Sunday, April 30, 2017

Alec Bradley Cigars It's A Boy & Inclusive Cohiba Luxury

On this week's Cigars City Podcast, me and Anthony smoke an Alec Bradley It's A Boy cigar offering and chat about Trump, the FDA, Cohiba Blue, and All Out Kings.

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Check out www.CigarsCity.com.

To listen to this installment, click play below. Thank-you, Gentlepersons.


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April 2017 Pound for Pound Boxing Rankings

Below are my boxing rankings for the month of April 2017. Hey, thanks for reading, gentlepersons. For yer doing-so, I shall try really hard to remember to include these posts in my Kaplowitz Radio audio endeavors. Lists such as these threaten to become as shallow and pedantic as Lois Griffin's meatloaf, lest some accompanying chat doth occur.

Now, without any further ado, adon't, or amaybe --

1. Gennady Golovkin 37-0-0, 33
IBF, WBA, WBC Middleweight Champion

2. Terence Crawford 30-0-0, 21
WBC, WBO Jr Welterweight Champion

3. Andre Ward 31-0-0, 15
WBO, IBF, WBA Light Heavyweight Champion

4. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez 48-1-1, 34
WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion

5. Keith Thurman 27-0-1, 22
WBA Welterweight Champion

6. Roman Gonzalez 46-1-0, 38
WBC Junior Bantamweight Champion

7. Sergey Kovalev 30-1-1, 26

8. Anthony Joshua 19-0-0, 19
WBA, IBF, IBO Heavyweight Champion

9. Guillermo Rigondeaux 17-0-0, 11
WBA, WBO Super Bantamweight Champion

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Four Cigars Reviewed in 100 Words vol. III


CATTLE BARON BULL
A muscularly built cigar with a well balanced medium-full profile. Well delivered traditional notes of sweetly piquant cocoa and cedar around a clean tobacco core.

FINAL GRADE
****A-****

DREW ESTATE HERRERA ESTELI
A well-built though softening Toro with straight burn and excellent draw. Sweetly spiced earthen cocoa notes, a fustiness which gets swampy alongside an Americano note.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****

MBOMBAY COROJO OSCURO
A somewhat less than ideally performing Gordo. Medium-full profiled dark fruits and black pepper over Cola and coffee notes, all atop a darkly sweet compost.

FINAL GRADE
****B****

FELIX ASSOULINE SOMETHING SPECIAL
Oak braced coffee and cream'd earth primary, with secondary leathery grains. Muted piquancies. Bittersweet, then bitter mainly. This box-pressed corona had a notably wobbly burn.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****

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The King is Dead, Long Live the King: A Klitschko v Joshua Retrospective

"Those punches came from the depths of his soul."
- BBC Radio 5 live boxing commentator Ronald McIntosh
Whilst the young King Anthony Joshua remains a perfect 19-0 and as yet to go before the judges, he did avail hisself, but too show his reign shall begin in the form of on-the-job learnings atop his throne. Meanwhile, the former King Wladimir Klitschko, in showing the training still needed on Joshua's part, went out in truly noble fashion. This was no Mike Tyson trouncing a sad Larry Holmes.

What this was was a glorious and long-awaited rebuttal to Bert Sugar's “The heavyweight division is on the cusp of being called off for lack of interest, ... A hundred years ago boxing was one of the top three sports in the country. Now it's charitably twelfth on the list of top 10 sports. Therein lies its biggest problem. People have so many things to consider in the world of sports that it takes a major fighter to capture their attention.”

Attention: captured, gentlepersons.

Before a frenzied 90,000 coronation goers at London's famed Wembley Stadium, Mr. Joshua scored a pair of knockdowns in the 11th stanza to end a quite still worthy Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs) via ref stoppage in a bout that marked the former champion Dr. Steelhammer's return after losing his physical crown 17 months ago to a now all but disappeared Mr. Tyson Fury.

In the sixth stanza, Klitschko was quick with his left jab, then a straight right, and finally a short left hook to send Joshua tumbling to the canvas. From then till the 11th, the good doctor used Joshua's lack of lateral and head movements to control distance and close off the ring. It was all going as I doth foresaw and whilst it felt nice to be right, it feels great to be wrong.

"Both fighters gave their best. The best man won tonight, and it's amazing event for boxing," Klitschko said later.

