Friday, August 31, 2018

76. Kaplowitz Radio Friday w/ Tom Lazuka, Asylum Cigars

"Book-end yer week-end with Kaplowitz Radio."


Press play below:



Thanks for yer attns., Gentlepersons.
& special thx to Tom Lazuka.
Visit: www.AsylumCigars.com

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Follow @KaplowitzMedia on Twitter.

Keep me going.
Keep me GROWING.
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This episode was brought to you by:

www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com
www.GHcigars.com
www.IllusioneCigars.com

Thursday, August 30, 2018

DAV Cigars Mestizo in Robusto - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?"


DAV Mestizo
WRAPPER: San Andres
BINDER: Dominican
FILLER: Dominican

FORMAT: Robusto
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Bitter/Pungent
PEPPER-SPICE: low | med | HIGH

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

NOTES:
Dark, toothy rustic build. Stiffly-purposeful notes: peppery hardwood, coffee beans 'round charred earthen core. Slightly salted/sweet dried-savory far-undertones. Finish/body lack-some. Seams loosen-some. Draws well. Burns ~evenly.

EDITOR'S ADDENDUM: a handful of Mestizos since have sweetened and shown far better performances. My original Final Grade of B has been moved to a B+ and a Redux review pends in the interim, perhaps.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


"MESTIZO
DAV Habana Clasico Series is a medium to full bodied premium Dominican cigar with an exceptional aroma. Beautifully aged with a dark Ecuadorian Habana 2000 wrapper with surrounding filler and binder tobaccos from the Dominican Republic. Packaged in natural wood boxes of 10 cigars." - www.DAVcigars.com 

"A new face at this years IPCPR was a small boutique cigar company known as DAV Cigars. When speaking to co-owners Valot (Val) Atakhanian and Armen Caprielian, they explained that they have been in business for about 3 years but have concentrated on markets in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked about their presence in the US and they noted that there were a few select shops, but were at the show to build awareness of the brand...

"As far as their current portfolio, they showed me their full line which consisted of 6 different blends, two of which had a complete selection of vitolas and the other four featured a single vitola in each. The combined offering spanned the spectrum from Mild to Full Body:
  • Habana Clasico Series (Medium-Full)
  • Prima Natural Series (Mild-Medium)
  • Aristocrat Series (Medium)
  • Caridad (Mild)
  • Mestizo Series (Full)
  • Anniversary (Medium – Full)" - www.StogiePress.com

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75. Kaplowitz Radio  

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Caldwell Cigars Eastern Standard Maduro Midnight Express in Corona - Cigar Review Redux by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?"


Caldwell Midnight Express
WRAPPER: Connecticut Arapiraca Maduro
BINDER: Habana Dominicano
FILLER: Dominican Criollo ‘98, Dominican Corojo Ligero, & Nicaraguan Habano

FORMAT: Corona
ORIGIN: Caldwell Cigar Factory, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Bitter/Sweet
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

NOTES: A darkly tangy delivery of espresso&dark chocolate profile, w/ sweet-peppery kicker. Burn blisters here&there. Draw gets progressively spongy, ends sans any great hampering. (Acrid aroma.)

FINAL GRADE: B
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

READING LIST:
Caldwell Cigars Eastern Standard Maduro Midnight Express in Corona - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz
((( link )))




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Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Casa Cuevas Cigars Edicion Limitada Maduro (Lancero) - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?


Casa Cuevas Edicion Limitada Maduro
WRAPPER: Mexican San Andres
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Colombian, Dominican, & Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Lancero w/ pig-tail cap
ORIGIN: Tabacalera Las Lavas factory, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Bittersweet/Savory
PEPPER-SPICE: low | med | HIGH

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

NOTES:
Bittersweet-savory. Dark chocolate&fruits/charred-peppery meats. encircling a pungent earthen core. Smoky out-put yields a sharp aroma. Burns jaggedly in spots w/ a double-puff requiring draw.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


"You may not have heard of the Cuevas family, but there is a good chance you have smoked at least one of the cigars they have produced.

