V. Kristoff GC Signature Series Robusto- a review

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Cuban Seed Honduran
Filler: Cuban Seed Dominican, Cuban Seed Honduran, Cuban Seed Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto – 5.5 x 54

This cigar had a very dark maduro wrapper with a gorgeous oily sheen. It was moderately toothy with a couple medium veins. Like most Kristoffs, the foot was untrimmed and the head was pigtailed. The foot smelled delicious with a very “dark” scent. It was like an amalgam of chocolate, coffee beans, and molasses. I bit the head and the cold draw was firm and comfortable with hints of cocoa and a little bit of pepper. I toasted the cigar, burning off the excess wrapper with a torch, and then finished lighting with a wooden match.

This cigar started out fairly bold with a decent splash of spice amidst espresso flavor and a prevalent cedar taste in the retrohale. The profile was not overwhelming, but was definitely more stout than the Kristoff Maduro or any of the other cigars I have smoked from this brand.

In the second third the cedar moved to the background a bit as the cigar progressed and a very faint sweetness emerged. It was slightly tart, like a Bing cherry or a peach that has not fully ripened. The spice level also settled down toward the middle of the smoke. The burn was perfect with sturdy layers of grey-white ash.

The spice stepped back up in the nub of the cigar, but it did not negate the more pervasive fruit nuance that grew in spite of it. I expected this cigar to move more towards a bitter-sweet espresso finish, but instead it mellowed to some degree and concluded with a very satisfying profile that had touches of dark chocolate.

Total smoking time was 80 minutes. This cigar was too strong, in my opinion, to be enjoyed early in the day, but the richness of flavor and the fuller body made it an excellent cigar to smoke immediately after dinner. The finish was far and away the best part, but that is not to say the rest of the cigar gave me anything to complain about. This one had about 6 months rest on it and I’d be interested to see what one tastes like after a year or more.

Overall: 9.1/10