I'll gladly eat my Humble Pie, says I. The 11th emblazoned upon my brain as unfurling as slowly as a decade of dominance falling away and a new dawn rising over the mountains.
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Romeo by Romeo y Julieta - Cigar Review

THE CIGAR
Romeo y Julieta Romeo
5 x 54 Robusto
w. Ecuadorian Habano
b. Dominican Olor
f. Dominican Piloto and Olor
m.Tabacalera de García SAS Dominican Republic
CONSTRUCTION
Veins and lumps, my favorite radio comedy duo from the Roaring Twenties. Even, though less than tight seams. Scant espresso marbling over a reddish hue'd medium-dark brown top-leaf, with a goldenrod under-belly. No hard/soft spots but doth it quite soften? Yes it doth. Feels fairly under-packed. Draw is a tick hesitant medium tension till warmed, remains preferring to be double or triple puffed. Final third sees loose seams and warming smoke.

COMBUSTION
Ash builds well and to an inch easily, in an evenly-spaced stack a' dimes heather-grey manner. Burns straight though a thick and veiny top-leaf which invites ribboning and occasional post-half wrapper lag. A moderate amount of smoke off resting foot and into smoke-hole. Char shows a somewhat cooler burning center filler with too some aeration. In last stanza burn becomes hollow and needs a re-light.

FLAVORS
No less mundane than a typical RyJ, this Rome doth offer some tick more boldnesses. A medium+ flavor-scape of a seasoned hardwood and stiff leather primary. Baking spice middlings with some toasted cream and black pepper. Also cocoa and coffee bean lilts and/or meanderings. Under-belly is earthen grains with a wrapping around of woodsiness and sprinkling in a' spice. Could use some further fleshing out of roundness due to a thinning and stiffening cream.

BODY
Medium. A warm piquant tongue-tingle in toasted creaminess. Finish is coffee and cocoa bean bittersweet around a toasted tobacco core. 

STRENGTH
A minor tick a' swoon behind the eyes. Slight warmth in chest. Nada/zilch in challah-basket. Medum.

TRANSITION
An always toasting further of grains. Really, quite straight-forward other than that. The hierarchy don't shuffle and little if bubkus is added throughout.

NUANCE
Toasting serves to further entrench notes and their underneaths, but them underneaths don't really mingle.

COMPLEXITY
No, not really. There is some on the finish where bitter and sweet jockey in an ebb and flow hither and thither.

BALANCE
Excellent balance, but a lot like juggling one bowling pin.

FINAL GRADE
****B****
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Friday, April 28, 2017

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Drew Estate Herrera Esteli Cigar Review & Found Fuente, Cheapie Cohiba

Gentlepersons, to-day on The Kaplowitz Show I give a Drew Estate Herrera Esteli a looksie over whilst too touching on some cigar news happenings. New bits as to the stolen Arturo Fuente shipment & a cheapie Cohiba offering release.

Please press play below to listen. Thank-you.



MY CIGAR AFICIONADO-esque REVIEW
of the DREW ESTATE HERRERA ESTELI
A well-built though softening Toro with straight burn and excellent draw. Sweetly spiced earthen cocoa notes, a fustiness which gets swampy alongside an Americano note.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****
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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Four Cigars Reviewed in 100 Words vol. II

FLATBED PANACEA BLACK NATURAL
A stiffly built minimally angled Perfecto with molasses and black pepper primary notes. These over seasoned woods and dark grains atop a warmly fusty compost.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****

ROCKY PATEL TABAQUERO HAMLET PAREDES
A nicely constructed medium-full cigar with well balanced if not flat profile of mulling spice and leathery woods. Earthen under-belly of toasted nigh scorched top-soils.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****

JOYA DE NICARAGUA ANTANO 1970
A full strength Nicaraguan puro with slowly unfurling body/flavors to match. Notes found in a strong cup of joe alongside a stiff aromatic tobacco. 

FINAL GRADE
****A-****

CATTLE BARON STOCKYARD
A classically delivered and impressively well built Robusto cigar with a complexly nuanced tobacco core and swirlings of pepper/spice'd cocoa butter and honey notes.

FINAL GRADE
****A-****
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Cattle Baron Cigar Review and Klitschko v Joshua Prediction

Gentlepersons, to-day on The Kaplowitz Show, I reviewed a Cattle Baron Cigars offering and logged my official prediction re: Wladimir Klitschko vs Anthony Joshua. Spoiler alert: I got Klitschko by 10 round knock-out off a left hook followed by straight, or maybe over-hand, right.

Also, my house is cleaner and I smell less pretty.

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*ADDENDUM*
MY CIGAR AFICIONADO-esque REVIEW
of the CATTLE BARON STOCKYARD
A classically delivered and impressively well built Robusto cigar with a complexly nuanced tobacco core and swirlings of pepper/spice'd cocoa butter and honey notes.