"Headed by Luis Cuevas Sr. and his son, Luis Jr., the family owns the Tabacalera Las Lavas S.R.L. factory, which is located in the Dominican Republic and makes cigars for a number of different companies, most notably Gurkha. In April, the family introduced a new cigar brand appropriately named Casa Cuevas that debuted in three different blends: Connecticut, Habano and Maduro." www.Halfwheel.com (2017)

& more from Hw a month ago:

"The Casa Cuevas Limited Edition is a long and slender 7 x 43 vitola with a pigtail cap that comes priced at $9.50 in either the Habano or Maduro blend. The company is making just 500 of the 10-count boxes in both of the blends in which the cigar is offered ... Gabriel Alvarez, director of sales for Casa Cuevas, said that the new cigars use the same components as the rest of the lines and while blended to the size, stay true to the blend."

Monday, August 27, 2018

56. Kaplowitz Radio (Rebroadcast)

"Book-end yer week-end with Kaplowitz Radio."


Originally aired: Monday, May 21, 2018


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Saturday, August 25, 2018

Kaplowitz Media: Cigars of the Month (August 2018)

"Why not Kaplowitz?"


"Sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit, these men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem. If no one else can help. And if you can find them -- maybe you can hire the A-Team."

Gentlepersons below is a list as shallow and pedantic as Lois Griffin's meatloaf. It is a list of recent (August 2018) cigar offerings I humbly found to be worthy of A (- to +) review ratings.

THE A-LIST
{Names are links to full review.}



HONORABLE MENTION



Lists just don't get much shorter than that. 
Here, check out last month's lengthiness.


Twitter: @KaplowitzMedia
Email: HERE

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75. Kaplowitz Radio Friday 

Friday, August 24, 2018

75. Kaplowitz Radio Friday

"Book-end yer week-end with Kaplowitz Radio."


Press play below:


Thanks for yer attns., Gentlepersons

s/o
www.DAVcigars.com
Jesus Hooligan (Intro)
Liquor & Whores (Trailer Park Boys) (Outro)

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This episode was brought to you by:

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Casa Cuevas Cigars Maduro Clasico Prensado - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?"
Setting Orange Bureaucracy 16th, YOLD 3184


Casa Cuevas Clasico Prensado (Maduro)
WRAPPER: San Andres
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Pennsylvania, Colombian, Nicaraguan, Dominican

FORMAT: Toro, box press
ORIGIN: Tabacalera Las Lavas factory, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Savory/Bittersweet
DELIVERY: Rigid/Smoked
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT

NOTES:
Bittersweet meatiness; charred mesquite smokiness. Toasted creaminess. Straightforward, deeply nuanced. Slightly curved burn-line. Excellent draw & smoke out-put. Box-press softens but remains at its cool nub.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

"Casa Cuevas Cigars will be expanding the core lines in the form of the Clásico Prensado. The new extension releases stay true to the original Habano & Maduro blends while the new vitola brings the popular box pressed shape to the line-up. The 6 X 48 box pressed cigars will be available in 20-count boxes starting in August of 2018." - www.BlindmansPuff.com 

"Who We Are

"In the 19th century, Juan Cuevas, Spanish immigrant from Santander, began what was to be a family business which now spans four generations. Like others fortunate enough to live and work in the Pinar del Rio province of Cuba, Juan commenced cultivating tobacco, turning it into a successful business.

"Following in his father’s footsteps, his son, Juan Jr. continued with the family business, successfully expanding it until events which took place in 1959 forced a dramatic change. Years later, in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic, Luis Cuevas Sr., Juan’s Jr.’s son, carried on the family tradition of handcrafting fine cigars in the family’s cigar factory, Tabacalera Las Lavas. Today, Luis Sr. is joined by his son, Luis Jr. in the manufacture and sale of premium, long filler cigars at their factory, Tabacalera Las Lavas, in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

"So it is that, after decades of manufacturing premium cigars for notable brands, it was decided that the time had come to produce and market a high-end, premium cigar that would bear the Cuevas name." - www.CasaCuevasCigars



Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Casa Cuevas Cigars Edicion Limitada Habano (Lancero) - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"


Casa Cuevas Edicion Limitada (Habano)
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Pennsylvania, Colombian, Nicaraguan, Dominican

FORMAT: Lancero
ORIGIN: Tabacalera Las Lavas, Santiago, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium
PROFILE: Sweet-Sour
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

NOTES:
Tangy bright -- not too either. Darker/heavier notes support-well. Spiced more than peppered, boozily-so. Toasted nuances, attainable complexity. Draws well/readily, Cap softens sans hampering. Burns evenly.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

