Showing posts sorted by date for query ADVentura. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query ADVentura. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2020-21

"Have you Kaplowitz'd THIS-YEAR?"
 
Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2020-21

THIS IS THE KAPLOWITZ MEDIA. CIGAR OF THE YEAR POST. Please familiarize yourself w/ the below schedule. Each step occurs within this post & is placed atop the previous step.

STEPS TOWARD NAMING THE 2020-21 CIGAR OF THE YEAR
  1. All Cigars of the Month listed (9/26)
  2. Best of each month announced (9/27)
  3. List will be whittled down to ten (9/28)
  4. Ten-six announced (9/29)
  5. Five-one announced (9/30)
What time are these steps posted, exactly? Wake up & check-in. Not updated? Have breakfast, check-back. See? Please note that each cigar listed is a link to its full review. Finally, no other posts will publish here on Kaplowitz Media. during this time; although the Kaplowitz To-day podcast will cover this process of unfurling on its regular schedule.

5. FIVE THRU ONE ANNOUNCED (1-5?) (9/30)

Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2020-21


4. TEN THRU SIX ANNOUNCED (6-10?) (9/29)


::: very :::

3. LIST WILL BE WHITTLED DOWN TO TEN (9/28)
oh, now it's getting good. [Listed in ABC'd order.]

7-20-4 Factory 57 
Acosta La Lujuria 
Adventura Royal Return Queen's Pearls 
Big Sky Bighorn 2.0 
Bocock Bros. World Traveler Maduro 
Bongani 458 Short Premium Selection 
Dunbarton Sobremesa Brulee Blue 
HVC Cerro Sabrositos 
Stolen Throne War Council 
Valacari NeoClassic (2019)

::: very :::

2. (9/27) BEST OF EACH MONTH ANNOUNCED. (All others, to be clear, are out of contention.) A link to each advancing offering's full review can be found in Step 1.

OCT. 2020: HVC Cerro Sabrositos
NOV. 2020: Dunbarton Sobremesa Brulee Blue
DEC. 2020: Adventura Royal Return Queen's Pearls
JAN. 2021: Valacari NeoClassic (2019)
FEB. 2021: Bongani 458 Short Premium Selection
MAR. 2021: Acosta La Lujuria
APR. 2021: Brun del Re Pig Year Toro
MAY 2021: Tatuaje Skinny Wolf
JUN. 2021: Bocock Bros. World Traveler Maduro
JUL. 2021: 7-20-4 Factory 57
AUG. 2021: Stolen Throne War Council
SEP. 2021: Big Sky Bighorn 2.0

EDIT: (9/27) Please note, with my apologies, that March 2021 has been edited. I originally included March 2020 in error. Again, my sincere apologies. - Kap

::: very :::

1. (9/26) ALL CIGARS of the MONTH HONOREES LISTED:

OCT. 2020

ADVentura Queen's Pearls
HVC Cerro Sabrositos
Illusione ECCJ Churchill
Illusione Cigares Prive Corojo
Illusione Singulare 2015 Miserere

NOV. 2020

ACE Prime MXS Tiago Splitter Signature
Dunbarton Mi Querida Triqui Traca
Dunbarton Sobremesa Brulee Blue
Illusione ~cg:4~ Kaplowitz Media. Candela

DEC. 2020

ADVentura The Royal Return Queen's Pearls
Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro
Corona de GTO 10 Anos Corojo
My Father La Promesa

JAN. 2021

Punch Clasico Elites
ADVentura The Conqueror Emperor's Edition
Valacari NeoClassic 2019
Valacari Nobility 2019
Cavalier Geneve White Series (audio)
GTO La Cura Presidente

FEB. 2021

Indian Motorcycle Cigars Maduro
Debonaire Cigars Habano Robusto
Bongani Cigars Robusto
Bongani Cigars 458 Short Premium Selection

MAR. 2021

Acosta Cigar Co. La Lujuria
DAV Cigars Habana Clasico Torpedo

APR. 2021

Monday, September 6, 2021

Mudlarking Along The River Thames: A Clay Pipe Focus

lo-fi & lovely

Mudlarking Along The River Thames: A Clay Pipe Focus

::: WHAT IS MUDLARKING? :::

Mudlarking is a thing a mudlark does as one actively mudlarks. A mudlark is a river mud scavenger; a beachcomber of a different body of water. While the term is still used today, it serves a bit differently than it did in its first usage in 18th and 19th centuries London. At that time, mudlarks would scour the Thames muddy shores for anything they could possibly sell. A living, of sorts, could be eeked out in this way. Sometimes by orphaned kids, sometimes by abandoned elderly or handicapped.

