Monday, March 18, 2024

Powstanie Cigars Justice Connecticut in Review

BRAND: Powstanie
BLEND: Connecticut "Justice"

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut
BINDER: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Corona Gorda
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 3/5

NOTES:
Cedar | Cream | White peppercorn

Bold but still bound to classical CT roots. Rich and creamy with a bigger kick than expected via a white peppercorn enveloping its profile. Cedar structure has a tangy lemony component that draws in the white pepper on the wrap-around call-back. Bits of graham, pine nuts, and a neat cardamom addition swirl in the betweens. Big-time bod but not cloyingly-sweet, just pleasantly sweet.

Excellent balance and nice nuance. The body does thin out some in the second-half, allowing some PA edges to poke through. A ground black pepper. Underbelly is loam earthiness with a goodly pinch of salt. Still, quite the hefty Connie offering. Surely Nicaraguan though not surly Nicaraguan. The wrapper puts in a full day's work. There aren't many Connecticuts I'd bother putting age on, this is one.

Draws superbly-so. Builds dense white sheaths of ash. The burn-line is clean, although a retouch near the half is mandated. Excellent smoke out-put hits the nose with a pleasantly spiced sweetness. Through the nose is where you'll find cedar complexities. Seams, cap are tight, enduring. Visually, there are veins but not egregiously. Near the band, the wrapper splits a slight-tick, as a melon note and pale honey see me out. 

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

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

::: very ::: 

Friday, March 15, 2024

1st & 15th Podcast | "Glandula!" NEW EPISODE

1st & 15th Podcast | "Glandula!" NEW EPISODE

"In this episode of the 1st & 15th, Phil and Kap engage in a most likely misremembered and most definitely ill-researched retrospective of 80s and 90s pop culture that stretches into surrounding decades. Maybe." - THAT WAS ME. I wrote that. Kap. Not Phil Kurut, co-host, show producer, and usual episode blurbist.

To listen to this NEW episode and to find out more about other exciting Kaplowitz Media. listening and/or watching opportunities, please visit this link: Audio/Video

About the 1st & 15th Podcast: Twice a month (see show name for dates), Phil Kurut and I chat too long about nothing of consequence. A pure waste of time. Cool. 

::: very ::: 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

CAO Cigars Flathead Resonator in Review

BRAND: CAO
BLEND: Resonator

WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: Connecticut Habano
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: 860 box-pressed
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium/Medium-full
SPICE: 2.5/5

NOTES:
Chocolate | Black walnut | Mesquite-smoked salt

Its subtleness belies its size. Excellently-nuanced. Consistent. Chocolatey with tinges of warm-yeastiness. Black walnut, just the flesh, cleanly. Well-balanced fig-spiciness. Somewhat though pleasantly-purposefully structureless. Anise.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Founders Cigars Franklin Connecticut in Redux Review

BRAND: Founders
BLEND: Franklin Connecticut

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut
BINDER: Dominican Olor
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Mild-med./Medium
SPICE: 1.25/5

NOTES:
Buttered white toast | Creamy white pepper | Floral suede

Consistent. Balanced. Sweet tangy finish. Simple fare though not indistinct. Fair fare. Pays the fare, rides the bus. A definite step up from the pedestrian.

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

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

This reblend (and repackaging) is a marked improvement over its previous iteration, which I reviewed at: Founders Cigars Franklin Connecticut in Review.

::: very :::