Ashton is one of the best known names in the premium cigar world; the brand was originally created by Robert Levin in 1985 with the help of the famous Fuente family, and today Ashton produces six different blends (under the main brand – Ashton also owns brands such Benchmade or La Aroma de Cuba) including the Ashton Classic, a medium bodied smoke which includes 3- and 4-year-old Dominican tobacco in the binder and filler and a beautiful golden Connecticut shade grown wrapper.
The Ashton Classic Churchill’s Connecticut wrapper is almost flawlessly smooth and includes very few veins, making it quite lovely to look at. There are no obvious soft spots, and the Ashton label gives the cigar a classy distinction. On pre-light, I can detect a sweet aroma which is enhanced with something spicy—possibly cinnamon. All in all it looks and smells pretty promising, so I have high hopes for this one. On lighting, the draw is initially a tad tight, but quickly corrects itself and becomes quite smooth. The burn is slow and even and yields tightly packed ash. The Ashton Classic’s smoke isn’t too thick, but it’s still nice and aromatic.
In terms of flavor, this is a delightful cigar which is predominantly spicy without being overbearingly so—there is a nice sweetness which balances it all out. With notes of nutmeg and cinnamon and cream, this one would be great for the holidays—or any other time of year when you want to enjoy that cozy holiday flavor. Unfortunately there’s a little harshness which shows up around halfway. The cigar gets stronger as you smoke and the last third includes more spices. The harshness hangs in there, but it isn’t too strong and it doesn’t overpower the flavors.
All and all the harshness isn’t a huge drawback to the cigar, and perhaps with a little aging it would mellow out. The Ashton Classic Churchill costs $7.00, which isn’t cheap, but overall it’s a very pleasant and enjoyable cigar with a number of flavorful elements which combine into a delicious whole. This Ashton Classic Churchill would be enjoyable to new and veteran cigar smokers who enjoy sweet and spicy cigars. .