CAO Flathead Speed Shop Habano Crankshaft in Review

BRAND: CAO
BLEND: Speed Shop Habano

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

FORMAT: Crankshaft (6.5x54) box-press/flat head
ORIGIN: Honduras
INTENSITY: Medium/Medium-full
SPICE: 2.5/5

NOTES:
Dessert Spices | Peaches | Butterscotch

Dessert spiced pale-to-pink (peach?) fruitiness off the bat, cushioned in chewy butterscotch. Malt. Fustiness. A fleeting hint of cardboard. Peanut butter on whole wheat toast. Sandy. Salty. Quite consistent and when transitional, kindly-smooth. Notes entrench via progression, pick up nicely intermingled nuances.

Ash is some-flaky. Press rounds a 1/2" off the cherry. I think I taste cherry. Burn-line is even, but a bit thick and un-pretty. Seams and other assemblages hold. An almost ruby red grapefruit note comes on once going strong. Excellent smoke volume, sweet cedar olfactory. Cedar hits mouth. Apple butter. 

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

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

::: very ::: 

Punch Cigars Egg Roll XL in Review

BRAND: Punch
BLEND: Egg Roll XL

WRAPPER: US Broadleaf
BINDER: Ecuadorian Sumatra
FILLER: Colombian, Dominican, Mexican, American

FORMAT: Gigante (660) shaggy-foot
ORIGIN: Honduras (HATSA)
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 1.5/5

NOTES:
Sweet Malt | White Pepper | Clay Loam Soil

A rising throughout (but never high-up) citrus lilts-lifts the white pepper. Feels like someone ordered this with no MSG. Still a pleasant cigar, excellent for those with sensory hypersensitivities. Draws a tick-plus tight, and a toothpick/massage combo loosens it enough but not all the way.

Ash is a proud grower. Smoke out-put increases via progression from moderate to more-than, although aroma remains muted. A quite-slow rate of speed. No fast movements, keeps its hands where I can see 'em. Build outside of knotted draw is excellent. A simple, kind escape.

The horse you put the fussy old lady on at a dude ranch. Maybe her nervous grand-kid. She'll walk them both right to calm.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Kaplowitz Media. Hiatus 2026

Kaplowitz Media.
Hiatus 2026

... begins with this post, with no new posts scheduled until 2 March 2026.

In the interim, below is a short list of links to recent-past KM. posts you maybe missed or would like to read again in the couple-of-weeks absence of new material.

Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2025

Kaplowitz Media. Top-Rated Cigar Reviews of 2025

Kaplowitz Media. Top-Rated Miscellaneous Reviews of 2025

Thank you for the years of readership, and the yearly weeks of off. I appreciate it all.

::: very ::: 

Stolen Throne Cigars 'Ula 2025 R Field Wine Co. Exclusive in Review

BRAND: Stolen Throne
BLEND: 'Ula 2025 for R Field Wine Co.

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Sumatra
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Robusto (unfinished foot)
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium-full
SPICE: 3/5

NOTES:
Five-Spice Powder | Cocoa | Greek Coffee

Perhaps Turkish coffee, seeing how all is blended into the brew, with a dash of umami seasoning. A sploosh of cherry cola. I mean, not an authentic drink recipe, but Greek does become Turkish upon embellishments. Sultry, salty, and sating. Well-rounded and deeply nuanced. Legs for days.

::: very :::