San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol

Today's review is of a new addition to Ashton's San Cristobal line. This is the Seleccion Del Sol, and has a sungrown wrapper grown in Nicaragua by Don Pepin Garcia (who also blends and rolls this cigar for Ashton). This Nicaraguan Puro comes in three sizes, and today I am smoking the Robusto (5x52)

The wrapper on this particular stick seems a bit dry and rough, but Sun grown wrappers aren't always the prettiest. This one is a nice dark brown and a little mottled. This line features a band on the foot to distinguish it from the regular San Cristobal line. The construction overall looks very nice, with a perfectly applied triple cap. The predraw flavor shows just a touch of cedar and nicely aged tobacco.

This cigar starts out with a nice bit of spice that I tend to notice with a lot of Pepin's blends. Behind the spice there is a definite flavor of sweet cedar. The mix of sweetness and spice really works nicely together. This seems a bit dialed back compared to the original San Cristobals. It is not as full bodied or as rich, but it is still an enjoyable cigar. At the halfway point I would consider this to be at the low end of medium bodied. There is just a touch of citrus on the finish as well.

Overall, the new San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol is a solid cigar. The construction and burnline are pretty much perfect. I didn't have to touch up the burn at all, which is always nice. I think I prefer the standard San Cristobal line over the new one though. I like the richness of the originals, as well as the dried cherry flavor combined with the spice that they offer. This one has some spice to it, but just a little. The sweet cedar flavor and slightly citrusy finish is very tasty on the new one. I was expecting a full bodied cigar, but this one lands at the low end of medium. The price of the robusto is around $8 if I'm not mistaken. These will be great to smoke when I want something medium bodied with a nice complexity to the flavor.

 Need a new ashtray? Check out ThePerfectAshtray.com and their huge selection of plastic ashtrays.

Ashton Cabinet Selection No. 6

Todays review is of the Ashton Cabinet Selection No.6, which measures in at 5.5 inches by 52 ring gauge. This cigar has a Dominican binder an filler, with a Connecticut shade grown wrapper. The construction looks flawless, like most ashton products, and the wrapper is very smooth and silky. Apparently the filler has been aged at least 4-5 years before rolling.

The predraw is shows a nutty characteristic, and mild tobacco flavors. Right away upon lighting, this is a very creamy, cedary cigar with a definite roasted nut flavor. For an after dinner cigar, this is way too mild for my tastes. Starting out, the body is very light and mild, but pleasantly creamy. If i was going to light another one of these up, it would probably be earlier in the day, maybe after a light lunch or even before that. The burnline on this particluar cigar has been all over the place, which is a bit on the annoying side. When i have to constantly touch up the burn on a cigar to keep it from canoeing, it takes away from the relaxing part of the cigar experience. The flavor continues to be creamy with a touch of raisin, and thats about it. Im bored with this cigar at this point. There is also a slightly unpleasant papery quality to this cigar.

I know people who love this cigar, but it really doesnt do anything for me at this point. I think i have one more left in my humidor, and i will save it for a day i plan on smoking in the morning. I do not smoke a ton of mild cigars, but when i do, i want one with enough flavor to keep me interested. If the next one of these i light up canoes like this one did, i'm going to pitch it. I cant stand a cigar that burns up one side like this througout the entire cigar. Some cigars will correct themselves when they start to burn uneven, but i had to touch this one up every 5 minutes. Here is the real kick in the ass on this one for me, these go for about 10 bucks a piece! If i am going to pay 10 bucks for a cigar, i want it to burn evenly and come through a bit more in the flavor department. If all you want in a cigar is a mild creamy flavor, then this is definitely a cigar for you if you dont mind spending 10 bucks on it. The thing is, i know quite a few other cigars where i can get a very similar flavor profile out of for half the price, without the burn issues. For Ashtons, i think ill stick with VSGs, San Cristobals, and La Aroma De Cuba Edicion Especials.