Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto varies from dark brown to medium brown as there are variations I wouldn’t really identify as marbling. There are some thick but well pressed veins present, the seams are raised in some areas and the head is finished off with a tightly wound pigtail. There are two bands, both is a black and silver color combination. The primary denotes the company and years being celebrated while the secondary denotes 20th Anniversary. The aroma from the wrapper is stewed fruit and smoky wood while the foot brings more stewed fruit but paired with cedar. The pre-light draw is an airy mix of stewed fruit, smoky wood and chocolate along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto is a good looking cigar. The wrapper is nearly oscuro, and it is really captures that Brazilian quality. Been forever since I smoked a cigar with this wrapper. Medium sized veins throughout the cigar. Very oily. Aromas of rich earth, chocolate cake, warm spices and tobacco.
John: The Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto comes in cellophane, and had a UPC sticker with the cigar information along with an integrated tear space to remain intact when opened. Unfortunately, when opening the UPC, placement results in it tearing. For artisanal complications, the cigar has a curly head cap. Additionally, there is a small portion of exposed foot. There are two bands, with a primary Kristoff Veinte band, and a secondary 20th Anniversary band. I weighed the cigar at 13.2 grams, and measured the humidity at 62.0% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included earth, sweet tobacco and a toasted background aroma. From the foot, I was getting tobacco, hay and wood.

Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a robust delivery of toasted oak, black pepper and earth. At a half inch in, the earth mellows a bit. The retrohale is toasted oak and light earth. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is up front, black pepper a bit behind and then some earth in the background. The strength was slightly above medium.
Seth: The first third has a nice core flavor profile of rich earth, dark chocolate, damp wood, tobacco and pepper spices. The spices are not over the top but balanced with the flavors. I would classify the cigar as medium in strength and body. Solid smoke.
John: The first opens with earth and tobacco, and earth and wood to finish. On the retrohale, I’m getting sweet tobacco, an earthy center and a spicy wood finish. As the first third settles in, medium tobacco sweetness leads the retrohale with a robust medium, almost medium plus earth to finish. Roughly ten minutes in, the entire body profile has receded to medium minus. Approaching the halfway point, sweetness is leading off the retrohale with earth defining the finish.

Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the earth picks back up a bit. The retrohale is now toasted oak, earth and mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit and a light smokiness becomes present. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is up front, with the black pepper, earth and smokiness all in the middle of the profile. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third is in line with the first third. Damp wood, tobacco, pepper spices, dark chocolate and earth. Finish of peppery spices. The cigar continues to smoke at that medium level for strength and body.
John: Creamy earth leads the second third with earth and wood combining on the finish. On the retrohale, I’m picking up sweet, malty tobacco with earth and wood on the finish at medium minus strength. As the cigar continues towards the halfway point, pepper joins the post draw. By the halfway point, the retrohale is leading with toasted, malty earth. Near the end of the third, medium strength spices join the finish.

Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the black pepper, earth and smokiness all mellow quite a bit. The retrohale is now toasted oak with light earth and black pepper. At an inch in, the profile just consists of toasted oak. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is just toasted oak and the strength level dropped to mild-medium.
Seth: The final third is right in line with the first and second. Same flavor profile, body and strength.
John: Creamy, malty tobacco and earth through the first few puffs, with spices and earth at medium-full finishing. The spices back off to light plus as the last third progresses. Creamy earth and wood define the front of the retrohale by the halfway point, with spicy wood to finish. Some astringency joins the finish through the bottom half.

Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto

Burn

Aaron: The burn was wavy throughout and required two touch-ups to keep everything in line. The ash held on in about inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: Nice burn from beginning to end.
John: Overall, the burn was good with some minor unevenness through the first third. The cigar went out on me in the second third, necessitating a re-light. From that point on, the burn was reasonably even.

Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly looser than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: Somewhat of a loose draw throughout.
John: The draw was at most 1/2 of a notch towards the resistant spectrum which puts the draw inside the range between open and resistant for an amazing draw score.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a robust delivery of toasted oak, black pepper and earth. The second third saw some smokiness join in. The final third saw all of the components other than the toasted oak mellow and then depart leaving a very low strength toasted oak profile. The Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto had an average flavor profile throughout. Started off pretty bold and then mellowed significantly by the end. This was an OK cigar, but not something that I would correlate with an anniversary offering. Not something I’d see myself coming back to.
Seth: The Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto is a solid smoke. I can’t remember the last time I had this wrapper on a blend, but it brings back memories. Damp earth with some wood and tobacco notes. Bits of spices. I felt the cigar smoked fast and I was hoping for more strength and body. I believe that would have helped the blend overall. Not an offensive cigar, solid, but it did not reach the levels to make it really good or great.
John: The Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto was a medium-full cigar experience that delivered dark, toasted and spicy flavor components that I found were delivered best in the first and second thirds. The draw was perfect while the cigar went out on me once, requiring a re-light. I think this cigar is going to be a bit divisive. Not only is the cigar on the fuller end of the spectrum, but it also utilizes some flavor components that some cigar smokers might not gravitate towards. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would happily smoke this again, especially given the highly restrained price point of a 20th Anniversary release. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 1 minute.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.30

Cost/Point

$2.45

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.10

Cost/Point

$2.55

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.62

Cost/Point

$1.96

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Kristoff Veinte 20th Anniversary Robusto