Ashton VSG Figurado
Size: 4.3 x 60
Tobacco: Dominican
Wrapper: Ecuador Sun Grown
Price: $12.50

I got this cigar for free at Burning Desires cigar lounge in Lakeland, TN.  This is the next-to-top-of-the-line from Ashton.  It is spicy and full-bodied but not as pricey or earth-shattering as the ESG. Burned slow and cool, but I prefer figurados with longer length.  It paired very well with three glasses of Belle Meade single barrel bourbon on Steve's back deck.

Mi Aroma de Cuba

Size: 5.7 x 48

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Filler: Nicaragua

Price: $8

Last Saturday night, in the frigid cold, Shaun, Steve, and I wandered down to Burning Desires cigar lounge on Hwy 64 for a cigar and poker game.  They can’t legally sponsor gambling in Tennessee, so the entry fee is that you must buy $25 worth of Ashton cigars, and in return you get $5000 in chips.  The winner cannot get paid in real money, so instead he gets an ashtray, a shirt, or 2 Ashton cigars; 2^nd place gets a single Ashton cigar.  For my entry fee I bought this Mi Aroma de Cuba toro with a tantalizing yellowed cellophane sleeve, along with a San Cristobal and a Mi Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor.  There were only four people playing this night, and I came in 2^nd place (damn you, Steve Laster, with your pocket pair of 9’s and your blasted heart flush on the river!), and I used it to grab a nub-sized Ashton VSG figurado. 

Mi Aroma de Cuba is blended by ’Don Pepin’ Garcia in Nicaragua.  The wrapper was a sort of dark shade of camel brown, with just a hint of tooth.  I didn’t notice any veins or variations of color in the leaf.  I don’t know how old this one was, but it was not medium to full bodied as advertised.  It was medium all the way; the only spice was a very short-lived burst of black pepper upon first light. I was disappointed in this, as I wanted something stronger, but I couldn’t complain about the smooth taste or the lingering, rich aftertaste.  I am guessing this cigar must have had to been aging for at least two years.

It was slow burning, easy going.  Flawless construction.  Flavors were mature, but not complex.  I wish I had been able to get a larger ring gauge, as I suspect the flavors might have benefited from more draw. 

Bottom line:  This was not as strong, full, or peppery as the Mi Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor.  I would definitely smoke again, but this wasn’t quite up to my expectations for a Pepin blend. 

Today, I bring forth a series of mini-reviews of cigars from the Big Smoke, including the Padilla Reserva Maduro which I'm smoking as I write:

Padilla Reserva Maduro Toro
Size: 5.7 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaragua
Price: $8.75

A long thin cigar beautifully wrapped in a dark, oily, toothy wrapper.  There are two veins in the leaf, one near the foot and one off the head.  Otherwise, the leaf is almost unnaturally smooth.  This is a vintage high quality maduro cigar, with none of the harshness or faintly chemical taste that you get with low-end maduros.  Burns slow with a smooth but not sweet taste.  Thick floral aroma, with very little aftertaste.

La Aroma de Cuba Robusto
Size: 5.5 x 54 (the "Marquis Tube")
Tobacco: Nicaraguan
Price: $5.25

I had two of these cigars:  The first I smoked to celebrate Alabama's 44-13 victory over Tennessee.  The second I smoked in Las Vegas; it was supposed to be a victory cigar, but instead it was my consolation cigar in the Planet Hollywood Casino sportsbook after we lost to Texas A&M 24-29.

This cigar has a great pedigree, blended by Jose 'Don Pepin' Garcia and distributed by Ashton, the same partnership that resulted in San Cristobol cigars.  It sports a dark, glossy wrapper with a colorful ornate band and a solid red foot band.

The cigar is spicy, but not as much as many of Don Pepin's other brands like his Black, Blue, and Series JJ lines. It has a husky, oaky flavor with a long finish.  It reminded me a lot of Glenmorangie single malt scotch.
Shaun raved about this cigar, saying it was one of his all-time Top 5.

Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador
Size:  5 5/8" x 46 (Size is known as "7th")
Tobacco: Nicaraguan with an Ecuadorian wrapper
Price: $8.12

This is the cigar I smoked at the Big Smoke event in Las Vegas.  It was spicy, with medium-full body.  It had an absolutely intoxicating aroma, remarking one person beside me to exclaim "That is the best smelling cigar in the whole room!"  (and keep in mind, there were probably around 300 puffing furiously in that room at the time.)

It was a great complement to the prime rib dinner and my Balvenie after-dinner drink.  A slow cool burn that lasted about 50 minutes.

Diamond Crown Maximus
Tobacco: Nicaraguan

The Diamond Crown Maximus line is the results of a partnership between the Oliva family (which grows the tobacco), the Fuente family (which blends the cigars), and the JC Newman company (which distributes the cigars in the United States).

This was my New Year's Eve cigar.  Shaun and I smoked them in the afternoon before we left to a great party at Glen and Jenna Lowery's house.  For some reason I don't remember the specifics of the cigar like the size, the wrapper, or what we talked about while we smoked.  Shaun thinks it was a maduro.  I do  remember liking it very much.