Now mudlarking is mainly seen as a pastime akin to many other metal detecting activities. A hobby for those with extra stores of both scratch & time, more-so than a hand-to-mouth necessity. The funny thing is, with this metal detecting tech that these new mudlarks can afford, they often find more valuable washed-ashore items than their poorer thru-the-ages counterparts & darned if that doesn't sound about right. But we won't discuss that further--because it doesn't pertain. For clay pipes are not metal, and they are our focus.

... & there are a lot of them in the muddy beds of the River Thames. A LOT. According to mudlarks, they can be plucked from the shore at almost will and at quite decent clips of such. Some are even whole, which amazes me because I drop an Old German Clay on my wood deck and it's done to the tune of smither-fucking-eens. Then here these are--hundreds of years old. So far, not a lot seems fair about any of this. Let's keep looking.

But first, an endorsed reminder to peruse my thoughts on ADVentura Cigars HERE.


::: WHY SO MANY CLAY PIPES? :::

Good question. Because 18th & 19th century pre-packed clay pipes were the cigarettes of their day. Purchased at tobacconist shops as single-use smokes, then discarded. Rinse and repeat. This, daily, by the thousands of workers along the River Thames who would smoke as they labored away their hours. Georgian & Victorian era ports are still to this day, marked by the presence of a greater amount of clay bowls, stems, and whole damn pipes--I swear I once dropped one on my carpeted living room and it virtually imploded. Another time, same circumstance: mushroom cloud. I digress.

::: CLAY PIPE THEMES OF THE TIME(s) :::

Clay pipes in the 16th & 17th centuries were pretty plain. Unadorned. But come the 18th century, molds came into use. In no time, those molds would become more and more ornately ornamented, a thing which became quite a vogueness. Of particular note is that between the years 1730-1770, a popular London motif was to have an English lion on one side of the bowl, a Scottish unicorn on the other... this based on the Royal Coat of Arms of the British monarchy, pip-pip. Cheerio. That sort of rubbish. & so on.

Also popular during that time was the inclusion of Prince of Wales feathers. & THEN OMG THE VICTORIAN ERA HIT & PIPE MAKERS WENT FUCKING NUTS. Military crests, Masonic symbols, mythological scenes, & that's just what's filed under the letter "M!" There were also themes of sports, ships, & shamrocks "S!" Basically, you name the "S"ubject "M"atter, there was a pipe for that. Plus, the usual tree branch and leaf patterns. Floral, foliage, and filigree "F.". Classic. Less classic? How's about cartoon characters & celebrity faces? ("C!")

[I really wanted those letters to spell out something dirty but I got lazy.]

::: TOBACCO LEAF OF THE TIME(s) :::

[WARNING: unresearched speculation ahead will be italicized for your safety.] If you lived in or near London in the late 16th century, you could afford tobacco only if you were quite well-to-do. This due in large part to only small quantities being imported. My guess is these were predominantly Orientals in varietal as well as geography. Nevertheless, only moneybaggers & slverspooners could smoke and even-so, the pipes of that time had much smaller bowls.

Then came the 17th and 18th centuries and their increased amounts of imported leaf. These increases soon saw prices drop, bowls grow larger, and common folk lighting up like lighting up was going out of style--but really, lighting up was actually coming into style because of things I've already mentioned. I barely feel the need to italicize this because I'm 99% certain but this was probably due to new trade routes w/ the American Colonies for their Burleys & Virginias. [END OF ITALICS AS SIGNIFYING UNCERTAINTY]

::: TIDBITS :::

"Starting as a small trickle in the Cotswolds the River Thames travels over 210 miles through the heart of some of England’s most picturesque towns, right into the centre of London and eventually, out into the North Sea." - the Visit Thames website

"In Celtic mythology the unicorn was a symbol of purity and innocence, as well as masculinity and power. Tales of dominance and chivalry associated with the unicorn may be why it was chosen as Scotland’s national animal." - the Visit Scotland website

@kaplowitzmedia
Twitter | Instagram

::: very :::

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (April 2021)

lo-fi & lovely

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (April 2021)

Apologies for the Sunday posting. Alas, the 25th is the 25th. I try to not bombard your weekends with exciting new posts, as I prefer to allow Gentlepersons to meander then, across stuff they might have missed. Nevertheless...

