The Gatekeeper finds synergy and balance with its backbone of pepper (both red and black), nougat and caramel that’s spicy in the right places, sweet in the right places and pops with savory snaps of leather.

For this release, Alec and Bradley turned to Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr., and his Tabacalera La Alianza operation in the Dominican Republic. The blend used Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. They named it in honor of the blender, saying, “Ernesto is a gatekeeper to new opportunities and experiences for us.”