Powstanie Cigars San Andres Corona Gorda in Review

BRAND: Powstanie
BLEND: San Andres

WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Ecuadorian Habano
FILLER: Nicaraguan, Dominican

FORMAT: Corona Gorda (5.5x46)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium-full/Full
SPICE: 3.5/5

NOTES:
Turkish Coffee | Herbs, Spices | Dark Chocolate

Subtly bombastic. Turkish coffee spices whirli out-into their own gig. Added to them is a dried herb blend. Ground black and Red flake pepper. Dark Chocolate is ooey-gooey syrupy under a baked crust. Hickory, chicory structure. Nuts, shells in compost nethers. Anise hither; dried tropical flower thither.

Performance is sans complaint, really. Solid ash. Smooth, even draw which sips nicely snug. Excellent patisserie next to leather craft store olfactory. No hard or soft spots in a firm roll. The slightest of self-correcting wavering in burn-line. An early entrant in the coming year's top cigar list.

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

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

FURTHER KM. READING

Powstanie Cigars San Andres in Review (Robusto)

Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2025 (the above is #2)

::: very ::: 

Ferio Tego Cigars Metropolitan Host Maduro Hobart in Review

BRAND: Ferio Tego
BLEND: Metropolitan Host Maduro

WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: Honduras
FILLER: Honduras

FORMAT: "Hobart" Robusto (550)
ORIGIN: Honduran
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Caffe Corretto | Toasted Almond | Anise

Caffe Corretto, corrected coffee, a sploosh of Grappa performs the repair. Toasted almonds are sliced and peppered. An independent anise nod latches hard-onto the sweet stuffs. A darker profile than I'd usually associate with a sugar tip(?); hits rather sharply and cloyingly.

The back-grounded rest is the rest which I've already addressed. Plus, a half-bit of hickory, a full-bit of assorted anise-led spice. Whole shebang is wrapped in thin patent leather. I think what is most-hidden is earthiness, but I can only hypothesize. Built well, firm and tight.

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

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

::: very ::: 

La Gloria Cubana Cigars Phillips & King Reserve Collection in Review

BRAND: La Gloria Cubana
BLEND: Phillips & King Reserve Collection

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
FILLERS: Honduran. Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro (650)
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 3/5

NOTES:
Chocolate | Spice | Coffee

As a lapsed fan, my sports references are maybe dated. This one isn't an ace, nor a closer. It's a dependable long reliever that hangs in there between them. A mesquite/black pepper back-end is a keep 'em honest fastball under the chin. The rest? Rich, smooth, easy. Excellent olfactory.

I wanna say 'nut cream' but this is a classy joint. Up-top is milk-logged Cocoa Pebbles and crushed red pepper. Just under that is a nice latte. Maybe it's latte all the way down to the mound; and the uppers could just be a trendy flavor of such. Burn takes help to straighten-out, but does.

A photogenic thing; would look good on a baseball card. Orange marmalade.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month for January 2026

Kaplowitz Media.
Cigars of the Month
for January 2026

New year, same Kaplowitz Media.

Typically, the year starts a bit slow around here as the dust settles from the Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year festivities (see link below to that). As such, we seem to have zero (0) entrants for this January '26 Cigar of the Month list. Aw, nuts! We'll get back in the swing of things in no time.

However, Kaplowitz Media. will soon be taking its yearly hiatus. This year's traditional stepping away will span February 14th to March 1st. Meaning the final post prior with be on February 13th, and the first one back will be on March 2nd. Please adjust your calendars accordingly.

What to expect in 2026 from KM.? Exactly what you've come to expect. Whatever that means to you.

FURTHER KM. READING
(links below)

Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2025

The 2025 Kaplowitz Media. Cigar Awards | Kappy Awards (KAPPYS)

Kaplowitz Media. Top-Rated Miscellaneous Reviews of 2025

Kaplowitz Media. Top-Rated Cigar Reviews of 2025

::: very :::