Kaplowitz Media.
CIGARS of the MONTH: APRIL 2021
[Names are links to full reviews]


Well, well. Two cigars, one brand. I can't help but wonder if this is what Mike Weinstein meant when he so famously now said "Limited." 

@kaplowitzmedia


Look into ADVentura Cigars. HERE

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (February/March 2021)

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (Feb./March 2021)

Due to the yearly last-1/2 of Feb. hiatus, what we have here is the best cigars of Feb. & March 2021 crammed in together, below. What a time to be alive, huh? #blessed 

Kaplowitz Media.
CIGARS of the MONTH: FEB./MARCH 2021
[Names are links to full reviews]

FEBRUARY 2021


:::

MARCH 2021


@kaplowitzmedia
Check out my ADVentura Cigar reviews HERE. (advert)

::: very :::

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. SPECIAL REPORT: Recently Reviewed Maduro Cigars RANKED

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Kaplowitz Media. SPECIAL REPORT:
Recently Reviewed Maduro Cigars RANKED

[namings are links to full reviews]

GOLD MEDAL

BRONZE MEDAL

:::

Maduro cigars. Dark but not quite Oscuro dark although sometimes almost-almost virtually just-as so and at times also curiously light-colored. It's one of those spectrum things, I suppose. Not strong as some assume, instead, Maduro offerings err to a sweet ripeness of notes. So ripe, in fact, that the word Maduro itself means "a whale's vagina" in German.

Perhaps you think these "whale's vaginas" have been on the scene forever. You'd be wrong. Take a stab at their age.  NOPE. Try about 50yrs. That's right, there are some cigar smokers still alive who began smoking prior to the birth of Maduro. Wow. I mean it is possible. Can you imagine being that old? Horrifying. I love scotch. Scotchy scotch scotch.

The whole thing began when manufacturers took note of a changing public palate. While not strong-forward & across-the-board, this invention was, most definitely, a flavorful one in comparison to its current times -- its peers, say. The process involved in its fermentation is long, hot, and wet. No wonder so many Maduro offerings are sexy af. 

Sexy af & what else exactly, tho? Mexican SA & CT Broadleaf are leading sources that typically feature notes of chocolate, raisins, espresso, & pepper-spice.  Less-so delineated than many other top-leaves leave a smokes to be. More pleasantly plump & nuanced than intricate &/or complex. Sating. At times flirting w/ linear. To be paired w/ Port.

:::

NOTE that these occasional GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE (GSB) listicles live independently of the big end of the year list & even monthly best-ofs. Please don't hold me accountable for this. Consider these the lore, not canon, of the Kaplowitz Media. Universe (#KMU)

@kaplowitzmedia

Check out my ADVentura reviews HERE 
to find out more about this fine brand.

::: very :::

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars SPECIAL REPORT: Dominican | Honduran | Nicaraguan Gold Medals (Recent Reviews) RANKED

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day"

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars SPECIAL REPORT: Dominican | Honduran | Nicaraguan Gold Medals (Recent Reviews) RANKED

Remember those not all that long ago GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE recently reviewed lists? For a refresher, they were (links ahead) of DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HONDURAN, and NICARAGUAN offerings & they were ranked. Now, I'm ranking the GOLD MEDALISTS. wow. 

(Each offering's mention is a link to my full review.)

