Kristoff Sumatra Robusto

📌 Brand: Kristoff
📌 Line: Sumatra
📌 Size: Robusto (5 1/2" × 54)
📌 Weight: 17.7 g
📌 Age: 4 years
📌 Origin: Dominican Republic

Tasting Notes

• Cedar – Light woody backbone

• Earth – Rustic, dry undertone

• Black Pepper – Noticeable but sometimes sharp

• Toasted Nut – Subtle sweetness, fleeting

First Impressions

The Kristoff Sumatra Robusto comes with its signature rough, pigtail cap and closed foot. The Sumatra wrapper is medium-brown with a matte texture. Cold draw offers earth and cedar, though a little muted.

Smoking Experience

• First Third – Earth and cedar dominate with a peppery edge. Flavors feel somewhat flat at the start.

• Second Third – Toasted nuts emerge, adding mild sweetness, but pepper grows sharper. Balance feels inconsistent.

• Final Third – Pepper and earth remain but turn slightly harsh. The profile doesn’t develop much beyond the mid-point.

Pairings

• Alcohol – El Dorado 12 Year Rum, with molasses, dried fruit, and spice to bring out sweetness the cigar lacks.

• Tea – Assam Black Tea, malty and bold, countering the dryness and lifting the flavor.

Music Pairing

“Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival,

gritty and straightforward, like the cigar’s approach.

Final Thoughts

The Kristoff Sumatra Robusto offers a rustic and peppery experience but struggles with blandness and occasional harshness. While the construction is reliable, the flavor evolution is limited compared to Kristoff’s stronger blends.

Final Score: 7/10
Why not a 10?
The profile is too one-dimensional, with harsh pepper overshadowing subtler notes and little complexity throughout.

Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.