Ashton Symmetry

 

One of the things that drive me nuts is the lack of attention paid to some brands. Ashton is one of those... Ashton cigars are made in the Dominican at the Tabacalera A. Fuente (yes... that Fuente) with the Symmetry blended by Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr himself. This blend was first put together in 2014 and was named one of Cigar Aficionados Top 25 cigars in 2015 (number 8 to be exact).

The tabacco for this smoke comes from the Dominican and Nicaragua and is wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habana leaf. This was the first Ashton cigar to feature any tabacco from Nicaragua. These cigars are not hard to find, which I find endearing. Most B&Ms carry Ashton and this cigar is one of their main cigar lines. You can find the Symmetry in five vitolas: Robusto, Belicoso, Corona, Toro, and Churchill from smallest to largest. These vitolas are more or less the traditional size for each. The other nice thing about this line is the price point. Regardless of vitola, these smokes should cost around $11 to $13 USD per cigar. 

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: The Dominican Republic

Filler: The Dominican Republic and Nicaragua

Length: 5"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: I smoked two of the robusto sized vitolas to form my opinion on this review. Both samples had a nice mild chocolate hued wrapper that felt oily to the touch. The cigars felt well-constructed in my hand and both had a slight give when squeezed. They never felt overly hard and never too spongy... pretty much exactly what you would want to see in this regard. The cold draw was good once the cap was removed via a straight cutter.

The smoke was abundant and light on the palate. The flavor of the cigar featured cream and nougat up front that is complimented by notes of leather and cedar in the background. Some coffee and earth undulate in and out. The flavor also leans slightly sweet with the body of the smoke somewhere between mild and medium strength.

The burn rate was even, or should I say even enough. It ran slightly askew on one of the cigars but in no way did it become an issue. No re-lights or corrective burns were required. The cigar also retained its construction during the life of the smoke too and the draw was consistently good.

This cigar was very enjoyable. The flavor was good and made for a great mid-day cigar. Some smokers may find the body and flavor profile to be too light to their liking but that is the trait I enjoyed the most. The flavor and body were light, but the complexity was ample, and I did not feel like I had to have my face melted off to appreciate the nuances of the smoke. This cigar is just ol' reliable.

The Score: Buy a 5 Pack