FINAL GRADE
****A-****

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Caldwell All Out Kings - Cigar Review

THE CIGAR
Caldwell Cigar Co. | Drew Estate
All Out Kings
Give Me Your Lunch Money 5 3/4 × 46 Corona  
w. Connecticut Stalk Cut & Sun-Cured Habano
b. Indonesia Sumatra
f. Jalapa Viso,Estelí Viso, Dominican C-98 Seco, Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero
10 FACTS ABOUT ALL OUT KINGS
1. The All Out Kings' construction presents via nigh invisible seams and minimal veins. No hard/soft spots, but softening doth occur ahead of burn. Draw is a -full tension yet smoothly so but too occasionally a tick wispy. Nub is solid 'nuff but smoke is heated.

2. Flavors? How's bout grapefruit juice and kosher wine? A peppery aromatic tobacco is up-top with a close on its heels Americano. In the middlings with the juice and grapes are a mulling spice and anise. Leathery earthen under-belly with a lemongrass lilt. A rather wide yet barren landscape and at times a tick of a hollow one -- unless that's redundant. Nowhere's near exciting as unplayed jazz notes. A slight herbal quality ebbs and flows hither and thither. Medium-full.

3. Transitions are quite lacking as happenings happen on a line. Lettuce call it consistent, humsoever, as there is a smattering of maturing and slight tick deepening as smoke smokes.

4. Combustion-wise, this All Out Kings packs a bunch of time in a half-bunch bag off a slow burn. Line is even with a slight self-correcting ribbon. There seems to be more smoke pouring off the resting foot, than into my smoke-hole. Ash builds well in a silvery sheath.

5. As to body, I'd call it a medium by way of a smooth viscous juice, rather than cream. The finish is that of kosher wine and a slightly underneath it black pepper-laced pipe tobacco. Goodly length'd legs and a slight tongue tingle. Robustly thin medium?

6. Pepper/spices in this Robert Caldwell/Drew Estate collaboration are a driving yet subtle black pepper and mulling spice -- heavy on the citrus attachment. Particularly on the retro-hale where it gets a darkly fusty addition.

7. Nuances are deep and nigh intricate, but don't dance together in their underneaths to lend to complexity. That coupled with lack of transition culminate in a far from complex offering. Deeply nuanced, nonetheless.

8. Strength here would be a medium in and of itself, but pulled up nicely to a medium plus nigh medium-full all told, across the board, and all things considered.

9. Balance is spot on in the All Out Kings offering, although it is achieved with some linear methodology.

10. Mr. Anthony Welsch of Cigars City and myself tasted this AOK blend in its Foreverlast 6 1/2 x 54 format (this vitola is superior) on a Cigars City Podcast HERE. Also, Cigars City has All Out Kings IN STOCK HERE.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****
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Joya de Nicaragua Antano Cigar Review & Wilder, Bellew Challenge

Gentlepersons, to-day on The Kaplowitz Show I review a Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 & chat boxing re: Tyson Fury calling out Tony Bellew; Deontay Wilder calling out Joseph Parker. 

Please press play below to listen,
& I thank-you gentlepersons.

MY CIGAR AFICIONADO-esque REVIEW
of the JOYA DE NICARAGUA ANTANO 1970
A full strength Nicaraguan puro with slowly unfurling body/flavors to match. Notes found in a strong cup of joe alongside a stiff aromatic tobacco. 

FINAL GRADE
****A-****
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A Review of Recent Grade A Cigar Offerings

"And find I'm a number one,
Top of the list.
King of the hill --
A number one."
- Frank Sinatra
Gentlepersons, below is a list as shallow and pedantic as Lois Griffin's meatloaf. It is a list of recent (April '17) cigar offerings I humbly found to be worthy of A (A- to A+) review ratings.
THE A LIST
{Names are links to full review.}

Monday, April 24, 2017

Tabaquero Hamlet Paredes & Porter v Berto Cigar & Boxing Review

The Kaplowitz Show is back to start the week with a Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Tabaquero by Hamlet Paredes cigar review and recap of the week-end in boxing. Spotlights on Porter vs Berto, the Shakur Stevenson debut, and Charlo vs Hatley. Also with a quick preview of my best of cigar list for April 2017.

Please press play below to listen
& I doth thank-you, gentlepersons.

MY CIGAR AFICIONADO-esque REVIEW
of the TABAQUERO HAMLET PAREDES
A nicely constructed medium-full cigar with well balanced if not flat profile of mulling spice and leathery woods. Earthen under-belly of toasted nigh scorched top-soils.

FINAL GRADE
****B+****
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Sunday, April 23, 2017

Cigars City Podcast - All Out Kings

Gentlepersons! I regert NOTHING.

I name names and pull no punches!
Anthony Welsch and I smoke All Out Kings offerings!
I stink at "King Trivia."

The expressed opinions are solely that of my own.
Please press play below to listen, Thank-you.


