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Cigar Review: Kristoff Criollo Churchill
By Daniel | July 7, 2008 |
Brand: Exclusive Cigars (Kristoff)
Line: Criollo
Vitola: Churchill (7 x 50)
Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder: Cuban seed Orlor Dominican
Filler: Cuban seed Orlor Dominican, Nicaraguan
Body: Medium
Strength: Medium
As you know, not every cigar is a Cohiba or Montecristo, and part of what makes cigar smoking an interesting hobby, I believe, is when one discovers new and boutique brands.
With that, I recently met Glen Case, president of Aurora, Ill.-based Exclusive Cigars, at a local herf featuring his line of Kristoff cigars. Since I had a small lunch, I chose to light up his Criollo stick. (I’ll be reviewing the Kristoff Maduro at a later date.)
The Kristoff Criollo has a slightly veiny, oily wrapper and a bit of a spongy feel, reminiscent of a Graycliff. Its pigtail and shaggy, closed foot give it a rustic, old-time look, but you’ll immediately be drawn towards the Kristoffs because of its box, which features unfinished wood lined with loose tobacco.
Anyway, the first half of the Criollo is spicy, with hints of toasted almonds, but it smooths out in the second half. It’s still spicy, mind you, but the aftertaste is reminiscent of dried fruit and caramel.
Verdict: The Kristoff Criollo is a complex, enjoyable, tasty stick, that I would recommend to experienced smokers. It has an even burn, and some nice white ash, but you may find the draw a tad inconsistent. I smoked four of the Kristoff Criollos, and three of them drew completely well. The last one, however, was a bit plugged.
Anyway, three out of four ain’t bad, and maybe there are some construction issues to work out. In the meantime, I’d smoke Kristoffs again in a heartbeat, depending on the price.
Similar cigars: It’s a bit stronger and more complex, I think, than the CAO Criollo.
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Tags: CAO, Cigar Review, Criollo, Daniel, Exclusive Cigars, Graycliff, Kristoff
Topics: Cigar Reviews | 8 Comments »
8 Responses to “Cigar Review: Kristoff Criollo Churchill”
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July 7th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I have not tried the Criollo..I do love the Maduro..Looking forward to your review of that stick..
Rob
July 11th, 2008 at 12:39 am
did you find the maduro to have a tight draw? I my first tonight and the construction/burn was amazing, just did not give for much smoke…
July 11th, 2008 at 3:37 am
[...] Around the Blogs: Stogie Review smokes the Tatuaje Cojonu 2006. Cigar Jack smokes the Kristoff Criollo Churchill. Matt lights up a Torano Noventa. Cigar Command reviews the 5 [...]
July 11th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I’ve had no draw issues wiht the maduro..though I’ve only smoked 2…Both smoked well and had plenty of smoke
August 19th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
[...] This review originally appeared on [...]
August 21st, 2008 at 9:57 am
[...] generous guys over at Exclusive Cigars I got a great selection of samples to try. Daniel tried the Kristoff Criollo awhile back so I’m thought I’d smoke the maduro [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 9:48 am
[...] did a great job reviewing the Kristoff Criollo Churchill back in July so I’m only going to really touch briefly on this [...]
November 30th, 2009 at 10:35 am
I got a dud. Possibly the worst draw I’ve ever experienced. Canoed all the way. I have the maduro in my humi and I’m hoping for a better result.