Kristoff Brittania Cigar Review
This week, we have another guest review from our friend Morgan Selmer. He’s reviewing the Kristoff Brittania, and this happens to be the first review of the Kristoff brand on my site. Enjoy!
I’ve been a fan of the Kristoff brand since it was introduced. So, I was excited to try the new Brittania by Kristoff when it debuted recently. Packed in loose tobacco within a rough-hewn box, this brand has some of the nicest packaging in the industry. The dusky, papery wrapper on the Brittania just adds to the presentation.
Upon twisting off the pigtail at the head of the cigar and lighting the ragged foot, I was treated to a mouthful of cinnamon flavored smoke. I don’t usually use “food words” to describe the taste of a cigar, but the spice in this one was undeniable. The cinnamon flavor quickly tapered off, however, leaving only hints of its original boldness as the cigar mellowed into a light-to-medium bodied smoke. My initial impression was that the cigar might be a little young at the moment, as it burned a bit hotter than I really like – not so hot that I was reaching for a glass of water after each puff, but enough so that it was noticeable.
Despite being just a tad on the green side, this robusto burned evenly throughout and the hotter notes that I’d noticed early on had all but dissipated by the time I reached its midpoint. All-in-all, a very good smoke, and if I have any complaint at all, it is with the pigtail at the head of the cigar; rather than cut the cigar (and I’ve tried this, as well, and it destroys the cap), I’m meant to twist off the pigtail. Unfortunately, this leaves a rather ragged aperture through which to draw the smoke and the integrity of the cap diminishes throughout the course of the cigar, leaving me with flecks of loose tobacco on my tongue. A minor complaint, to be sure, but worth mentioning.
I didn’t have any spirits nearby while I smoked this one, but it would pair very nicely with a lighter Scotch, perhaps a Glenfiddich 12 year-old or the like. If you like a beer with your cigars, I’d recommend the Brooklyn lager or the overlooked and underrated Pabst Blue Ribbon.
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great review, thoes xicars look like theve been through a WWII trench lol, looks like its not the first time theyve been used. nice to see that. great treview
Hey, I live in Nashua, NH and I’ve been to Castro’s Back room many times. Awesome Shop.
Agreed. Great place!
I’ve smoke (and love) all the Kristoffs (robusto size — or short robusto, if offered as a frontmark — both burn over an hour and are fine for me) and still have 20-30 sticks left from buying tons of the KriVen 6-sticks samplers by the dozens for $15-$20 each @ Famous Smoke last winter. I haven’t tried the Brittania or the Sumatra belnds yet, but I’m looking forward to doing so.
Ya, the pigtail and shaggy foot are a love-hate kind of thing, but I like it. I use my Xikar STK and place the cut just 1/16″ below the pigtail knot on the head, making sure to include the binder in the cut. Then I light the shaggy foot directly with my triple torch — never a draw problem, always an even burn.
The wrapper is what sets this Brittania cigar line apart (the only other cigar that uses this wrapper is the Alec Bradely American Blend) — Honduran Connecticut Shade — and it’s also what makes die-hard aficionados who shy away from mild and mild-medium cigars and/or all other CT Shade wrapped cigars rave about this one.