Old Faithful: San Cristobal Classico Review
Ashton developed quite a following with the release of the Ashton line of cigars. From the mild bodied Ashton Classic to the full bodied Ashton VSG, Ashton has a Dominican cigar for every type of enthusiast. While the cigars, made at the Fuente Factory, were an overwhelming success, Ashton was still missing out on a huge portion of the cigar market, Nicaraguan cigars. Using the same model that gave them superb success in the Dominican Republic, Ashton went to one of the master blenders of Nicaraguan tobacco, Don Pepin Garcia to create a line of Nicaraguan cigars. The fruit of Don Pepin’s efforts became known as San Cristobal. San Cristobal epitomizes all of the flavors that make Nicaraguan tobacco such a unique and wonderful experience. While the cigar has been on the market for the number of years, it’s always nice to revisit an old classic and rediscover just what makes San Cristobal such a unique cigar.
First Impressions: Right away, San Cristobal grabs the eye with a vibrant colorful band set against the milk chocolate Nicaraguan wrapper. Cutting the cap and taking a cold draw, I am greeted with strong earthy tones with pepper undertones, typical for Nicaraguan puros. The draw of the cigar is a little resistive, but not to the point of being unpleasant.
1/3: Lighting the robusto sized cigar puts off plumes of aromatic smoke, which are smooth and sweet with a mild hint of spice. The first puffs of the cigar reveal a symphony of pepper and earth tones with a semi sweet finish. Towards the middle of the first third, the flavors shift away from spice and earth notes to a more balanced profile of cocoa, leather and earth with a slight pepper finish.
2/3: As the solid gray ash continues to grow into the second third of the cigar, the flavors continue to develop a balanced harmony. While the beginning of the cigar was marked with a pronounced spice, the second third is marked by balance and complexity. While the cigar is full bodied, it is not overwhelming as notes of earth, dark chocolate and coffee mesh well together to create a cigar that is easy for medium and full bodied smokers to enjoy. The burn of the cigar is impeccable requiring zero touch ups. The draw has remained a little resistive, but not enough to ruin the flavors or the experience of San Cristobal.
3/3: Removing the band and beginning the last third of the cigar marks the continued trend found in the 2/3 of San Cristobal. The draw has become less resistive and the full flavored complexity of the cigar remains the same. The only additional note found in the last portion of the cigar is a slight cinnamon note noticeable on the retohale. Overall, smoking the San Cristobal a few years after its release has reminded me why I enjoyed the cigar so much to begin with. With great complexity, quality construction, and bold flavors, San Cristobal is an excellent example of what a Nicaraguan puro should be.
The San Cristobal is available in 3 sizes in boxes of 22 and 21 (Coloso size) at our 5 Hampton Roads locations as well as emersonscigars.com. If you just can’t get enough of the San Cristobal flavor, check out their website for more information on their complete product line.
