Editor’s Note: Each week, our friends at the Smooth Draws Radio Show, based in Atlanta, GA, do a review of ‘The Cigar of the Week’ on their radio show, which can be heard Saturday mornings on AM1230 ESPN the Fan 2 (WFOM radio) from 9AM to 11AM. That review is printed (in its entirety) here on Cigarweekly.com, usually on the Monday following its broadcast.

The Smooth Draws Radio Show Pick of the Week

THE CIGAR

This time around, we’ve selected the Kristoff Galerones Series DR4 as our cigar pick of the week.

BACK STORY

The Kristoff Galerones Series, which includes the DR4, was unveiled at the 2013 IPCPR trade show. Glen Case, the brand owner, wanted to create a new core line of cigars that would mark a new chapter in the company’s history. This line would give Kristoff Cigars what Glen Case called “a new look, a new flavor and a new level”.

For the Galerones Series, Kristoff creates cigars that have a big flavor component, as opposed to a strength-based nature. The DR4 blends flavorful Connecticut tobacco, and is aimed at the beginner as well as the experienced smoker. It derives its name from the fillers, as there are four distinct Dominican Habano Cuban seed tobaccos in the filler.

THE CONSTRUCTION

The DR4 is a regular production cigar. It is produced at Abe Flores’ Pinar del Rio factory in the Dominican Republic. The wrapper is an Ecuador-grown Connecticut shade. The binder is a Cuban seed Nicaraguan. And the filler tobaccos comprise a blend of Habano Cuban Seed Dominican leaves, harvested from four distinct growing regions.

The cigar is light brown in color with a slight amount of oil, and is ‘book-ended’ by a triple cap and a cleanly cut foot. The Galerones Series packaging is not the typical Kristoff packaging (with rough boxes packed with loose tobacco), but rather a sleek, gloss-painted box containing 20 double-banded cigars. The Galerones is available in four sizes – Robusto, Toro, Torpedo and Gordo.

THE DRAW

We found the draw to be absolutely superb. Each draw was smooth and easy, with just a slight resistance. The cigar produced grey clouds of gratifying smoke that made for easy flavor analysis.

THE CIGAR TASTE PROFILE

We felt the DR4 was on the mild side, yet with a depth of flavor. We experienced primary notes of the classic flavors you get from Ecuadorian Connecticut shade – a mix of wood, cedar and cream. There was also a natural tobacco sweetness that almost tasted like light agave. Notes of nuts, with a hint of pepper and even an occasional citrus and saltine flavor, teased the senses. This was a well-balanced and satisfying cigar.

DOES IT GET A BUY RECOMMENDATION?