This cigar was recommended to me by a friend and fellow cigar smoker, and I have to say it was a great recommendation. I had never had a Kristoff before, so I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised, indeed I was.

Initial Thoughts:

The Kristoff Sumatra is eye catching when you pick it out of the humidor because it’s not wrapped up in your standard clear cellophane. It’s packed tightly in the box with the other cigars. For added padding and aroma Kristoff has packed in loose leaf tobacco. I can only dream of the scent when you first open up a box of these cigars. Since I wasn’t there when this box was opened up, I would have to say the scent is probably something magical like the combination of bacon and bourbon. That’s just my guess though.

Looks:

This cigar has some what of a rustic look to it. Right off the bat I notice it has a pig tail cap on the head which is always a plus for me, it’s a little different and puts a little pizzazz to the the construction. On top of that, the wrapper is dark and oily which puts off a great glow and shines while sitting in the box. It just has a great look to it and it’s begging to be smoked.

Function:

I nipped pig tail cap off took a few puffs to test the pre light draw. It was pulling beautifully. The easy draw is a big plus for me. You’ll come to find out that I hate having to work to smoke a cigar. Nothing turns me off more from a cigar than having sore cheeks afterwards. I can tell this going to be a good smoke!

Smoking:

To be honest I was a little disappointed with the amount of smoke that this thing produced. The fact that I was smoking outside might have  been an issue because it was a little windy. However, the smoke was a nice solid white color, it wasn’t very thick and it was difficult to blow smoke rings. This is just personal preference but I love cigars that producing a big thick smoke.

The ash on this cigar was incredible, for it being such a big cigar I was really surprised at how long the ash held. I believe this is a great tribute to how well the cigar is made. I only ended up having to ash this thing 3 times and for a 6.5″ cigar, thats rather impressive compared to others I’ve smoked.

Flavor:

According to their website we should be able to pick up on some subtle floral notes, along with spice and cinnamon. I didn’t notice the floral or cinnamon too much, I was however able to pick out a decent about of pepper. The pepper didn’t affect the taste too much and all the flavors combined very well for a very smooth taste. One thing I loved about this cigar is that the flavor stayed very consistent beginning to end. Sometimes I enjoy mid-smoke flavor changes, but most of the time I’m just let down by them. This stick stayed consistent all the way through and the flavors really blended together well. Kudos to the master blender.

Overall

I was incredibly impressed with this cigar! I’m glad my buddy suggested it to me. This is a fantastic medium bodied cigar with a perfect draw and very smooth taste. I would recommend this to any one who hasn’t tried a Kristoff yet. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this cigar. If you’re on the fence about picking one up, just do it and try for yourself.

Would I Buy It Again?

Absolutely, and I plan on it next time I hit up my local shop.

Is It an Every Day Smoke?

Not for me, simply because it’s a rather large stick and it takes some time to smoke it.

Would I Buy a Box?

In a heartbeat, these sticks are a great way to fill up any humidor and would be a treat to share with friends.