"Gabriel Alvarez, director of sales for Casa Cuevas, said that the new cigars use the same components as the rest of the lines and while blended to the size, stay true to the blend." - www.Halfwheel.com 

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

DAV Cigars Habana Clasico in Robusto - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"


DAV Habana Clasico
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habana 2000
BINDER: Dominican Olor
FILLER: Dominican

FORMAT: Robusto
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Bitter/Spice/Savory
DELIVERY: Rigid/Roasted
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT
CONSTRUCTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT

NOTES:
Front-loaded pepper-spice subdues >>> sweet >>> spice re-emerges >>> fruit >>> woody core. Complex. Transitional. Nuanced. Lengthy smoke-time. Cruise-control burn. Smooth, even draw. Stays cool to its well-formed nub.

FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


"One of the first-time exhibitors at this year’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, DAV Cigars is based in Washington, D.C. with a factory operation in Villa Gonzalez, Dominican Republic. The company rolled out a fairly typical booth presentation with several display cases for its cigars, as well as a seating area of a couch and some chairs.

"The booth was manned by co-founders Val Atakhanian and Armen Caprielian, and the pair showed off their five lines of cigars, two of which come in multiple vitolas and three of which are offered in single sizes. DAV Cigars has had its cigars available for about three years in the global market, and says they have accounts in eastern Europe and Russia as well as in select U.S. locations."
- www.Halfwheel.com

"DAV Cigars emerged when two friends followed their passion for cigars while venturing in the Dominican Republic and decided to join forces with a third-generation cigar manufacturer's family.

"Since then, DAV cigars became globally popular due to their exceptional premium blend, paired with the knowledge, expertise, strive for excellence and the vision of its creators.

"Decades of experience, combined with true love and deep understanding of cigars result in the highest level of standard of each DAV hand-rolled cigar.

"Every cigar is created consistent with the techniques passed on from one generation to the next. When each cigar is expertly wrapped in a rich, lustrous natural wrapper, the cigar experience gets kicked up a notch. The superior quality of DAV cigars is ascertained by the highest quality of raw material from proper sources. Consequently, the wrapping, flavor, smoke, burn, and draw always result in absolute perfection." - DAVcigars.com

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74. Kaplowitz Radio 

Monday, August 20, 2018

74. Kaplowitz Radio Monday

"Book-end yer week-end with Kaplowitz Radio."
Boomtime Bureaucracy 13th, YOLD 3184


Press play below:


Thanks for yer attns., Gentlepersons

s/o
Caldwell Cigars
Jesus Hooligan
Slub

Report a typo, win a No-prize.

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Keep me going.
Keep me GROWING.
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This episode was brought to you by:
www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com
www.GHcigars.com
www.IllusioneCigars.com

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Casa Cuevas Cigars Habano in Toro - Redux Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano 
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Dominican & Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Toro
ORIGIN: Tabacalera Las Lavas factory, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Sweet/Spice
DELIVERY: Smooth/Rigid
PEPPER-SPICE low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

NOTES:
A sweetly toasted natty tobacco-forward core of inherent nutty-woods. Goodly dose of spice & everything nice re: Habano lends moderate+ complexities which seem far more brilliant in its Robusto brethren. Tight draw but no other qualms in firmly-rolled construction. Burns not razor even, but sans mandated redirections. 

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59 

Friday, August 17, 2018

73. Kaplowitz Radio Friday

"Book-end yer week-end with Kaplowitz Radio."
Prickle-Prickle Bureaucracy 10th, YOLD 3184


s/o
Casa Cuevas Cigars
Jesus Hooligan
Bucket of Piss
Tablerock Tokers

Press play below:


Thanks for yer attns., Gentlepersons.

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Keep me going.
Keep me GROWING.
Go HERE to support K/M.

This episode was brought to you by:
www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com
www.GHcigars.com
www.IllusioneCigars.com

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Casa Cuevas Cigars Habano Clasico Prensado - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"
Pungenday Bureaucracy 9th, YOLD 3184


Casa Cuevas Habano Clasico Prensado
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Pennsylvania, Colombian, Nicaraguan, Dominican

FORMAT: Toro (Box Press)
ORIGIN: Tabacalera Las Lavas, Santiago, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium
PROFILE: Sweet/Sour
DELIVERY: Smooth/Tangy/Bright
PEPPER-SPICE: LOW | med | high