GOLD MEDAL
(Dominican)

SILVER MEDAL

BRONZE MEDAL
(Nicaraguan)

NOTE: that these occasional GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE (GSB) listicles live independently of the big end of the year list & even monthly best-ofs. Please don't hold me accountable for this. Consider these the lore, not canon, of the Kaplowitz Media. Universe (#KMU)

NOTE II: look for me to potentially discuss this list in further detail on Kaplowitz Radio. Podcast EP213 (upcoming). thx

kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. SPECIAL REPORT: Recently Reviewed Dominican Cigars RANKED

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

SPECIAL REPORT:
Recently Reviewed Dominican Cigars
RANKED

[namings are links to full reviews]

GOLD MEDAL

SILVER MEDAL

BRONZE MEDAL

NOTE that these occasional GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE (GSB) listicles live independently of the big end of the year list & even monthly best-ofs. Please don't hold me accountable for this. Consider these the lore, not canon, of the Kaplowitz Media. Universe (#KMU)

kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Monday, January 25, 2021

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (January 2021)

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Kaplowitz Media.
CIGARS of the MONTH: JANUARY 2021
[Names are links to full reviews] 


kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

ADVentura Cigars The Conqueror Emperor's Edition (LE) in Review

“Have you Kaplowitz’d to-day?”

ADVentura Cigars 
The Conqueror Emperor's Edition

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian
BINDER: Indonesian
FILLER: Dominican, Nicaraguan

FORMAT: Lancero (740) pig-tail cap
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium-full

WEBSITE: www.adventuracigars.com

NOTES:
Boozy fudge | Jerk seasoning | Leather

Deeply-dense yet jovial. Powerful but refined. Big-big notes of bourbon-laced dark fudge include a structuring charred barrel. Jerk seasoning tidings fit well the pirate-y motif, me hearties. See? I can be fun. Lots of brown sugar in that mix -- cloves, cinnamon, ginger, salt. It's the Scotch Bonnet chile peppers that seal the jerk deal.

Leather delivery. Savory. Drips its juices down thru its midsection. All Spice, dark grains, a driving compost. Further down, vanilla bean, molasses, and separate dark chocolate. Rich and well-rounded then even more-so via a toasted cream intro at 2/3. Balanced, nuanced, complex. Extraordinarily, deeply, sneakily (respectively).

Burn opens in a split-ash manner but corrects fast. Draws smooth w/ a resistance typical of the vitola. Even & smooth. Heavy veins on the top-leaf hurt the eye, but not the hand. Oily, dark. Burns on an even-line, slowly. Ash grows to an inch. Excellent savory-sweet smoke out-put w/ spicy kicker in the air. The Emporer sits ashore in luxurious chambers. The sea brings him fortunes. Apt. 

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

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

Other ADVentura reviews:

kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Friday, December 25, 2020

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (December 2020)

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Kaplowitz Media.
CIGARS of the MONTH: DECEMBER 2020
[Names are links to full reviews] 


kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars SPECIAL Listicle: Holiday Season Cigar Recommendations

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars SPECIAL Listicle: Holiday Season Cigar Recommendations. It's the holiday season. I feel these cigars would pair well w/ traditional holiday season activities. Why? Trust me, that's why. Here goes x6 & in no particular order:

Stolen Throne Cigars Call to Arms

Undertones reach up to influence the up-top with notes of fungal bits. (Your aunt sure is a fun-gal.) Cardamom gives off an apple pie vibe and the crust is there too, sugary, flaky. Suede. Chicken coop. Peanut butter. Berries. Chamomile & wildflowers. A certain cleansing citrus pith. Long sweet-spicy finish & ever-evolving. Could easily be a cacophony but instead stays jazzy. Excellent depth of nuance, brightly, densely.

Read my full review HERE.

::: very :::

HVC Cigars Hot Cake Laguito No. 4 

Excellent delineation up-top. In the underneath, the structure gives a bit more, allowing for some mingling of notes while still enforcing boundaries. A potpourri note, some dark grains, a hint of red pepper. Quite nuanced. Stoically complex. Well-mannered to the point of being courteous. A (re)fine(d) look-see at San Andres top-leaf. A bit of toasted cream, a bit of graham. Sedate.

Read my full review HERE. 

::: very :::

Dunbarton T&T Cigars Mi Querida Triqui Traca

Wood. Hickory w/ a haunting thereafter seasoned cedar. Takes spices a draw or two to develop, then smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon nethers. Cayenne like a mofo via progression. A sweetness balances well; a thin molasses, cola thing. Coffee structures dryly, full city roasted beans. Focused near piercingly-so. Heighty but well-weighted, anchored.