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Porter Blitzes Berto in Brooklyn's Barclays

WBC WELTERWEIGHT 
ELIMINATOR MATCH
ANDRE BERTO
weight/weightreach
146.5/5'8"/63 1/2"
31-4-0, 24KO
Orthodox stance
Winterhaven, FL
vs
SHAWN PORTER
weight/height/reach
147/5'7"/69"
26-2-1 16KO
Orthodox stance
Las Vegas, NV

APRIL 22nd, BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN, NY
A slow starting opening stanza, followed by Shawn Porter knocking down Andre Berto in the next. Those two points alone stood apart from the remaining bulk bit of 21 minutes. A blitzkrieg to make ze Germans blush caught Mr. Berto completely on what appeared to be finished legs. This is to take nothing from Mr. Porter, whom now lines up a rematch against his good pal, Keith Thurman. This match saw a quite vintage and top-shelf Porter non-stop aggression and accumulative power of punches in bunches. Also, head butts, which led to a busy night to be a cut-man -- with Porter springing a leak first just prior to the first Berto knockdown. For the record, Berto didn't look hurt at that second-round point, but one could easily feel the momentum foreverly shift away from the ring veteran.

A jab thrown like a dead man votes Democrat, early and often, was the catalyst of Porter's success. Too, he pivoted quite nicely in coming in on Berto. Another note to the fisticuffs -- perhaps fisticuffs somewhat aside -- is each combatant was looked at closely by the ring physician in the seventh, so severe were the cuts via butts. The end came finally in the ninth at its 1:31 mark after that round started with another Berto knock-down off a bum-rushing Porter looking to nip at the bud the previous round best-of-fight performance by Berto. A second knock-down off a big right hand at time of stoppage was all she wrote, whomever she is.

Porter apologized to Berto in the post-fight interview, for them head-butts. All seemed accepted. For whatever reason, Berto came away with the larger of two purses, a nifty way to take the sting outta a very tough evening.
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Friday, April 21, 2017


On the Next Four (4) Installments of Cigars City Podcast...


A "Just the facts, ma'am" schedule of nigh-future Cigars City Podcast offerings.
A Full show index and more info can be found HERE.

Episodes air 7pm PDT right here at www.kaplowitz.xyz each and every Sunday.
Please tune in as myself and Anthony Welsch taste a cigar and chat about it.
This is titillating 'nuff, no? Well, we also delve into the vastness of etc.

Wow.
April 23, 2017 - Caldwell/Drew Estate All Out Kings
What happens when one of the darlings of the cigar world, Robert Caldwell gets together with the power of Drew Estate? Presenting, All Out Kings cigars - a collaboration between the two cigar powerhouses that built buzz-a-plenty leading up to its 2017 debut.

The All Out Kings Foreverlast toro cigar is a 6.5" x 54 beauty that features a Connecticut Habano wrapper. In fact, it's the same wrapper that you'll find on the Drew Estate Liga Privada series T52 cigar. Place that baby on top of tobacco from four different countries (long-filler from Connecticut Broadleaf, Dominican, and Nicaraguan with an Indonesian binder) and you'll see what everyone was so excited about.

April 30, 2017 - Alec Bradley It's A Boy
A very special episode.
<3

May 7, 2017 - Drew Estate Undercrown Shade
A new chapter in the legend of Drew Estate’s Undercrown series has begun with the sumptuous, impossibly delicious Undercrown Shade Gran Toro. A mesmerizing blend of tobaccos come together to create a genuine classic cigar that most all cigar aficionados will find something to cheer about!

The Undercrown Shade Gran Toro is finely crafted 6” x 52 stick that features a bright Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf. A luscious blend of Dominican Criollo 98, Nicaraguan Corojo and Criollo filler tobaccos are placed inside an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder leaf to complete the beautiful cigar.

May 14, 2017 -  AVO XO Maestoso
Coming from a history-making background in music, it was only natural that Avo Uvezian would understand the parallels between cigars and music and the effect they both have on all those who partake. Understanding the art of the composition gave Avo and master cigar-blender, Hendrik Kelner, the inspiration to create the Avo XO series and the masterpiece that is the XO Maestoso.

The Avo XO Maestoso is a big smoke at 7” x 48 and ideal for those who want to slow down and escape the rigors of the working world. Dominican tobaccos are wrapped in a pristine Connecticut Shade leaf from Ecuador that combines for a perfect balance between taste and strength. Easy to smoke and medium-bodied, the XO Maestoso slowly unveils flavors of nuts and spice that will join with dashes of pepper and wood on the finish.

To purchase any of these fine premium cigar offerings, please visit Cigars City now.
EDITOR'S NOTE
All cigar copy copied then pasted from the Cigars City website.
*
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