start of the second third, and the flavor still a rolling mix of cedar, coffee, and chocolate. The ash is tight and firm, a medium-to-dark grey in color.

This stick is smoking slower than I would have expected. I'm not complaining; it lets me enjoy it longer, I'm not making an observation.

A slower burn also makes for a cooler smoke, which really gives me a good opportunity to taste it. And this smoke is nice and silky, medium-bodied, and well-balanced.

Final Third:
The burn is a touch uneven as the last third starts, but not so bad that it requires a touchup.

The flavor remains consistent, though the notes on the profile all weave in and out and between one another. It's a nice dance they're doing.

Closing Thoughts:
Big fan of this cigar. It's a seasonal release, so it's not something I have on hand all the time, but it's easily a Saint Paddy's Day go-to for me!