Monday, July 6, 2026

Drew Estate Cigars Undercrown El Tigre Dominicano in Review

BRAND: Drew Estate
BLEND: Undercrown El Tigre Dominicano

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra
BINDER: Connecticut USA Corojo
FILLER: Dominican

FORMAT: Toro (650) Box-press
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

White Pepper | Suede | Honey Malt

NOTES:
Rolling a 3-1 in the Chinese dice game of Heaven and Nine is called Harmony. This could be called that, too. Although some portion of said harmonious quality is arrived at via muted rather than expressed notes. A slight minerality folded into cinnamon & sugar. Milkiest of milk chocolates.

Smokes like all set-up and no punchline... but some set-ups are fun. "A Priest, a Rabbi and an Imam walk into a bar," isn't necessarily any less of note than, "ouch, ouch, ouch."

Good draw, half-tick tight. Burns cool, even, smoky. Rolled on the tight-side with some bumpiness on the shaft. A crack happens in the top-leaf during the 3/3, then the rest bids farewell. Although I'm unsure I didn't knock it sitting in a new set-up and chatting. Also, it's at a point I'd have typically stopped my review.

I also tasted some duck sauce.

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

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

PS. For the sake of science, I was lucky enough for the ability to smoke a second sampling. That sampling suffered a crack in the 3/3 too, though it did not split, it did occur earlier.

::: very ::: 

Friday, July 3, 2026

Stolen Throne Cigars Revelry LE in Review

BRAND: Stolen Throne
BLEND: Revelry

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto (554) closed-foot
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Full
SPICE: 4/5

Black Pepper | Raisins | Dark Chocolate

NOTES:
Black pepper and raisins--that's to say an earthy spiciness and natural sweetness tandem--cuts through the rich and near raucous profile. Dense dark chocolate fudge. Barnyard. Salted caramel. Red spice array. The chocolate component picks up a fruit juice attachment.

Heavy and round, yo mama jokes aside. Edgy but within soft confines. I believe it's a vegetarian profile, in the manner of a dal paste; deep and warm. How is your mom? A sating, complete, and balanced blend that also is a close talker, completely without an indoor voice.

::: very ::: 

Monday, June 29, 2026

My Father Cigars La Gran Oferta Toro in Review

BRAND: My Father
BLEND: La Gran Oferta

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro (650)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Med.-full/Full
SPICE: 4/5

NOTES:
Pepper-spice | Dark Chocolate | Pluot

A Pluot is a cross between a plum and an apricot. That only matters here after the Pepin blast of pepper dials back, settles into a zesty spice rub. Espresso swirls about and twixt the layers. Much dark chocolate hardens and dries via progression; bricks not mere pips. A slight ashy sense on the far-end. Umami.

Not a delicate thing, nor a subtle thing. A refined yet demanding thing. Excellent combustion and construction highlighted by ash sheath growth and smooth even draw. Superb smoke out-put hits the olfactory as if a chocolate company moved into an old leather works shop just a day ago.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Friday, June 26, 2026

Kaplowitz Media. Top 5 Cigars Halfway Thru 2026

Kaplowitz Media.
Top Five Cigars
Halfway Thru 2026


This is quietly becoming a tradition, this midway romp. Here's what I wrote in the 2025 version (& here is a LINK to that list)

"People love lists. Let's pretend for a brief moment that people also love rules and disclaimers. The five (5) cigars listed below (in alphabetical order only) are in no way guaranteed an appearance in the 2025 Kaplowitz Media. best of list due out at the very end of this December.

"Back to lists. This one is not only alphabetized, but each on the list is a link to their full review. My hope is this serves as a brief yet worthwhile answer to 'what should I smoke?' or 'what have you liked recently?' Without any further ado, adon't or amaybe..."

Bariay 1492 Black Label
Room101 The Big Payback Extra Fuerte
HDA Cataclysm
La Gloria Cubana Intencion
Powstanie San Andres Corona Gorda

::: very :::