Macanudo Cigars Emissary Espana in Review

BRAND: Macanudo Emissary
BLEND:Espana

WRAPPER: Connecticut Broadleaf
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Spanish, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Colombian

FORMAT: Robusto (552)
ORIGIN: Honduras
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Mocha | Honey malt | Paprika

Smoothly focused with some calmly vibrating out-lines. Narrow scope but echoes its own sentiment well. Mocha latte, a fuzzy honey malt, a molasses-sweetened paprika. Black bread under-pinnings. A dry savory quality, an umami reduction. Nuts and shells offer a bend-not-break structuring.

Draws a bit tight a couple puffs, but corrects itself as do a couple brief lags of the line. Builds a nice sheath of ash. Gives off moderate+ plumes of white smoke, culminating in a gentle patisserie aroma. A slight roasted orange smell-taste hits on the lengthy finish. Seams and cap hold fast. Rolled evenly and well.

Not super-complex and quite consistent. Not delivered in a linear or boring manner. Languid and easy and a bit less attainable than attainable--which is a fine thing. Sit and ponder poetry, then sit and ponder prose. This ponders like the former. Not flowery but concise and not metaphysical but mundane in an Ordinary Madness vein. Pair it with Bukowski.

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

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

::: very ::: 

1st & 15th Podcast "When Ed Met Sally" NEW EPISODE

1st & 15th Podcast "When Ed Met Sally" NEW EPISODE

"In this episode of 1st & 15th, Phil and Kap break down social media platforms and somehow end up diving face first down the animal kingdom’s parental hierarchy rabbit hole. Penguin hole?" Phil Kurut, Show Producer, Co-Host, and zoology hobbyist. 

To listen to this NEW EPISODE and to find out more about other exciting Kaplowitz Media. listening and/or watching opportunities, please visit this link: Audio/Video.

About the 1st & 15th Podcast: Twice a month (see show name for dates), Phil Kurut and I chat too long about nothing of consequence. A pure waste of time. Cool.

::: very :::  

Statesman Cigars The Nightcap in Review

BRAND: Statesman
BLEND: The Nightcap

WRAPPER: Maduro
BINDER: undisclosed
FILLER: undisclosed

FORMAT: 5 3/8 x 52 Salomon
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
INTENSITY: Medium
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Postum | Barnyard | Cumin

Postum--you know--the roasted grain coffee alternative? Slight chicory. Dances 'round java. Do-si-dos with cola, black pepper, chocolate malt whilst doing-so. Consistent and flatly-so at times.

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

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

::: very ::: 

Casa Cuevas Cigars La Mandarria Oscuro in Review

BRAND: Casa Cuevas
BLEND: La Mandarria Oscuro

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

FORMAT: Toro (652) Shaggy-foot
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
INTENSITY: Medium/Medium-full
SPICE: 2/5

NOTES:
Kasha | Worcestershire sauce | Black licorice

A rather distinct profile. The shaggy-foot'd onset is a smell-taste of Kasha Varnishkes. Once the wrapper hits, it does-so in a leathery manner, a hide dipped in somewhat diluted Worcestershire. Buckwheat, not kasha then. Ah, the old threat of assimilation. Black licorice underneath over-top compost. Cumin.

Black pepper sprinkled about and around. Smoked paprika. Peeks at marzipan. Much umami. Draws well, a barely 1/2-tick unevenly here and there. Burns nicely. Thin mascara line, slightest of slow self-corrrecting wobbles there. The burn rate slows and evens-out after that shaggy start. Ash is white and dense.

Smoke out-put is moderate and aroma is darkly old-world sweet. Maybe a Black Forest Cake pulled from an oven three houses down. Rolled tight and stays tight insofar as seams and cap. A crimped vein distracts the eye, not the burn. It's all oddly somehow medieval. Wrought iron boundaries. Stone. Rising smokiness.

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

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

::: very :::