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 ::: 

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 ::: 

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 ::: 

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars Star Guide for Spring 2026

Kaplowitz Media.
Cigars Star Guide
for Spring 2026

TALLY of STAR RECIPIENTS
as of WINTER 2026

Aganorsa Leaf (1)
Arturo Fuente (2)
AJ Fernandez (2)
Casa Carrillo (2)
Diesel (1)
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (2)
Espinosa (1)
Foundation (2)
Illusione (2)
La Flor Dominicana (1)
La Gloria Cubana (2)
My Father (3)
Oliva (2)
Padron (2)
Perdomo (1)
Powstanie (1)
Punch (1)
Rocky Patel (1)
Room101 (2)
Stolen Throne (1)
Tatuaje (3)

SPRING 2026 UPDATES

Aganorsa Leaf (+1)
Alec Bradley (+1)
Crowned Heads (+1)
Diesel (+1)
Drew Estate (+1)
Espinosa Cigars (+1)
Padron (+1)
Perdomo (+1)
Placensia (+1)
Villiger (+1)

COMPLETE KAPLOWITZ MEDIA.
STAR GUIDE for SPRING 2026

Aganorsa Leaf (2)
Alec Bradley (1)
Arturo Fuente (2)
AJ Fernandez (2)
Casa Carrillo (2)
Crowned Heads (1)
Diesel (2)
Drew Estate (1)
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (2)
Espinosa (2)
Foundation (2)
Illusione (2)
La Flor Dominicana (1)
La Gloria Cubana (2)
My Father (3)
Oliva (2)
Padron (3)
Perdomo (2)
Placensia (1)
Powstanie (1)
Punch (1)
Rocky Patel (1)
Room101 (2)
Stolen Throne (1)
Tatuaje (3)
Villiger (1)

Spring is a time of growth, so subtraction just wouldn't seem right. Check back in Autumn for heads and stars to roll. I guess.

::: very :::