Friday, May 29, 2026

Partagas Cigars Y Nada Mas Cibao in Review

BRAND: Partagas
BLEND: Y Nada Mas Cibao

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Corojo
BINDER: Sumatran
FILLER: Dominican, Pennsylvanian

FORMAT: Robusto (550)
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 1.75/5

NOTES:
Whoppers | Ginger snaps | Cafe au lait

Pleasant tasting, harmoniously-so, but a bit lemony drying and somewhat vacant in spots. Creaminess, almost an egg cream, rallies against the drying and really does do quite well for itself via progression. Does fill out come the 2/3. Ginger snaps dial back some in favor of salted caramel around then.

Honey flavored graham crackers. An evolving and transitional (for the best) smoke. Migrates to where it needs to be at the 1/2 and then coasts slowly with a rising lemon meringue. Seams are a bit uneven. Burn-line waves and is a tick thick in spots. Excellent ash. Sweet, creamy olfactory with a slight zetz.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Monday, May 25, 2026

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month for May 2026

Kaplowitz Media.
Cigars of the Month
for May 2026


(listed in alphabetical order)
(names are links to full reviews)

El Rey del Mundo King of the World VSOP
La Gloria Cubana Intencion
La Sirena Original Trident

::: very ::: 

Friday, May 22, 2026

Alec Bradley Cigars Thirty Years in Review

BRAND: Alec Bradley
BLEND: Thirty Years

"...a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan..."

FORMAT: Toro (654)
ORIGIN: Honduras
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Chunky (candy bar) | Tajin seasoning | Sandalwood

Well-rounded sweet profile with an occasional citrus barb. Nice spice play. Harmonious mostly, a bit jittery-excited. Feels a bit lighter than it tastes. Clean finish.

Burns wobbly, grows dry-ish ash. Excellent draw. Big smoke out-put; sweet-sour smaller aroma of a powdery quality. Slim bod is a talc-like consistency, as well.

Takes a few beats to decide what it wants to be, then fairly accomplishes itself.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Monday, May 18, 2026

La Gloria Cubana Cigars Intencion in Review

BRAND: La Gloria Cubana
BLEND: Intencion

WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Indonesian
FILLER: Nicaraguan, Honduran

FORMAT: Gran Robusto (554)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Full
SPICE: 4/5

NOTES:
Bridge Mix | Fajita Seasoning | Pumpernickel Toast

Thems the notes, italicized. Winks and a nudge of brown sugar, leather, compost, mesquite. Not transitional, but not static. Slow evolvings, changes in perspectives. Notes entrench, darken, round-out, maybe catch the throat a tick. Interplay. Also, it still tastes like it tastes but now I'm tasting from here.

Quite a toothy, sand-papery shaft. Seams could be tighter; maybe not really. Veiny. A veiny shaft. Maybe I'm getting Snickers more than bridge Mix? Nah. Grow up! Draw starts a hair snug, loosens some but there is still a good resistance. Puffs let loose clouds, and coat lips. Chewy. Dark not somber.

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

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

::: very :::