Read my full review HERE.

::: very :::

ADVentura Cigars The Royal Return Kings Gold

Bittersweet w/ a hint of meat. Sinewy. Juicy. Well-structured via seasoned cedar. Nice coffee look, excellent crema, a stovetop espresso say. A chocolate soda replete with creaminess & maraschino cherry topper. Cedar carries a tick of butterscotch. Spices are Midwest kitchen. A nice black pepper kick, softly. Not super complex but well-nuanced.

Read my full review HERE.

::: very :::

GTO Cigars La Cura Robusto

Undertones are led by a cayenne that occasionally excelsior!s upwards. Seems to steer the profile from wherever it sits. Earthen nods are savory things, meatily. Cumin & smoked paprika, too. Dash of cinnamon further down. Then a roasted orange in more toasted cream. Leather thickly-stiffly lays out under it all. A bit of molasses. Warmly balanced. Deeply nuanced.

Read my full review HERE.

::: very :::

Artesano del Tobacco Viva la Vida Jester

Black pepper and cayenne, boldly-so; upfront but not dialing back a whole bunch. Spices: smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, clove. Slight ginger (particularly extending on/into lengthy+ finish.)  Powerfully purposeful. Peppery. Pepper. Thick black over-top a thinner red/cayenne and lingering bit. Body is a match for that front-loaded pepper-spice which features cumin & smoked paprika attachments. 

Read my full review HERE.

kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: merry:::

Thursday, December 10, 2020

ADVentura Cigars The Royal Return Queen's Pearls in Quick Review

“Have you Kaplowitz’d to-day?”

ADVentura Cigars
The Royal Return
Queen's Pearls*

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian CT Shade
BINDER: Ecuadorian
FILLER: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua

FORMAT: Corona (644)
ORIGIN: Tabacalera William Ventura, DR
INTENSITY: Mild/Mild-med.

WEBSITE: www.adventuracigars.com

NOTES: 
Exotic spices | Tea leaves | Clotted cream

Softly-mellow dreamy,; yet not without elegance. Citrus underpinnings wrapped in suede. Softwood bracings -- pine. Top-notes of unerring/unwavering delivery. Somewhat hypnotic and really quite lovely-feminine.

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

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

Other ADVentura Reviews:

Interview w/ brand owner:

KaplowitzMedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Who What When Where Why w/ Marcel Knobel, ADVentura Cigars

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

It's been a bit of time since I've posted one of these Who What When Where Why interviews. You can find the others by searching for them somewhere to your right [Search by Keyword(s)]. Perhaps I'll make an index at some point, I probably should. 

edit: Fine. Check out an index of these interviews HERE.

Nevertheless, how these are made: I send the same five questions out to each interviewee, I get their answers back, I publish the results. There's nothing more to it. No follow-up questions, no guidance, no pulling of teeth, no curbing of enthusiasm. OK, at times some light editing for punctuation, say. 

::: very :::

Here's Marcel Knobel, ADVentura Cigars...

Who has mentored you & who have you mentored?

As someone who has never been afraid to exhaust all information and research when it comes to things of interest, I really did my homework on the cigar industry, agriculture, and the history of a good smoke. Once I was armed with information, I sought out the best group (in this case family) to align myself, and values of the tobacco agriculture and production. 

For me, the Ventura family represents the core of cigars and what enjoyment of them is all about. A multi-generational family that curates every one of the 157 steps to make an incredible cigar. So for me, William and Henderson Ventura have definitely enlightened my ‘Swiss precision’ to revel in what nature has planned otherwise. 

With this mindset, the possibilities are endless. And my hat’s off to them for sharing with me nuances that can only be learned and developed with experience, love, and respect for the craft.

As far as maximizing a partnership, I feel what I lack, Henderson Ventura has, and what he lacks, I bring to the table. One of my strengths, being Swiss and all, is incredible due diligence. I came from a marketing background and have been able to create a brand with a cohesive story between each line. 