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent
  • Chocolate (milk, cocoa butter)
  • Citrus (lemonade)
  • Cream (sweet, thin-some)
  • Tobacco (exhibits toasted natty sweetness)
  • Spice (clove, paprika)
  • Pepper (white, scant red)
  • Wood (cedar, buttery, toasted)
  • Tea (white, roasted)
  • Grain (oats, raw)
  • Earth (bright dirt, sand)
NOTES:
Combustion never quite finds an even line, but never needs re-direction and pace is quite nice. Good smoke out-put off each end. Some slight cracking of top-leaf in 3/3 is cosmetic nit-pickery, only. Excellent draw & press stays put throughout. A bit diluted as compared to its Robusto iteration. Still a very pleasant smoke with nice complexities albeit somewhat lacking in depth. Tangy, tho not acidic, and rather refreshingly-so. Bright & lively fare. Finish: a flip-flopping of overtones w/ spice kicker; moderate length.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


"It’s not just limited editions being added, however, as the company is adding a new regular production box pressed 6 x 48 vitola as well, with the Maduro version priced at $8.40 and the Habano at $8.20. Both cigars, dubbed Clásico Prensado, are offered in boxes of 20.

"Gabriel Alvarez, director of sales for Casa Cuevas, said that the new cigars use the same components as the rest of the lines and while blended to the size, stay true to the blend." - www.Halfwheel.com 

BEING AS SUCH, please read Casa Cuevas Cigars Habano in Robusto - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz, as this is partially then a Redux looksie.

"In the 19th century, Juan Cuevas, Spanish immigrant from Santander, began what was to be a family business which now spans four generations. Like others fortunate enough to live and work in the Pinar del Rio province of Cuba, Juan commenced cultivating tobacco, turning it into a successful business.

"Following in his father’s footsteps, his son, Juan Jr. continued with the family business, successfully expanding it until events which took place in 1959 forced a dramatic change. Years later, in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic, Luis Cuevas Sr., Juan’s Jr.’s son, carried on the family tradition of handcrafting fine cigars in the family’s cigar factory, Tabacalera Las Lavas. Today, Luis Sr. is joined by his son, Luis Jr. in the manufacture and sale of premium, long filler cigars at their factory, Tabacalera Las Lavas, in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

"So it is that, after decades of manufacturing premium cigars for notable brands, it was decided that the time had come to produce and market a high-end, premium cigar that would bear the Cuevas name." - www.CasaCuevasCigars.com 

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Kaplowitz Media: Odds & Ends at the Ides (August)

"Why not Kaplowitz?"


  • New Kaplowitz Media sponsor: Om Mani Cigars
  • New Kaplowitz Radio sponsor: Gran Habano
  • September/Shemptember K/M Bday Bash
  • Addition: "delivery" & "pepper-spice" (reviews)
  • New (old) cigar review format (again)
  • PS: The Week's Big Thing
Gentlepersons,

Thanks for coming out to this, my State of the Kaplowitz.xyz Address.

Lettuce 1st knock off two of the above bullet-points by welcoming new sponsor Om Mani Cigars to the Kaplowitz Media fold. Also, lettuce do the same but different to Gran Habano, a long-time sponsor of K/M, now of Kaplowitz Radio as well and too. Thanks, bigly, to each and HEY, if you wanna be a sponsor check-out THIS.

While checking-out this and that, SEPTEMBER IS K/M's 3rd Aniversario and there will be partay-ing. And fund-raising. Check-out: Official Kaplowitz Media 3rd Anniversary Events Guide/Index. Please do follow that link but below I'll post...

SHEMPTEMBER LIST OF EVENTS:
September 1st (time TBD) KAPATHON 2018
September 15th Kaplowitz Media Festival (time/place TBD)
September 30th CIGAR OF THE YEAR Announced

Again, mucho more info HERE.

& last but not least (altho there ain't no least here in #BEASTMODE, so natch) eagle-eyed readers will have by now noted the additions of DELIVERY and PEPPER-SPICE to my written cigar reviews. Think of delivery in terms of ~body and pepper-spice in terms of, well, pepper-spice. I'll be offering a couple words and a lo | medium | high scale, respectively.