My tasting notes at the time were:  "Tastes like dense dark burnt pecans with hints of pepper and java.  Long finish."

Zino Platinum
Size: 7 x 48
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: Unknown

I could not find any information online about the Zino Platinum I smoked.  Mine was about 7 inches long, with a 48 ring gauge, and the band looks slightly different than the one pictured above. The cigar had an impeccable draw and flawless construction.  It was too mild for my taste.  I would smoke one again, if given to me, but it's not a cigar I would seek out.

State of the Humidor - Jan 2011

New cigars to try in 2011: Tampa Sweetheart #85 (second to Fuente 8-5-8), Joya de Nicaragua Fuerte

Last cigar of 2010: OpusX
First cigar of 2011: CAO America

Best (new) cigar of 2010: Ashton ESG Churchill
Worst (new) cigar of 2010: Hand-rolled Guatemalans

New cigars I tried in 2010, that I would purchase again in the future: King Corona Ybor Handmades, El Sol Parejos 6X Sumatra, Cain by Oliva, Ybor City Plus, 5 Vegas Cask Strength, Don Pepin Series JJ, Cohiba Robusto (Cuban), Padilla Signature 1932, Private Stock, La Flor de Murias, Ashton ESG,

New cigars I tried in 2010, that I would not purchase again: Tio Pepe, Padilla Habano, Patel Brothers, Calle Ocho, Bucanero Red, G.A.R. by George Rico, Perdomo Lot 23, Quesada Tributo

My goal is to reduce my capacity to 2 humidors--a large one for 1-2 years' box aging and another for current smokes. Right now, I'm running 4 humidors, and here is an approximate listing of their contents from memory:

Box of La Herencia Cubana
Box of Flor de Allones
Box of Padilla Hybrid
Box of Boardwalk
Box of Saint Luis Rey
Box of CI Legends-Graycliff
Box of Gran Habano #5 Pyramid
Bundle of Calle Ocho
Bundle of Perdomo Slow-Aged
Bundle of JR Alternative - La Gloria Cubana
Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet (partial box)
5 Vegas Miami (partial box)
Omar Ortez Originals (partial box)
Don Kiki Brown Label (partial box)
Ramon Allones Reserve (partial box)
Tio Pepe (partial bundle)
Montecristo Media Noche (5-pack)
La Gloria Cubana Wavell (5-pack)
Bahia Blue (5-pack)
Gran Habano #1 (singles)
Punch Champion (single)
Fuente 8-5-8 Sungrown (single)
Leon Jimines (single)
RP Corojo (single)
Carlos Torano 1916 (single)

I've also converted the top tray of my large humidor into what I call the Lost Sticks Cemetary. I save the last cigar from each box and put it in this tray for long-term aging, just to see how some sticks will hold up for 3-5 years.

One interesting experiment to note is that the last two Ramon Allones Reserves I smoked were extremely bitter. Since the first few I smoked were excellent, I am pretty sure this is an indication these cigars are "turning". This happened to me years ago with a box, but I didn't know what was happening, so I just assumed the cigars weren't any good and I wasted them as 2nd-cigars-of-the-night or gave them to nonsmoking friends who couldn't tell the difference. This time, I'm letting the rest of the box age patiently, and I am excited about trying them again this summer.

Ashton ESG Churchill
Size: 6.75 x 49
Tobacco: Dominican puro
Price: $16.36 (CigarsDirect), $19 (retail)

CigarsDirect sent me two of these cigars, a churchill and a bellicoso. Shaun B. was down in Memphis for his son’s baptism so we celebrated with a glass of 18-year Balvenie and the ESG’s. They were good-looking cigars with no blemishes or veins. The wrapper is a dark sun-grown Dominican. Pre-light taste was salty, with a promising but not overpowering aroma. Construction was flawless. Both cigars lasted about 90 minutes, with no touch-ups or canoes.

This was my first Ashton, and it challenged my assumptions about the brand. I don’t know why, but I’ve always thought premium Ashtons (not the Benchmade line) were mild, positioned to be competitors to Davidoff. But this cigar began with a burst of spice, sort of medium-to-full, and it gradually intensified until it reached a crescendo in the final inch. A perfect pairing with the smooth, mellow, oaky single malt.

According to AshtonCigars.com, the ESG was created in 2005. It is blended by Carlos Fuente, Jr using wrapper grown exclusively on the Chateau de la Fuente estate. From 2005-10, the company has released one new size per year. As of 2010, all sizes have now been released and will be available going forward.

Since we’re talking about the stratisfied air of Top 5 Cigars I’ve Ever Tried, I feel compelled to rank this one: I’m sliding it in at #4. It lags behind the Padron 1926 and the God of Fire just a tad because it lacks a certain level of complexity. It barely loses a tight race for #3, because it is as close to perfection as I remember the Cuban Monte #2 to be.


