Kristoff Connecticut Cigar Review – Is this really a Connecticut?

As we ended 2016 and moved half way through 2017, there has been a plethora of Connecticut Wrapped cigars hitting the market. Last year Glenn Case and his Kristoff Boutique Cigar company introduced one, known simply as the Kristoff Connecticut. Of course this is unlike most Connecticut wrapped cigars on the market. As you will read, this new introduction is bold in flavor yet mild to medium in  strength. Even the wrapper itself has color that is beyond what you normally see in Connecticut blends. Of course, Glenn does things his way and that is what sets his cigars apart from the field.

The Kristoff website aptly describes the Kristoff Connecticut as:

“The Kristoff Connecticut redefines the meaning of a full flavored, mild cigar.  Made with a pristine Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper, this cigar delivers notes of vanilla, delicate notes of spice, cream and a sweet nutty finish.”

The blend is described as:

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian
• Binder: Nicaraguan Habano Seed
• Filler: Quad Dominican Habano Seed

The company offers the  Kristoff Connecticut in 4 vitolas packaged in 20-count boxes

• 660 – 6 x 60 (MSRP $9.20)
• Matador – 6.5 x 56 (MSRP $9.00)
• Robusto – 5.5 x 54 (MSRP $8.50)
• Churchill – 7 x 50 (MSRP $8.70)

I received this as part of the package at the Smoke Inn 2017 Great Smoke and they have them discounted by 10%.

Pre-Light Examination

One of the first things you will note about the Kristoff Connecticut is the wrapper. It has this terrific reddish hue to it that makes it stand out as a unique Connecticut wrapper. It all but vein-less. Besides the color of the wrapper, you will notice the light marbling of the leaf itself along with the tight seams and finally the beautifully finished pig tail cap. One last touch is the closed foot. Even before lighting or smelling this cigar,  I can say Glenn pulled all the stops out in manufacturing it.

The band is probably the only thing that is simple with this cigar – a white band that has a light golden tan scroll across it with the words “Kristoff Connecticut” written in blue and gold shadow font in the center and “Hecho A Mano Dominicana” above.  Off tot  he right side is the letters KC encircled. Simple yet classy!

Running the Kristoff Connecticut across the nose I pick up aromas of sweet toffee. And once I snip the tail, the cold draw delivers just  touch of pepper on the lips though an open draw. 

I chose this as the first cigar of the day, as I sit on my patio with my dog as the early morning sun rises and nature comes to  life.

For this review I sampled the Kristoff Connecticut Matador

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Cigar Review Notes

• Once ignited, things get interesting real fast
• Vanilla, white pepper, and fruit quickly rise to the moment to play on the palate 
• This promptly followed up with a palate pleasing sweetness
• Smoke has a delightful creamy texture, almost ingestible 
• Medium grey ash develops and lies atop a medium and straight char line
• The early puffs of smoke are easy on the retro hale
• Fruit moves front and center after an inch
• Caramel evolves followed with a long nut finish
• This is like a Ben and Jerry’s Blonde Ambition ice cream!
• Cinnamon aroma develops
• Mild but flavorful cigar so far, as notes have blended well into a symphony of flavor
• Ash falls after about 2 inches
• Wrapper is showing quite a bit of oiling as it burns
• Flat and centered burn cone
• Aroma shifts to floral in the second third
• Spice and cedar enter mid way
• Spice maintains into final with a palate enticing sweetness in the background
• Burn is spot on
• Strength did move up a notch but generally falls in the mild to medium
• Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 15 minutes

Overall, the Kristoff Connecticut is by far, one of the most flavorful mild cigars I have enjoyed. If I was blindfolded and you gave me this I would not have thought it was a Connecticut wrapped cigar. Glenn Case and his boutique Kristoff Cigars has a true winner with this. This is a cigar that can be enjoyed as your first of the day or even mid day or end of the night.