The Kristoff Ligero is excellent—well made, solid construction, great earthy smell, an excellent smoker. Ligero refers to a specific section of a cigar tobacco plant. Ligero (and corona) refers to the top rows of leaves on the plant. The higher up the plant, the more powerful in flavor and nicotine, so this is a strong cigar by definition.
The cigar uses a Brazilian maduro wrapper, Cuban seed Dominican binder, and a filler comprised of Cuban seed Dominican and Cuban seed Honduran. The pigtail cap is fun and seems almost a shame to cut off. However, I’m in the smoking business, so off with its head. I draw on the unlit cigar and like it. It has a closed cap, so you want to toast it well to get it going. You can taste the rich tobacco without it being lit. The maduro ligero is strong with coffee, dark chocolate, spice, and cocoa flavors. The burn is solid with a nice ash.
Kristoff Cigars was created in 2004 by Glen Case—a guy with a passion for cigars. The brand is named for his son, Christopher. Kristoff Cigars is still considered a boutique cigar manufacturer, but with cigars like these he will be moving up in the industry.
| Factor | Description | Possible Score | Score |
| Construction | Fresh out of the humidor, how does the cigar look? Are large veins evident in the wrapper? Does the cigar have a firm feel to it? | 1-15 | 15 |
| Band | Is the band an embarrassment that you wouldn’t want to smoke in public? | 1-5 | 5 |
| First Puff | How satisfying is the very first puff of the cigar? | 1-10 | 9 |
| Draw | Can the cigar be smoked without strain? Does it burn up too quickly? | 1-15 | 14 |
| Flavor | Does it achieve all three notes? Does the flavor come through to the smoker sufficiently? | 1-20 | 18 |
| Aroma | Is the aroma of the cigar while burning fragrant or offensive? | 1-10 | 9 |
| Ash/Burn | Does the cigar produce a solid ash? Is it flaky? Does it canoe? | 1-10 | 8 |
| Value | Bucks per puff. For the enjoyment is the cigar reasonably priced? | 1-15 | 12 |
| Possible Score | 100 | 90 |