Kristoff Signature Series JT Edition

Thats right, JT edition.  Jarrid Trudeau - VP of Sales for Kristoff, asked if he could make his own edition of a Kristoff cigar using a bunch of HVA ('Habano Vuelta Abajo') leaves they had laying around.  From Habanos.com site The finest cigar tobacco-growing land in the world. Vuelta Abajo*is the main source of tobacco for Habanos, and the only zone that grows all types of leaf: wrappers, filler and binders. Indeed all tobacco for fillers and binders for Long Filler Habanos comes from this privileged zone. Not surprisingly Vuelta Abajo is also protected as a Denomination of Origin. 

These limited cigars are made with a Sumatra Binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler.  Jarrid wanted to make a cigar that he would smoke himself whenever he had down time.  He likes box pressed cigars, so these are box pressed.  I think the last time they did box pressed is about 2002.  He likens these to a Padron '69, and these are a very mild cigar with a little spice.  Not a chocolate or earthy flavor in these.  It took about 3 years to source the right blends of tobacco to get these to the exact blend he was looking for. 
I got a nice ash, as you can tell in the picture, before it finally fell off, and it had a very easy draw for a box press.

They are using entubar style and not booking or accordion style.

For those that care Entubar (or “Entubado”) is a “bunching technique which rolls each filler leaf into itself, almost like a small scroll. Each individually “scrolled” leaf is then placed together to form the bunch. This skillful rolling technique creates a more firmly packed cigar which allows air to travel between all of the leaves, carrying more aromatics/flavors to the palate. Entubado rolling is the most difficult and complex bunching method and is therefore rarely employed in large scale manufacturing. 
There is also another form of bunching called Accordion. This method “involves folding the outer sides of the filler leaves inward, one at a time, and placing the leaves on top of each other until the bunch is complete: then the leaves are rolled together with a binder leaf. The “folds” created by this technique allow excellent air passage through the cigar.”
A third type of bunching is called Book. “An alternative to entubado or accordion rolling, booking involves laying filler leaves flatly on top of one another and then folding them up, like a book or taco, to complete the bunch. This technique is simpler than entubado and accordion rolling and creates a less aerated cigar structure: placing the leaves directly on top of each other does not allow as much air to pass through each individual leaf in the cigar.”
The Book method is also the most often used type of bunching since it can be done more quickly and efficiently, thereby helping increase production.

This cigar uses the Kristoff standard pigtail and shaggy foot.  The shaggy is supposed to help light it, but I find it easier to cut a little bit off before I 'foot' the cigar with my lighter.

Kristoff is entering its 15th anniversary, so congrats to them on a great run so far.  These cigars are only going to be at vendors that have a cigar event so you may have to shop around to find them.

Token picture of Jarrid and I the the Leaf and Cedar event in Louisville.