Oh, also & re: cigar reviews. This forthcoming batch addition to my some ~600 penned will be a return to the ~25-word Cigar Aficionado dalliance I employed some time back. On top of WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER: FORMAT: ORIGIN: STRENGTH: PROFILE: DELIVERY: PEPPER-SPICE: low | med | high COMBUSTION: poor | ok | excellent CONSTRUCTION: poor | ok | excellent. See? Also included will be the per usual background/origin info & FINAL GRADE: A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

To clarify I'll ask of me: "~25-word Cigar Aficionado dalliance?" To wit -- some time ago, I took a dozen or so maybe 18 CA cigar reviews and did the math. The wordcount avg'd out to 25 words on the dot. I'll shoot for 25 but won't lose sleep twixt 23-27. Although previously I did hit 25 on the nose every. single. time. Again, #BEASTMODE

thx

Till the Ides next,

Kap

PS: Shortly following on the heels of calling this post done, I've decided upon a new written weekly (not weakly) segment entitled "The Week's Big Thing" this will be a highlight of the singular thing I've been all about the previous seven days. It could be anything, really -- a cigar thing, a style thing, a food thing -- a lifestyle thing, then.  I'm not sure it'll have its own specific day-slot yet, and it won't yet, at least. But look for it as an "Extra Edition" thing hither &/or thither.

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72. Kaplowitz Radio 

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

DAV Cigars Aristocrat in Robusto - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?"
Sweetmorn Bureaucracy 7th, YOLD 3184


DAV Aristocrat
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano 2000
BINDER: Dominican
FILLER: Dominican

FORMAT: Robusto
ORIGIN: Villa Gonzalez, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Sweetbitter/Spice
DELIVERY: Roasted/Soft
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

Roasted overtones are darkly bittersweet; riding tandem there is a sunny spice with vegetal savory nuance. High up undertones are well-bracing salted bitter bits which extend their slightly sweetened sour nuances out to the finish. Really, nutty af. Read: nutty core.

Said finish is that which was mentioned carried out behind a brightly spiced front on long legs. Balanced quite well with a tremendous depth albeit moderate complexity. Ends less than cleanly but with a natural toasted tobacco sweetness which is quite nice.
  • Pepper (white, red)
  • Spice (nutmeg, clove)
  • Nuts (almonds, black walnut, lightly candied) 
  • Coffee (full city roasted beans, espresso)
  • Grains (barley, buckwheat)
  • Chocolate (baking, cocoa butter)
  • Wood (cedar, hickory)
  • Cream (butter)
  • Fruit (black cherry)
  • Earth (top-soil, clay)
Body is Smooth tho a bit dry here & there. A calm spice tingles cheeks and lips. Bulky weighty smoke, rich and soft. Temp is kindly tepid. Strength proper is of a medium varietal.

Burn happens on a bit of a stubborn curve. Ash builds well & dense pale to an easy inch. Smoke out-put is voluminous both active and passive, although there is some wiggling around as to actual amm'ts. 

Roll features a pleasant medium tension draw that remains even gate-to-wire. No hard/soft spots off a very firm to pinch. That very firm roll maybe led to some slight cracking of top-leaf in the opening 1/2. Nothing terrible, cosmetic only. (The foot was cracked pre-light, so maybe shipping played a role.) The eventual nub: cool & well-held.

Hey, I made it through w/ out referencing the Aristocrats joke. Go & yay, me. Come to think of it, no Disabled American Veteran jokes, either! (Not that that's funny @ all AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.) I must be maturing.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

"One of the first-time exhibitors at this year’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, DAV Cigars is based in Washington, D.C. with a factory operation in Villa Gonzalez, Dominican Republic. The company rolled out a fairly typical booth presentation with several display cases for its cigars, as well as a seating area of a couch and some chairs.

"The booth was manned by co-founders Val Atakhanian and Armen Caprielian, and the pair showed off their five lines of cigars, two of which come in multiple vitolas and three of which are offered in single sizes. DAV Cigars has had its cigars available for about three years in the global market, and says they have accounts in eastern Europe and Russia as well as in select U.S. locations." 
- www.Halfwheel.com

Report a typo, win a No-prize.

Like Kaplowitz Media on Facebook HERE
& join the Kaplowitz Media Group HERE

Keep me going.
Keep me GROWING.

Go HERE for ways to support K/M.

72. Kaplowitz Radio 

Monday, August 13, 2018

72. Kaplowitz Radio Monday

"Book-end yer week-end with Kaplowitz Radio"
Setting Orange Bureaucracy 6th, YOLD 3184


s/o
www.CaldwellCigars.com

Press play below:



Thanks for yer attns., Gentlepersons.

