Ashton Cabinet Selection premiered in 1985 and was immediately recognized as an excellent cigar. It gets its rich and complex taste from Dominican fillers aged 4-5 years. Its Connecticut Shade wrapper is aged an extra year and makes for a dynamic combination. Since making its debut it continues to be made to exacting standards and has lost nothing over the years. The Ashton Cabinet Selection is known for its aging process and comes in a wide range of sizes. Developed by Arturo Fuente, the construction is excellent and the cigars deliver from first to last puff. The cigar is a classic.
The smell and feel when you first examine it says quality. The classic band is beautiful. The ash is white and solid. It hits all three notes and maintains a great flavor. The Dominican spiciness in the tobacco comes through and sits well in your mouth. It’s a smooth and creamy smoke with tastes of wood and pepper in the background with a touch of citrus at the end. The cigar builds until the end but at no point becomes harsh. It’s a relatively mild cigar meant to relax and enjoy with a good whiskey. This is a cigar I pull out after finishing a hard day and looking forward to a relaxing cigar. The price is a little high, but where else are you going to find this quality aged tobacco for under $10.
Factor |
Description |
Possible Score |
Score |
Construction | Fresh out of the humidor, how does the cigar look? Are large veins evident in the wrapper? Does the cigar have a firm feel to it? |
1-15 |
15 |
Band | Is the band an embarrassment that you wouldn’t want to smoke in public? |
1-5 |
5 |
First Puff | How satisfying is the very first puff of the cigar? |
1-10 |
9 |
Draw | Can the cigar be smoked without strain? Does it burn up too quickly? |
1-15 |
14 |
Flavor | Does it achieve all three notes? Does the flavor come through to the smoker sufficiently? |
1-20 |
18 |
Aroma | Is the aroma of the cigar while burning fragrant or offensive? |
1-10 |
9 |
Ash/Burn | Does the cigar produce a solid ash? Is it flaky? Does it canoe? |
1-10 |
9 |
Value | Bucks per puff. For the enjoyment is the cigar reasonably priced? |
1-15 |
12 |
Possible Score |
100 |
91 |