G.A.R. by George Rico
Size: 5.5 x 52 (Robusto Grande)
Tobacco: Nicaraguan (filler), Ecuador (binder, wrapper)
Price: $9.46

The G.A.R. line is a relatively new cigar from George Rico, the man behind Gran Habano. Gran Habano tends to fly under the radar; not many know about it, but the Corojo #5 is a consistent winner plagued by occasional tight draws and bad burns. The G.A.R. line is strong and full-bodied. The original blend (which is what I smoked) sports a white label on the foot. There are also two newer extensions: Vanguard (Black band) and LUX (green band).

This cigar, given to me by Cigars Direct, showcases a dark, toothy, oily wrapper. A deep, spicy prelight aroma. Upon lighting it, I was initially impressed by a nice pungent taste, and a rich blast of pepper spice. It was very reminiscent of one of George Rico’s other blends—the Siglos 3.

Unfortunately, like the Siglos 3, the full-bodied taste quickly into a medium-modied mediocrity. The drop-off wasn’t as bad as the Siglos 3, as this cigar still managed a subdued flavor, burned slow and cool, with no construction issues. Pairs well with a single barrel Kentucky bourbon. However, it was slightly disappointing, especially given its rather high price point.

I’m smoking an El Mejor Emerald as I write this review, and I can’t help but notice the tastes are similar. Not bad at all, but I’ll take a $2 El Mejor over a $10 G.A.R. given the similar taste profiles.

Ashton Benchmade Churchill
Size: 7.0 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan puro
Price: $3.25

Pepin is the Clint Eastwood of cigars: he may play the same character over and over, but it's always fun to watch.

I happened to stop by the Tinder Box in Collierville on the way home from work. I was in the mood for something to smoke on the drive home, but didn't want to spend much money, so I picked up the cheapest thing they had: Ashton Benchmade. (Tinder Box was having an "Ashton event" with free with hors d'oeuvres).

Benchmade is a sandwich cigar blended by Don Pepin. I paid $3 for mine; they are available online for around $50-65 for a box of 25.

The first thing I noticed about this cigar was the pigtail cap. The wrapper was extremely dark and toothy but also splotchy with a lot of veins. The head of the cigar was a little soft, not uncommon with sandwich cigars. Despite the lack of long filler tobacco, it burned with no problems at all. The draw was loose without being hot. It even stayed lit when I sat it down for 10 minutes to go into another store.

The taste was vintage Pepin. Very spicy and peppery at the beginning and the end. In the middle, the strength abated and was supplemented by notes of leather. Not complex, but good nonetheless. Tasted very similar to every other Pepin cigar I've had.

The biggest drawback of Benchmade, however, was the little flakes of tobacco that kept falling into my mouth. I remembered why I don't like sandwich cigars to begin with.

(For the first time, I have opened this blog to the following guest review from Shaun Brannen)

Ashton Estate Sun Grown (aka Ashton ESG)
Size: 6.75 X 49
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: 29.95

Last night I had the opportunity to smoke THE ASHTON ESG. This was by far one of the very best cigars that I have ever smoked.

History: The Ashton brand has now been around for 21 years and during this tenure Ashton has grown its reputation to become one of the best super premium cigar names on the market. The quality that goes into every Ashton cigar has turned the brand into a name that is known by all connoisseurs and this quality has led to brand growth every year since the inception of the Ashton name. To celebrate this huge milestone Robert Levin and Carlos Fuente Jr. decided to create the Ashton ESG. What makes this cigar so special? Carlos Fuente Jr. actually created a new blend of tobacco for the wrapper, grown on the Chateau de la Fuente farm, which has never been used before, and is solely used in the production of the ESG. Because there is a very limited amount of the tobacco that is used to create this phenomenal cigar it will only be released in small batch quantities once a year. Every year for the next 10 Ashton will release a new size in the ESG line, and only after ten years will the entire line be available.

Appearance: The overall appearance of the ESG was exquisite, the wrapper was smooth, and there was only one vein that was even noticeable on the stick. During my examination of this perfectly constructed cigar I gave it a pre-light aroma test and I new that I was about to smoke one of the greats, the type of cigar that a true aficionado dreams about at night. If I thought the pre-light aroma was great the pre-light taste test blew my socks off with a rich spicy taste exploding in my mouth.

First Impressions: As I lit the cigar the first thing that I noticed was the spiciness and amount of smoke that filled my mouth with each draw (and currently spicy cigars are my favorite). After about a third of the cigar the spicy flavor started to mellow out and I started to get a complex taste and aroma that had a somewhat nutty flavor. During the 1.5 hours it took to truly enjoy this cigar it burned with a perfect razors edge, and it never once had a disappointing draw.

Overall Experience: This full-bodied cigar was one of the best, if not the very best cigar that I have ever had the opportunity to smoke. Sticks like these should be saved for people who really understand what a good cigar is and can appreciate the workmanship that goes into creating such a great smoke. If you consider yourself a cigar aficionado and have never experience the Ashton ESG you are missing out on one of the greatest blends that has been created. I would recommend that you go to cigarsdirect.com anytime you are in the market for any super premium cigar such as the ESG.

C&S 10 Leaf Scale: Obviously from my review this cigar merits a 10 leaf rating.