CAO Cigars Arcana Series Stokk in Review

BRAND: CAO
BLEND: Stokk

WRAPPER: American Broadleaf
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Dominican, Cyprian Latakia, Honduran

FORMAT: Belicoso (6.5x52)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
A bit like a campfire kindled with pencil shavings. Oranges roasting over-top in cast iron. Creosote and anise. Black pepper and chicory. Grows smoky-more towards the half and on-down as back-loaded Latakia takes hold. (But you've been smoking through it all along.) Straight-ahead single-minded pungent marching. Fast-paced, unwavering; entrenching. Resistance is futile.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Cohiba Cigars Rubicon in Review

BRAND: Cohiba
BLEND: Rubicon

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: American Broadleaf
FILLER: Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto (5.5x55) box-press
ORIGIN: Honduras (HATSA)
INTENSITY: Medium/Med.-Full
SPICE: 2.5/5

NOTES:
Mulling Spice | Dried Orange Peel | Oiled Leather

Add to the primary notes italicized above: An up close stone minerality, unsweetened chocolate, manure, pecan, and faraway apricot; in that order of distance. Draws a half-tick stubbornly. Burns evenly. Holds assemblage stoically. Splendid ash. Consistent and sating, if not in possession of great depth.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Room101 Cigars Namakubi Chingon Ltd. 2024 in Review

BRAND: Room101
BLEND: Namakubi Ltd. 2024

WRAPPER: San Andres Maduro
BINDER: Sumatran
FILLER: American (PA), Nicaraguan, Dominican

FORMAT: Chingon (5.5x60) Figurado (Perfecto)
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 3/5

NOTES:
Mocha Latte (extra shot) | Ginger Snaps | Seasoned Oak

Roasts and toasts; gaining depth and complexities throughout. An evolving transition, neither herky nor jerky. Molasses. Pink, green, and black peppercorns. A bit of a mash bill, heavy on rye. Barnyard and saddles. A stout, bracing thing but not bullying. Pumpernickel.

Dried leaves (duh) and topsoil olfactory. Goodly smoke out-put. Slow, well-paced burn works on a tick of a wobble. Hair's breadth mascara line. A slightly hesitant draw opens smoothly. Ash don't stack tall, but zero flakes. Seams stay tight as I do--'enjoying' a chilly PNW fall evening as I imbibe, scribe.

Could use an ever-slight touch more meat on its big bones.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars Star Guide for Autumn 2025

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars
Star Guide for Autumn 2025

TALLY of STAR RECIPIENTS
as of SUMMER 2025

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

AUTUMN 2025 UPDATES

Arturo Fuente +2
Casa Carrillo +1
Crowned Heads -1
Diesel Cigars +1
Foundation Cigars +1
HVC Cigars -1
Padron +1
Perdomo Cigars -1
Room101 Cigars +1
Tatuaje Cigars +1

COMPLETE KAPLOWITZ MEDIA.
STAR GUIDE for 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)

Talk amongst yourselves.

::: very :::