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Filler: Nic
Binder: Nic
Wrapper: Ecuador SG
Size: 5.5x52 Belicoso
Origin: DPG factory Nicaragua, distributed by Ashton
Price: ~$8
Beverage: Water

This stick was gifted to me by my local B&M about 3 months ago and has been resting at 60% in my humi. It finished #4 in CA's Top 25 for 2008 (a list in which I do not give much value). First impression is that this is a beautiful cigar that was constructed by an expert. The wrapper is flawless with slight veins and a beautiful milk chocolate color. The band is one of the most ornate and colorful I've ever seen. The foot smells 100% of sweet cedar and the toast adds a bit of black tea to the mix. Clipped cleanly with Xikar and prelight draw is quite firm but Henry's tool will stay in the box.



First 1/3

Intial flavors of grass, cedar, and strong leather. Not too much smoke production and a very firm, light gray ash. Burn is very good. One quick touch up required at about an inch and a half.

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Second 1/3

The cigar is burning well but too cold so I pick up the pace a little. This remedies the smoke production, the aroma is very smooth. Flavor profile is remaining constant and producing more cedar flavor than I've tasted in any other smoke in recent memory. A little spice and cinnamon is appearing.

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Last 1/3

The finish has been medium and dry throughout and definitely medium bodied to me. I really like the aroma of this cigar. I get a slight acrid taste about 2 inches to go and I really want to nub this baby so a cautious purge is performed. Only takes once to learn about burning your eyebrows! :-)
Luckily the purge returns the beautifully understated tobacco flavor. The subtle spiciness is still present and man what a smooth flavor.

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I really appreciated the consistent flavor profile throughout this smoke. Once lit, it never strayed from the dominant cedar taste and teased my pallete with subtle spiciness. Thirty minutes after smoking I still have a faint taste of delicious cedar on my tongue. I will definitely sample this vitola again to compare and of course try out the other sizes.

Appearance: 10 (beautiful color and band design)
Construction: 9 (flawless construction, rolled a bit tight)
Burn: 9.5 (one slight touch up)
Draw: 8 (starts out quite firm, finished well after heating it up)
Aroma: 10 (gentle and appealing throughout)
Flavor: 9 (cedar was lovely, spicy undercurrents)

Final Score: 9.25

Highly recommended if you have the chance. Til next time.
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Nice review, I do enjoy pepin!
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Picked up a 5pk recently -- looking forward to firing it.
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Nice review

This cigar is one of my favorites and it's priced right.
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Nice review, Jeremy.:-) Only had one of these. Picked it up at the B&M and smoked it without much rest. Found it sort of boring. Good flavor, just no complexity. Sounds like I need to try this one again and let it rest. Thanks for the review.
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Thanks for the review!
I too feel that the nose of this cigar is exceptional and and flavor profile is quite nice :-)
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and another cigar to try!:-) Thanks for the review and great pics:-)
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Love the review and pictures. Thanks, sounds like a cigar to try.
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They are on my must try list. Thanks for the review
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thanks for the review
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I had one recently and I really enjoyed it. I would definitely smoke these again. Nice review thanks.
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So help me out here as I show my lack of cigar knowledge. I was under the impression that Ashton was a Fuente product. So this would be a DPG blend made for Ashton? Sombody 'splain this one for me please. That sounds like an interesting marriage if so...the Ashton spice behind the DPG punch.
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I enjoyed this one, still have another in the humi.
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Anything with Ashton in the start of the name is from Fuente, Ashton VSGs, Ashton Aged Maduros Ashtons Ashton Cabinets Ashton Herritage and ESGs. Pepin is also rolling cigars for Ashton but not using the name in there band. They produce San Cristabols, and La Aroma de Cubas.
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Ashton has realized that Pepin is one the worlds hottest cigar makers and they want to get in on that and he has blended and produced 3 cigars for Ashton. The San Cristobal, LAdC EE and the Benchmade.
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Thank you.

And thank you as well.

I think I knew that San Cristobal was a DPG blend but I thought it was another of his marcas. I din't realize that it was an Ashton marca.

And I apologize for the threadjack, but how does the San Cristobal line compare to the three main DPG blends? Isn't it considered a full strength line as well?


The cigar industry is rather incestous to say the least, no?
:-)
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Thanks for the review. I liked this one too. I still want to try one of the Orignal La Aroma de Cuba's (the non special edition).
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A nice review of a nice cigar. Thanks!
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San Cristabol is a very good cigar try it if you have not already. I would call it med/full bodied and I think it has alot of cinnamon in it. Alot of people say the tobacco used in them is very young and suggest aging them a little. However, I have smoked them straight out of the B&M and really enjoyed them.
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:-) I grab one or two of these whenever I hit the local B&M. They are mighty tasty IMHO. I'd like to try one with some age, however they usually don't make it past a month or two in my humi. Some day I'll have to set a box aside for research. :-)


P.s. Nice review on the LAdC EE #5 Jeremy!!!
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