Report a typo, win a No-prize.

Like Kaplowitz Media on Facebook HERE
& join the Kaplowitz Media Group HERE

Keep me going.
Keep me GROWING.
Go HERE to support K/M.

This episode was brought to you by:
www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com
www.GHcigars.com
www.IllusioneCigars.com

Friday, August 10, 2018

71. Kaplowitz Radio Friday

"Book-end yer week-end w/ Kaplowitz Radio."
Boomtime Bureaucracy 3rd, YOLD 3184


s/o
www.DAVcigars.com
www.Halfwheel.com
www.BadBrains.com

Press play below:



Thanks for yer attns., Gentlepersons.

Report a typo, win a No-prize.

Like Kaplowitz Media on Facebook HERE
& join the Kaplowitz Media Group HERE

Keep me going.
Keep me GROWING.
Go HERE to support K/M.

This episode was brought to you by:
www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Edition One Cloud Hopper No. 53 Corona (Warped Cigars) - Cigar Review by Kaplowitz

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"
Sweetmorn Bureaucracy 2nd, YOLD 3184


Edition One Cloud Hopper
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua

FORMAT: Corona "No. 53"
ORIGIN: Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A., Nicaragua

STRENGTH: Medium
PROFILE: Sweet/Savory
DELIVERY: Smooth/Crisp
PEPPER-SPICE: LOW | med | high

COMBUSTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

Overtones are raw (not green) to lightly toasted and filtered bright bits of sweet savoriness. Undertones are more toasty and slightly more rigid-bracing sour/bitter complexities. Some roasted warm saltiness sets into lips & cheeks. Past the 1/2, lightly toasted top-notes become well-toasted and the under-notes rise up thusly, as well. Crisp but shy-some of tangy & definitely not sharp. Quite mellow for a predominately bright cigar. Not acidic even to many notes could go that way. Excellently balanced & somewhat complex (particularly confined in undertones) altho not too terribly nuanced. Lacking in depth to a degree. Staves off blandness for the most part with some interesting bits hither-thither.
  • Pepper (white, black in 3/3)
  • Spice (ginger)
  • Chocolate (milk & cocoa butter)
  • Honey (malt)
  • Wood (cedar, fresh)
  • Coffee (latte)
  • Grains (oats, white bread)
  • Citrus (mandarin orange)
  • Cream (Marshmallow fluff)
  • Praline
  • Meat (fowl)
  • Earth (dirt)
Crisp clean body. Finish is short to moderate length'd and sweet/sour // sour/sweet flip-floppings. Smooth & soft but braced with a low-down rigidity. Nice cool temp. No real strength, proper, to speak of.

Combustion happens on an even line & @ an even pace. Slowly-so. Good smoke out-put both passive & active. Ash won't build long and displays loosely. Construction stays true from pre-light to nub insofar as no har/soft spots or sponginess. Top-leaf is a bit delicate, tho. Also, the draw tension wiggles around a bit but never hampers smoke to smoke-hole.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


"Tucked away inside the Warped Cigars booth during the 2017 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show was a brand new line started by owner Kyle Gellis and his younger brother Devin.

"Named Edition One, the brand was showing off its debut line, a regular production Nicaraguan puro named Cloud Hopper that uses only AGANORSA tobacco. The cigars were shipped to retailers in August packaged in 50-count cabinets and are being produced at the Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

"In an email with halfwheel, Kyle Gellis explained the meaning of the name Cloud Hopper: 'My younger brother Devin and I both travel a lot, we constantly share stories of our times traveling, in the air, etc. So Cloud Hopper was a term we used to describe our journeys, it was something we both share, the love of travel but sometimes travel doesn’t go as expected.'" - www.Halfwheel.com (2017)

"Edition One is the collective effort of Kyle Gellis (owner of Warped Cigars) and his younger brother, Devin Gellis. The company took shape after Devin sought to follow in his brother’s footsteps, asking Kyle to guide him through a path he’d tirelessly forged over the past decade with Warped  ...

