Size: 5 1/2 x 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder and Filler: Dominican Olor and Cuban-seed Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Price: Give or take $7.00

Behind The Stick:

Surprisingly enough, the Kristoff brand has been around for a very short time ( 2005 ) and yet have been putting a pretty wide variety of cigars into the market. I first heard of the line from the Kristania name, a cigar I was not overly impressed with but ‘for the price’ fit the bill – and Kristoff even remarks they are the ‘budget conscious’ smokes of their brand, aside from the ‘its a boy/girl’ cigars they also offer. The main thing that caught me with the Kristoff brand was the packaging – although a bit on the plain side when looking at the box, squished up and surrounding the cigars are layers of actual tobacco leaf. I love the simplicity of the design with a certain ‘pop’ that will forever imbed this style into my mind – but, enough jabbering about a cool box, how the hell do the Kristoff Criollo’s smoke?!

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Hope you all have the best holiday weekend you can – Because it is the holidays I figure its time for some gift giving – have that special cigar and let me know what it is, I will choose 2 comments and ship 5 cigars to each! Can’t get much easier or better than that!

The Nut Himself

Size: 4 x 58 ( Gordito )
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder and Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Hondurian, and Cameroon
Strength: Full
Price: were $7.50 a stick, on sale for $2.50 for 12

Behind The Stick:

As some of you know the Don Lino Africa line are actually made by Miami Cigar and was started when Nestor and his son Daniel took a trip to Africa and when they returned, they had decided to create cigars that would honor the land they had just visited. The boxes were created with a little extra flair and the names of the cigars – instead of English or Spanish – was actually the native language of Maasi – each cigar representing a different animal.

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PRESS RELEASE:

Internally acclaimed wine and cigar critic James Suckling, along with award winning film director James Orr, released “Cigars: The Heart And Soul Of Cuba” last week, a unique documentary film on Cuban cigars and the spirit of the Cuban people. It screened at the XXXIII Festival del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano in Havana on Friday, Dec. 2.

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Greenore 8 Year Old

Country: Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Cooley
Bottler: Cooley
Distillation Date: 2003
Style: Grain Whiskey
Bottling Date: Unknown
Alcohol: 40% by volume
Price: Just under $60 USD a bottle

Behind The Booze:

This just happens to be another spirit that has been talked about by many, loved by some yet the history and background remains a ‘mystery’ to a certain extent. Yes – this is the Greenore your thinking of – the Gold Medal winner at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. The Cooley distillery is also known for their Kilbeggan, Tryconnel and Connemara Irish whiskey so if you are a fan of those lines, be sure to give the Greenore a look as well. Personally, I had never heard of the Cooley distillery or any of their spirits prior to this review – bias out the window eeh!?

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