That, with my intensive sommelier training, allows me to communicate flavor profiles with Henderson for him to try and blend. So as far as being mentored and mentoring goes, I feel a good partnership will always offer such exchanges. We are equally in favor of reciprocity.

What will you compromise & what won't you compromise?

As far as compromise goes... The Achilles heel for any and all marketing ideas is cost. There are so many things I would love to include, or expand on with packaging design, boxes, advertising, etc... and the cost for marketing design always remains a nebulous incalculable thing when it comes to return on investment. 

But, it is also a good learning experience with each new line on how to get creative and expand my skillset to stretch the 'dollar' in every way possible.

We will NOT nor will we EVER compromise on the quality of our cigars. This includes raw material selection, aging time, blending process, and production. As much as it pains me to be off on delivery times, I will always grow my patience if I can assure our quality standards are met.

When is it failure?

We never make mistakes, we only make discoveries. Ha! When you look at it this way, “failures” sting a bit less and change from lessons to learn, to lessons learned.

Where are you on your journey & where are you going?

In accordance with our ADV story, we are somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. With each passing day, we gain insight and adjust our tactics based on what the conditions are. We are continuing on the straight and narrow.

We find the only way to navigate the unsureness of the waters these days is to continue with best practices and maintain the boutique characteristics. This enables us a wider variety of raw material experimentation without the pressure of mass quantity production and allows a wider range of experience for our thankfully growing customer base.

Why do you succeed?

I’m a student for life and a team player. I live by the proverb 'If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.'

::: very :::

Visit ADVentura Cigars online HERE.

Read some ADVentura reviews:
ADVentura Royal Return Kings Gold
ADVentura Royal Return Queen's Pearls
ADVentura The Conqueror
ADVentura The Explorer
ADVentura The Navigator

kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Friday, November 27, 2020

Featured Company: ADVentura Cigars

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Featured company: ADVentura
Here, read some reviews...


Find out more about ADVentura HERE. 

kaplowitzmedia@mail.com
::: very :::

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Kaplowitz Media. Cigars of the Month (October 2020)

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

Kaplowitz Media.
CIGARS of the MONTH: OCTOBER 2020
[Names are links to full reviews] 


kaplowitzmedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

ADVentura Cigars The Royal Return Queen's Pearls in Review "To Paraphrase the Familiar"

“Have you Kaplowitz’d to-day?”

ADVentura Cigars 
The Royal Return 
Queen's Pearls

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian CT Shade
BINDER: Ecuadorian
FILLER: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua

FORMAT: Corona (644)
ORIGIN: Tabacalera William Ventura, DR
INTENSITY: Mild-Medium

WEBSITE: www.adventuracigars.com

NOTES:
Light spices | Floral | Cream

Pleasantly sweet. Mature. An alumn of a prestigious finishing school. This cigar knows etiquette. & apparently, makes me think of Barbara Bush? "I want to still be able to garden while I can bend over." She said that. This cigar says that; has floral bits, dandelions, roots & all. Chamomile. Sweet vegetal tidings. Earthiness, creamy & sunny-bright sans glare. Citrus, lemonade. Big cream. Some suede. 

White pepper, kindly & cardamom. Undertones of flaky pie crust, builder's tea, oats. White chocolate as a mid-point transition/entry. Underbelly is a golden haystack, no needle & more earth. Slight chicken coop. Excellent gently nuanced depths, sneaky complexities. Lovely balance & wonderful posture (structure). Balsawood. It is quite the Queen, really. It titters tenderly & waves warmly. Grounding.

Built ::: very ::: well, a bit delicately at the cap. Draws silky-smooth. Builds fantastic silvery sheathed ash. Paces itself almost sublimely-so & on a dead-even line. A smoke which soothes via even-keeled performance & personable feel w/ sweet clean finish. Not a smoke which necessarily wows w/ flavor instead sets an appealing mood. Behind every King's Gold is a stick just like this, to paraphrase the familiar.

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

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

Social media: @kaplowitzmedia
email: KaplowitzMedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year 2019-20

"Have you Kaplowitz'd this-year?"

KAPLOWITZ MEDIA.
CIGAR OF THE YEAR 2019-2020

Gentlepersons, it is now the 5th time to name the Kaplowitz Media. Cigar of the Year. You can take a look back at the other years HERE. What more perfect a way to wrap up the month-long Fifth Aniversario Celebracion of KM. than this right here? As a reminder, the process...

