The Ashton aged maduro is rare according to the Ashton website because of the limited availability of the Connecticut broadleaf wrapper that is used. Most of the crop doesn't make it through quality control. I wonder if that is true, as I have no problems finding the cigars here in The Netherlands. Anyway, I smoked the Ashton aged maduro #20, a corona with a length of 5½ inch with a ring 44 which I bought years ago in a cigarshop in Den Bosch.
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The wrapper is almost black, quite oily, mild shiny and it doesn't have much veins. The band is simple. I smell a quite strong barnyard smell. The construction feels good and I get a good predraw, which tastes a bit like dry tobacco.
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I taste chocolate and coffee with a little bit of wood. Half an inch later I taste leather with some pepper and after a third I also get some citrus. Halfway I still taste the leather with the citrus, pepper, nuts and even some cinnamon sharpness.
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The peppery aftertaste becomes stronger and I even taste some chocolate. After two thirds I taste herb with citrus and wood. The cigar slowly gets bitter and unpleasant. Lots of pepper with some leather and citrus, but all burned flavors.
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This cigar lasted me fifty-five minutes. I got a lot of smoke that was medium thick. The draw was good on the loose side of good. The ash is white, a nice contrast with the black wrapper, but not so firm. The burn is good. This cigar is full flavored and medium bodied.
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Would I buy this cigar again? If I smoke Ashton, I will go for the VSG or the brands like La aroma de cuba, San Cristobal or Benchmade.
Appearance: 8 / 10
Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Burn: 7 / 10
Smoke & ash: 8 / 10
Aroma first part: 8 / 10
Aroma second part: 7 / 10
Aroma third part: 6 / 10
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