Monday, January 12, 2026

Drew Estate Cigars Blackened M81 in Review

BRAND: Drew Estate
BLEND: Blackened M81

WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: American (CT) Broadleaf
FILLER: Nicaraguan, American (PA)

FORMAT: Toro (652)
ORIGIN: Nicaraguan
INTENSITY: Medium/Medium-full
SPICE: 3.5/5

NOTES:
Dark Chocolate | Black Pepper | Scorched oak

The scorched oak's sorta damp. So is the draw, a tick. A meaty body doesn't quite hold up to taste and only thinly-just-so to strength. Back-end is a hatchback, not a sedan's trunk. Clean though, with only a scant hint of burnt hair which is at the longest fleeting.

Oily black coffee pours into second-half after a slight trickle first-half. French Press, tres nice. Lifts meatiness and also sinks into topsoil bottomneath; killer note. Rye sour mash. Burns on a wobble and needs a hefty re-touch at the half. Rolled quite well.

TASTE: B+
DRAW: B+
BURN: B+
BUILD: A-

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Friday, January 9, 2026

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars Star Guide for Winter 2026

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars
Star Guide for Winter 2026


Happy 2026!

TALLY of STAR RECIPIENTS
as of AUTUMN 2025


Aganorsa Leaf (1)
Arturo Fuente (2)
AJ Fernandez (2)
Casa Carrillo (2)
Diesel Cigars (1)
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (2)
Espinosa Cigar (1)
Foundation Cigars (2)
Illusione Cigars (2)
La Flor Dominicana (1)
La Gloria Cubana (1)
My Father (3)
Oliva (2)
Padron (1)
Perdomo (1)
Punch Cigars (1)
Rocky Patel (1)
Room101 Cigars (2)
Stolen Throne Cigars (1)
Tatuaje Cigars (3)

WINTER 2026 UPDATES

La Gloria Cubana +1
Padron +1
Powstanie +1

COMPLETE KAPLOWITZ MEDIA.
STAR GUIDE for WINTER 2026

Aganorsa Leaf (1)
Arturo Fuente (2)
AJ Fernandez (2)
Casa Carrillo (2)
Diesel Cigars (1)
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (2)
Espinosa Cigar (1)
Foundation Cigars (2)
Illusione Cigars (2)
La Flor Dominicana (1)
La Gloria Cubana (2)
My Father (3)
Oliva (2)
Padron (2)
Perdomo (1)
Powstanie (1)
Punch Cigars (1)
Rocky Patel (1)
Room101 Cigars (2)
Stolen Throne Cigars (1)
Tatuaje Cigars (3)

Don't forget to check out the Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year for 2025 (Top 10) HERE.

Stay warm.

::: very ::: 

Monday, January 5, 2026

Don Emmanuel Cigars Anunnaki in Review

BRAND: Don Emmanuel
BLEND: Anunnaki

WRAPPER: Dominican
BINDER: Mexican
FILLER: Dominican

FORMAT: "Ki" Robusto (550)
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 1.5/5

NOTES:
Lemonade | Sand | Suede

Imbalanced towards sour tart, mightily. Artificial sweetener chemical cloying. A diet lemonade? I don't do citrus. Sand-suede stiffly-abrasively gather. Dandelion, white pepper. Goes out twice. I don't like going out at all these days. Happy new year.

TASTE: B-
DRAW: B
BURN: B-
BUILD: B+

FINAL GRADE: B-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79

::: very ::: 

Monday, December 29, 2025