A new feature here on The Cohiba Club blog will be an occasional review of cigars given to us as gifts. First out of the gate is the Ashton VSG Robusto, given to me by my brother-in-law back in August of '07.Created by Carlito Fuente, it features a dark, rich looking Ecuadorian-grown wrapper and measures 5 1/2 inches long with a ring guage of 50. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 91.
Following Cigar Aficionado's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) I sat down to rate this cigar while enjoying a Smithwicks Irish Ale in honor of St. Patrick's Day (when I conducted this tasting).
With a slight box press, it appeared well-constructed, though I did notice a minor cosmetic flaw in the wrapper. As for roll quality, my initial impression was that it felt kind of light (in weight) as if it were rolled loosely. Ultimately, it drew and burned perfectly, so clearly roll quality was right on. This wonderful cigar produced lots of rich smoke and left a stable, white ash.
Flavors consisted of a dark cocoa bean, a hint of spice, and something nutty, perhaps like black walnut. I found it to be of medium strength through the first third. It sure was easy smokin'! Through the second third, I enjoyed it so much that wanted to smoke it too fast. An outstanding cigar to say the least!
My rating for the Ashton VSG Robusto is 90.
Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 13 pts (87% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 25 pts (100% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 30 pts (86% of the points possible)
Photo credit to Ashton Cigars
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