::: very :::
Monday, October 12, 2026
Happy Columbus Day!
Kaplowitz Media. posting returns to schedule Friday the 16th. New posts are published every Monday and Friday (unless a US Federal holiday). Book-end your week-end (as I did this brief paragraph) with Kaplowitz Media.
Friday, October 9, 2026
HDA (Hemanos de Armas) Cigars Sentinel LE in Review
BRAND: HDA
BLEND: Sentinel
WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FORMAT: Toro (650)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua (Rojas)
INTENSITY: Med./Medium-full
SPICE: 3.5/5
Black Pepper | Black Licorice | Dark Chocolate
NOTES:
Dark chocolate mousse. Fluffy. A fluffy-smooth profile, really. Even with the front-loaded cracked b. pepper that trails off near-completely before the final third. Till then, there are some jazzy unplayed notes; after then, it's a tick empty. A singed airy salted caramel swirling, does its thing in keeping attns.
Between then, it's a smooth but interesting trip which includes vegetal umami notes of alfalfa grass and fungal tidings of mushroom bullion powder. Pumpernickel bread is pulled from the oven and left to cool on rich top-soil. Hits no notes in err. Does at times feel a bit like shadow boxing in the dark.
TASTE: B+
DRAW: A
BURN: B+
BUILD: A-
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
BLEND: Sentinel
WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FORMAT: Toro (650)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua (Rojas)
INTENSITY: Med./Medium-full
SPICE: 3.5/5
Black Pepper | Black Licorice | Dark Chocolate
NOTES:
Dark chocolate mousse. Fluffy. A fluffy-smooth profile, really. Even with the front-loaded cracked b. pepper that trails off near-completely before the final third. Till then, there are some jazzy unplayed notes; after then, it's a tick empty. A singed airy salted caramel swirling, does its thing in keeping attns.
Between then, it's a smooth but interesting trip which includes vegetal umami notes of alfalfa grass and fungal tidings of mushroom bullion powder. Pumpernickel bread is pulled from the oven and left to cool on rich top-soil. Hits no notes in err. Does at times feel a bit like shadow boxing in the dark.
TASTE: B+
DRAW: A
BURN: B+
BUILD: A-
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
::: very :::
Monday, October 5, 2026
Dunbarton Cigars DTT 10th Jubilee in Review
BRAND: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
BLEND: DTT 10th Jubilee
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra Negra
BINDER: Mexican Claro
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FORMAT: 5.63x48 pig-tail cap
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5
Bright spices | Praline | Brushed Leather
NOTES:
Sumac & Coriander sounds like an over-priced 'Gastropub' that operates sans menu. Notes italicized above are laid atop a sand castle underbelly. The praline is of a French varietal with the added amuse-bouche amusement of subbing-out more typical nuts for macadamias. Brushed Leather is NOT suede.
Combustion starts on a stutter-step stride, smooths continuously throughout. As it does milk chocolate and a yeasty maltiness become apparent. As do wildflower and flinty nods. Nice 'nuff complexities; could use a tick more depth. Olfactory does important and good work in building harmony via filling blanks.
TASTE: A-
DRAW: B+
BURN: B+
BUILD: B+
FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
Should receive an honorary mention in the next Cigars of the Month listing.
BLEND: DTT 10th Jubilee
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra Negra
BINDER: Mexican Claro
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FORMAT: 5.63x48 pig-tail cap
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5
Bright spices | Praline | Brushed Leather
NOTES:
Sumac & Coriander sounds like an over-priced 'Gastropub' that operates sans menu. Notes italicized above are laid atop a sand castle underbelly. The praline is of a French varietal with the added amuse-bouche amusement of subbing-out more typical nuts for macadamias. Brushed Leather is NOT suede.
Combustion starts on a stutter-step stride, smooths continuously throughout. As it does milk chocolate and a yeasty maltiness become apparent. As do wildflower and flinty nods. Nice 'nuff complexities; could use a tick more depth. Olfactory does important and good work in building harmony via filling blanks.
TASTE: A-
DRAW: B+
BURN: B+
BUILD: B+
FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
Should receive an honorary mention in the next Cigars of the Month listing.
::: very :::
Friday, October 2, 2026
Dunbarton Cigars Red Meat Lovers Spicy Beef Stick in Review
BRAND: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
BLEND: Red Meat Lovers (RML)
WRAPPER: US Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: San Andres Negro
FILLER: Nicaraguan, American
FORMAT: "Spicy Beef Stick" (648)
closed-foot&flat-head
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Med.-Full/Full
SPICE: 4.5/5
Black Pepper | New Orleans Coffee | Leather
NOTES:
A no bull-shit straight-shootin' son-of-a-gun. Sometimes I like being lied to, though. Very consistent smoke; dutifully earning its nom de puff with each and every puff. Cracked black pepper. Boots, belts, and saddle leathers. N'awlins style Cafe du Monde Coffee (& Chicory). Minerality-laced powdery underpinning at back-end--a taste of tzimmes right prior that.
Not exactly my cup of tea, but a sterling example of that kinda cuppa.
TASTE: A-
DRAW: A-
BURN: B+
BUILD: A
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
BLEND: Red Meat Lovers (RML)
WRAPPER: US Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: San Andres Negro
FILLER: Nicaraguan, American
FORMAT: "Spicy Beef Stick" (648)
closed-foot&flat-head
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Med.-Full/Full
SPICE: 4.5/5
Black Pepper | New Orleans Coffee | Leather
NOTES:
A no bull-shit straight-shootin' son-of-a-gun. Sometimes I like being lied to, though. Very consistent smoke; dutifully earning its nom de puff with each and every puff. Cracked black pepper. Boots, belts, and saddle leathers. N'awlins style Cafe du Monde Coffee (& Chicory). Minerality-laced powdery underpinning at back-end--a taste of tzimmes right prior that.
Not exactly my cup of tea, but a sterling example of that kinda cuppa.
TASTE: A-
DRAW: A-
BURN: B+
BUILD: A
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
::: very :::
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