STEPS TOWARD NAMING THE 2019-20 CIGAR OF THE YEAR
  1. All Cigars of the Month listed (9/26)
  2. Best of each month announced (9/27)
  3. List will be whittled down to ten (9/28)
  4. Ten-six announced (9/29)
  5. Five-one announced (9/30)
These edits to this post occur daily in accordance w/ the above schedule. What time exactly? Wake up & check-in. Not updated? Have breakfast, check-back. See? Please note that each name listed is a link to its full review. Finally, no other posts will publish here on Kaplowitz Media. Cigars during this time. The wine & coffee sites, however, will each continue unaffected. 

So now & w/ out any further ado, adon't, or a'maybe...

1. ALL CIGARS of the MONTH HONOREES

OCTOBER 2019

Diamond Crown Black Diamond by JC Newman
La Sonrisa Cigars El Profesor
Left Hand Cigar Co. Left-Hander
Micallef Cigars Leyanda No.2

NOVEMBER 2019

ADVentura The Explorer
Illusione Singulare 2019 Seven Horns

DECEMBER 2019

Cavalier Geneve Black II
Cavalier Geneve White Series
O.M. Essential Blend No. 1
Regina Avus et Avia
Villiger La Libertad

JANUARY 2020

Chaffiot Collection Original Connecticut
Illusione Epernay 10th Anniversary D'Aosta

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020

Tatuaje Cabaiguan
Espinosa Laranja Escuro
Pura Soul Kings Treasure
San Lotano Dominicano
Villiger Do Brasil Maduro

APRIL 2020

El Artista El Pulita 60 Aniversario

MAY 2020

Cavalier Geneve Black II
Cavalier Geneve White Series
DAV Prima Natural
Debonaire Habano
Indian Motorcycle Habano

JUNE 2020

ADVentura The Conqueror
ADVentura The Explorer
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Brulee
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sin Compromiso
Kristoff Vengeance
Principal Cigars Accomplice Classic
Principle Cigars Frothy Monkey
Red Meat Lovers Club (DT&T)
Viva la Vida Jester

JULY 2020

Jas Sum Kral (JSK) Red Knight
Principle Aviator Series Vainqueur

AUGUST 2020

Espinosa Cigars 601 La Bomba Warhead VI
Illusione Cigars Mj12
Oliva Cigars Serie V Belicoso
Stolen Throne Cigars Call to Arms Corona
Stolen Throne Cigars Call to Arms Robusto

SEPTEMBER 2020

All Saints Dedicacion
All Saints Solamente
HVC Edicion Especial 2015
HVC Hot Cake Laguito No. 4
Illusione Cruzado

2. BEST OF EACH MONTH

OCTOBER 2019: 

NOVEMBER 2019: 

DECEMBER 2019:


FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020:

APRIL 2020:

MAY 2020:

JUNE 2020:

JULY 2020:

AUGUST 2020:

SEPTEMBER 2020:

3. TOP 10 IN ABC'd ORDER

Principle Aviator Series Vainqueur

4. NUMBERS 10-6 ANNOUNCED

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

ADVentura Cigars The Royal Return Kings Gold in Review "Weighty but not Plodding"

“Have you Kaplowitz’d to-day?”

ADVentura Cigars 
The Royal Return
Kings Gold

WRAPPER: USA Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: Mexican San Andres
FILLER: Dominican Republic, USA, Nicaragua

FORMAT: Toro (664)
ORIGIN: Tabacalera William Ventura, DR
INTENSITY: Medium/Medium-Full

WEBSITE: www.adventuracigars.com

NOTES:
Chocolate soda | Coffee | Cedar

Bittersweet w/ a hint of meat. Sinewy. Juicy. Well-structured via seasoned cedar. Nice coffee look, excellent crema, a stovetop espresso say. A chocolate soda replete with creaminess & maraschino cherry topper. Cedar carries a tick of butterscotch. Spices are Midwest kitchen. A nice black pepper kick, softly. Not super complex but well-nuanced.