"While Devin is taking the reins for Edition One, Kyle’s influence is very apparent. For starters, the cigars feature a clean and modern look, while managing to retain a vintage flair—something Warped is known for. In addition, the Cloud Hopper uses an all-Nicaraguan, all-AGANORSA blend, with production being handled by Tobacos Valle de Jalapa, S.A.—the Estelí-based factory that handles most of Warped’s cigars. The most noticeable differentiator thus far is the price point, with Cloud Hopper coming in well below anything offered from Warped to date." - www.CigarDojo.com (2017)


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70. Kaplowitz Radio

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Ventura Cigar Co. Archetype Dreamstate in Toro - Review by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?"
Prickle-Prickle Confusion 73rd, YOLD 3184


Archetype Dreamstate
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut
BINDER: Dominican San Vincente
FILLER: "multi-country blend"

FORMAT: Toro
ORIGIN: Occidental Cigar Factory, Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Mild-Medium
PROFILE: Sour/Sweet
DELIVERY: Smooth/Peppery
PEPPER-SPICE: medium

COMBUSTION: excellent
CONSTRUCTION: excellent

A blend so bright, ya gotta wear shades. Dollar Store white-framed wayfarers for me, thanks. Driven by lemony tangy-sour then sweet overtones of a lightly-toasted manner; backed by undertones of more salted pale spices and vegetal savoriness. It's sunny af in the raw down there, too. There's a big dose of squirrelly (white) pepper playing about which bears direct notation. Notes are a tick sharp & bitter nods apparently nod off prior to lighting. Read: there are no bitter notes.

Flirts with acidity but leaves the Discotech safely solo. Quite more a complex thing than many a CT but it's all so loud. According to the co. write-up, they seem to be going for a mellow experience. This feels more like a rave to me. I like raves. Another knock is the cacophony seems outta balance hither and thither, albeit in an unoffensive way.
  • Pepper (white)
  • Citrus (Lemonhead candy)
  • Spices (cardamom, white ginger)
  • Fruit (pale, candied)
  • Almonds (slivers)
  • Floral (chamomile)
  • Vanilla (extract)
  • Dirt (a path of yellow brick rd. thru it)
The body is smooth, yet quite zesty and also erring toward sharp -- lots going on there. Rather more full of body than expected. Rich & soft as a kind ol' Texan sugar daddy. The finish is a sweet/sour complexity of moderate length, driven by floral aspects. Ends cleanly with a tick acidity. Cool of temp gate-to-wire. No strength, proper ie: nic.

Combustion leaves me miserably finding zilch complaint. Ash grows pale and dense till I rll it off at the thirds. Pace is slow and the mellowest part of this mellow attempt. Smoke out-put while moderate passively, explodes in volume off the active puffing. No complaint re: construction as well & I remain in critic's hell. A perfect draw and tight seams and solid cap/shoulder and blah blah and blah.

Given some knocks here, I still feel this is a lower-end must-try cigar. That is if you prefer lighter brighter fare. Its possessed of a different 'nuff profile to warrant that sorta exploration & rolled supremely well.

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


s/o: Bumgarner
www.TableRockTokers.wordpress.com

"Archetype is an exploration of nuance that rewards the discriminating palate with a new line of highly-complex, yet perfectly balanced cigars. Each vitola is artfully crafted with a unique blend of rich, flavorful tobaccos and bound in a pristine wrapper—working in harmony to create an intense, memorable smoke that has no equal. Archetype is inspired by the work of psychologist Dr. Carl Jung and mythographer Joseph Campbell who defined ‘archetypes’ as the constantly repeating characters who occur in the dreams of all people and the myths of all cultures. Campbell discovered through his study of world myths that the ‘Hero’s Journey’ is a common storytelling arc that has been retold in infinite variations since time began. We invite you to share our journey and leave compromise behind." - www.VenturaCigar.com

"The Ventura Cigar Co. is evoking the collective unconscious of the cigar-making world with a new brand called Archetype. Five new blends have been created for the brand's debut: Dreamstate, Sage Advice, Strange Passage, Initiation and Axis Mundi. According to Ventura, these intellectually probing smokes were inspired by the works of Dr. Carl Jung and mythographer Joseph Campbell.

"Dr. Jung, a 19th-century psychologist, coined the term "collective unconscious," which refers to notions of the subconscious mind that are prominent across all cultures. Central to this theory are Jung's archetypes, the characters and motifs that exist within the collective unconscious of humanity. It was Joseph Campbell who then took these Jungian archetypes and applied them to existing myths and religions in his seminal work The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

"In keeping with the theme of universality, Ventura produced these blends at three different factories located in three different countries. Dreamstate and Sage Advice are rolled at Occidental Kelner Cigars, located within the Davidoff facility in the Dominican Republic, while Strange Passage is produced in Honduras at AgroIndustrias Laepe S.A. Initiation and Axis Mundi are made at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Nicaragua.

