Villiger Cigars TAA Exclusive 2024 in Review

BRAND: Villiger
BLEND: TAA Exclusive 2024

WRAPPER: Honduran
BINDER: Honduran
FILLER: Honduran

FORMAT: Toro (652)
ORIGIN: Honduran (Fabrica de Puros Maya Selva Cigars)
INTENSITY: Mild-medium/Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Yellow soil | Cedar | Oak

Table sugar front, honeycomb finish evolutioning. Oaken structure gives brightwarm delineation to melding bits of fluffy yellow soil-forwardness bearing tidings of buttery-suede, cedar. Cloysome, slightly.

PS: Golden raisins. Finely-ground white pepper. Dandelion.

PPS: Excellent harmony; sneaky complexities.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Dunbarton Cigars Sobremesa Brulee Wagashi in Review

BRAND: Dunbarton T&T
BLEND: Sobremesa Brulee Wagashi Cigar Dojo

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
BINDER: San Andres
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro (650) pig-tail, soft-press
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Mild-medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Spiced cream | Marzipan | Pink salt

I feel as though a skilled barrister could mimic this tastescape within the confines of a disposable holiday-themed cup which would burn my hand due to my sleeve refusal. Hints of milkiest milk chocolate and gooey caramel. That creaminess is sweetly spiced and enveloping. See the rest of the above italics.

Supremely balanced but harmony is a quarter-tick side-stepped when salinity steps-up to the throat a hair hither as well as thither. The aroma is absolutely lovely. The draw is subtly complex. The burn is true and the ash, solid. Effortless draw sure does beat burning my lip on that dang disposable holiday-themed cup.

The sweetness is more akin to saccharin than sugar, but I prefer Sweet N Low in my coffee. It's the secret of my own "Golden Pipes," (sweet and low voice humor). Also serves to keep my bod bikini-ready.

TASTE: A-
DRAW: A
BURN: A
BUILD: A-

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

::: very ::: 

1st & 15th Podcast "It's a Stallion!" NEW EPISODE

1st & 15th Podcast "It's a Stallion!" NEW EPISODE

In this episode of the 1st & 15th, Phil & Kap share the ins and outs of car maintenance through the lens of going in and out of a car wash. But before that, they talk about lumberjackin', truckin', and Murray Finklestein CPA. Finally, they wonder aloud as to who would listen to any of this--wait--that was off-air.

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 ::: 

Macanudo Cigars Estate Reserve no. 3 2021 Flint Knoll Royal Appointment Cabernet Sauvignon in Review

BRAND: Macanudo
BLEND: Estate Reserve Flint Knoll no. 3

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut
BINDER: Connecticut Broadleaf
FILLER: Brazilian, Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: "Churchill" (752)
ORIGIN: ?
INTENSITY: Mild
SPICE: 1/5

NOTES:
Chamomile tea | Apple juice | Cardamom

The whole thing revolves around where chamomile tastes fairly-so appley. A pinch of pink peppercorn and a pssst! of aluminum. A saccharin tendency. Olor(?) component adds a tight astringency that could be taken as tannic. Long-ish list of almost-notes; predominantly sweet-sour. Light cream.

Burns hot then cold. Draws tight then tighter. Does grow a nifty silvery ash. A funky bit of banding is tricky over a delicate top-leaf. Veiny and bumpy. Veiny & Bumpy hoped to be a police detective TV series in the late '70s. It showed some promise but the pilot was never picked up. Not really.

TASTE: B
DRAW: B
BURN: B
BUILD: B

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

::: very :::