Undertones are driven by supple leather, a bit wetly-so. Mainly earthen in the midsection. Buckwheat, barnyard. [Chocolate] Babka flits in along the way. Finishes sweet-bitter style on moderate stiff legs. Smells a bit like American scones being served up at a cafe. Balanced nicely & well-rounded sans edges. Weighty but not plodding.

Burns a tick & self-correctingly-so jagged -- no big whoop. Combusts all told well, with nice smoke out-put and excellent languid pacing. Stong oily ash. Packing softens some during progression and not always evenly; nothing egregious nor hampening to draw. Fans of the fuller-side of the Caldwell portfolio should greatly appreciate this offering. 

HERE is a great chocolate soda recipe.

TASTE: B+
DRAW: B+
BURN: B
BUILD: B

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

Social media: @kaplowitzmedia
email: KaplowitzMedia@mail.com

::: very :::

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Kaplowitz Media. 2020 Kaplowitz Guide

"Have you Kaplowitz'd this-year?"
KAPLOWITZ GUIDE 2020
Then mid-month [September] comes and with it the signed, sealed, & delivered Kaplowitz Guide for 2020. There have been & will continue to be UPDATES ALONG THE WAY, but this posting on the 15th is the gospel, pure & simple. A fundamentalist's delight. Plus, look for unexpected/unannounced via update last-minute stars being awarded... & stripped. OMfuckingG

Please note prior to a perusal of the following that said following is NOT the culmination of a full year's work. That will come in 2021 on this date. Also, these yearly guides as well as the updates which they consist of do not expire. A star on 2020 carries into 2021, say. Please direct further questions to kaplowitzmedia@mail.com, & as always, allow me ample time to not respond. 

with that, here's this...

2020 KAPLOWITZ STARS (UPDATES)
[links]


ADJUSTMENTS

+
Maya Selva Cigars (1)
Tatuaje Cigars (2)

-
n/a

2020 TALLY 

Crowned Heads (1)
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (2)
Espinosa Cigar (1)
Illusione Cigars (2)
Maya Selva Cigars (1)
Stolen Throne Cigars (1)
Tatuaje Cigars (2)


TOTAL TALLY

n/a

RISING STARS

ADVentura Cigars
Artesano del Tobacco
Cavalier Geneve
HVC Cigars
Warped Cigars

Rising stars are brands on deck to receive stars. Reasons? I've yet to sample enough or they've yet to expand their portfolio enough. Important to remember is I cannot 'star' what I have not smoked in a professional (written review) capacity. Also & similarly, I cannot smoke what has not been created. I've tried. Again, cannot.

NOTE(s): ADJUSTMENTS (including newly minted RISING STARS) will be followed by full write-ups ASAP-ish. TOTAL TALLY is the redundant heading under which all previous years will be tallied in forthcoming years. 

::: very :::

Friday, August 7, 2020

San Andres Wrapper Cigars: A Handful of Recently Reviewed Recommended Offerings

"Have you Kaplowitz'd to-day?"

San Andres tobacco. If it's good enough for the Mayans, it's good enough for me, I always say. The tale of this black leaf spreads: Peru >>> Central America >>> Mexico >>> the Caribbean &&& predominantly prior to Cuban leaf's emergence. But I'm no historian. I'm just trying to fill this space w/ something. Anything. What I am, however, is a professional taster...

Robustly weighty and at times uncompromising & straight-forward. Hopefully smooth and most likely carrying notes of chocolate & espresso. I tend to get S'mores components in the best of times; in the worst gruff earthy edges scorch my palate. Oh, and the darker the shade, the deeper the sweet (to the point of purple fruits). Lighter shades are spicier meat-A-balls. Nevertheless, here's an ABC'd list of SA draped recs: 

ADVentura Cigars The Navigator
Cherries | Dark chocolate | Plum
My full review may be read HERE.

Cavalier Geneve Black Series (USA Exclusive)
My full review may be read HERE.

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sin Compromiso
Chocolate | Espresso | Seared meat
My full review may be read HERE.

Micallef Cigars Migdalia
My full review may be read HERE.

Rojas Cigars Statement
Dark chocolate | Black pepper | Coffee
My full review may be read HERE.

::: very :::
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