"Ventura has divided the brand into two categories: Series A consists of the Dominican and Honduran cigars, while the two Nicaraguan cigars makeup Series B." - www.CigarAficionado.com (2016)

+

"At next month’s IPCPR [2018] Convention & Trade Show, Ventura Cigar Co. will be expanding its Archetype Series with the Fantasy Miniseries.

"According to Cigar Insider, the company will add three different 5 x 50 robustos, each slightly different, all with Nicaraguan fillers. Cloaks is a box-pressed robusto with a broadleaf wrapper; Crystals has a sun-grown habano wrapper, a closed foot and a pigtail; and Curses uses a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and also has a closed foot and a pigtail." - www.Halfwheel.com

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70. Kaplowitz Radio

Monday, August 6, 2018

70. Kaplowitz Radio Monday

"Book-end yer week-end w/ Kaplowitz Radio"
Pungenday Confusion 72nd, YOLD 3184


s/o:
www.CasaCuevasCigars.com
Halfwheel (Altria/Nat Sherman article)
www.CrownedHeads.com

Press play below:



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This episode was brought to you by:
www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com
www.IllusioneCigars.com

Friday, August 3, 2018

69. Kaplowitz Radio Friday

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"
Setting Orange Confusion 69th, YOLD 3184


s/o:
BEASTIE BOYS

Press play below:



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This episode was brought to you by:
www.CigarsOfHabanos.com
www.CaldwellCigars.com
www.IllusioneCigars.com

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata in Special Toro (Gordo) - Cigar Review Redux by Kaplowitz

"Why not Kaplowitz?


Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano
BINDER: Mexican San Andres
FILLER: Dominican & Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Gordo
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Spice/Bitter
DELIVERY: Smoky/Rigid
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | OK | excellent
CONSTRUCTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT

I originally looksie'd this blend in its Short Torpedo iteration HERE. I wrapped that experience in with this experience within 68. Kaplowitz Radio Monday (player below). Do give a listen, Gentlepersons. *** SPOILER ALERT *** this Gordo is better.

FINAL (re)GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


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68. Kaplowitz Radio Friday

Crowned Heads Jericho Hill "12 Honest Men" Lancero - Cigar Review Redux by Kaplowitz

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"
Pungenday Confusion 67th, YOLD 3184


Moreso than a simple redux (altho it's quite that as well) this will serve as a gathering point for reviews of this Crowned heads Jericho Hill blend. Here's my first look at the 12 Honest Men Lancero from back on Xmas Eve 2015: LINK. Then, here a look at its Long Black Veil (LBV) Grand Corona brethren: LINK. I smoked (& addressed) this particular one during 67. Kaplowitz Radio Friday: LINK.

That said...

Crowned Heads Jericho Hill
WRAPPER: San Andres
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Lancero
ORIGIN: My Father Cigars, Nicaragua

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
PROFILE: Bittersweet/Savory
DELIVERY: Charred/Dense
PEPPER-SPICE: low | MEDIUM | high

COMBUSTION: poor | ok | EXCELLENT
CONSTRUCTION: poor | OK | excellent

FINAL GRADE: B+
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59


"John R. “Johnny” Cash is widely considered to be one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. His legacy continues to inspire many, including Crowned Heads. Jericho Hill was inspired by Cash’s rendition of “Cocaine Blues,” found on Cash’s 1968 live album, “At Folsom Prison.” The song is a tale of a man, Willy Lee, who goes down a dark path brought on by the influence of whiskey and cocaine. Willy is captured in Juarez, Mexico, and is brought to justice by the sheriff from Jericho Hill.

"Cash was the fourth of seven children, and Jericho Hill marks the fourth regular production release from Crowned Heads. The four vitola names were all inspired by lyrics and music found on “At Folsom Prison,” and when recited from smallest to largest (.44S, LBV, OBS, and Willy Lee), take on a lyrical element of their own.

"The smoke is a full-throttle experience that assaults your palate at break-neck speed, races around your mouth for a hundred miles, and leaves your taste buds in a cloud of power, intensity, and excitement.
.44S
LBV
OBS
WILLY LEE
JACK BROWN"

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68. Kaplowitz Radio Monday