Ashton San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol Cigar Review, By John B.

Once again here we are with a Jose Pepin Garcia blended cigar.  Released at the 2009 IPCPR show,  Ashton made a wise choice when they decided to go with the San Cristobal line and include Nicaraguan tobacco from the Estelli farm.  Seleccion Del Sol translates into “Selection from the sun”, which refers to the sungrown wrapper.   I remember when the original blend came out at the 2007 IPCPR show.  They were flavorful, powerful, and very complex.  ( I will also add that the first ever San Cristobal I smoked, I believe a churchill, was the first cigar that “hurt me”!  I had to sleep off the intense nicotine buzz I got from it.)   This is not far from the original blend.  I believe they changed the original blend after the first year.  I did prefer the original blend to the second one, but now that these are here, it’s a whole new story.   They come in three different sizes, with all three having the same ring guage of 52.  Toro (6X52), Robusto (5X52), and the Belicoso 5.5X52).  They are sold in boxes of 20 for about 150.oo a box. 

Size:   Toro 6 X 52

Wrapper:   Nicaraguan Sun Grown

Binder:   Nicaraguan

Filler:   Nicaraguan

Strength:   Medium-Full

Date Smoked:  12.15.2009

 

Wrapper and Construction:  

The cigar has a beautiful and colorful band.  It is similar to the original band, it also has a foot band which has bright blue on it and differentiates it from the non Seleccion Del Sol.  It is a nice transition from the medium-dark brown wrapper.  The wrapper is smooth and has very small veins from cap to foot.  It did have a soft area in the mid section which gave more than the rest of the cigar which was very solid.  It carried the almost now standard triple cap and what seemed to be a thin, brittle wrapper. 

 

Pre-Light:  

 I picked up some woody/oak scent with a hint of cocoa.  At the foot there was a more of a slightly spicy and woodsy, earthy smell, with maybe a little almond/walnut.  The draw was a little tight for what I like to feel on the draw.  I could feel some spice on the front of my tongue before I even lit it up. 

 

First Third:  

The burn was perfect and slow.  It was packed with many different flavors which all came and went at different times.  It was like a medley of great cigar flavors in the first third.  There were lots of earthy tones like hay, pepper, oak, walnuts/almonds, and leather.  Just about at the end of the first third, it mellowed out to a smooth nutty and slightly spicy finish.  The wrapper did have a small crack which ran about 3/4 of an inch.  It never did effect the burn though. 

Second Third:  

This was a totally different cigar in the second third.  The spice mellowed out to almost nothing, along with the leather and earthiness.  It had a very nice toasted oak and walnut flavor to it.  The cigar was burning perfectly.  It produced a great room aroma.  My wife even came out and mentioned it.  (that is saying a LOT)

Last Third:  

This part of the cigar was even more smooth than the second third.  I did have a  few flavors come and go within just a few puffs on the cigar.  some of these included orange, cinnamon, and caramel, all which went well with the other underlying flavors of oak and nuts.  Right before I set it in the ashtray for good, I picked up a dark molasses, which was awesome. 

Overall Experience:  

I thought this was better than the other cigars I have smoked from the first two blends in the line.  It definitely has that well known “Pepin” spice in the first 1-2 inches.  It was a very complex and flavorful cigar with a solid construction.  Id be willing to bet these will be better now than later, as with most of the spicy, complex Nicaraguan cigars, age mellows all the flavors.  Especially the spice.  I am glad Pepin had his hand in this project with Ashton.  They came out with a great mid-priced cigar with very complex flavors that everyone can enjoy.  This was the first of these I have smoked, but I am going to make sure its not the last.  I have a few left which will have to be tucked away in the “Pepin” humidor for another day down the road!   I hope you enjoyed the review, and until next time, Long Ashes!!!

Please feel free to comment on this review!  Thanks!

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