Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum - Ashton ESG 22 years salute

This is another cigar in the series of cigars that I am reviewing for The Longfiller Company, the importer for this cigar in The Netherlands. The Ashton ESG series are created by Carlos Fuente Jr with a wrapper grown on the Chateau de la Fuente farm that has never been used on a cigar before. The cigars are created to commemorate the number of years that Ashton excists and every year a cigar will be released with this blend, but in another vitola.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/...htonesg221.jpg

The cigar, wrapped in cellophane, looks great and the band is a piece of art. This 22 year salute is a 6x52 torpedo. The oily wrapper has a nice chocolate color with only a minor vein on it. The construction feels good and so is the predraw. The cigar has a nice dark barnyard aroma.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/...htonesg222.jpg

The flavors that hit my palate are herbal, mild spicy and just a subtle hint of earthy flavors. After half an inch I also taste a mild chocolate flavor. After about an inch and a half the wrapper got torn. The flavors don't change in the first third of the cigar.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/...htonesg223.jpg

Halfway the chocolate grows in strength. The herbal flavors grow in strength too and become the dominant flavor with the chocolate as aftertaste. After the ⅔ point the chocolate disappears.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/...htonesg224.jpg

I got a great draw en plenty of smoke, although a bit thin, during the hour and 45 minutes that this cigar lasted. The ash is quite firm and light colored, almost white. The burn is a bit crooked, but that's because the thin wrapper cracked somewhere in the middle of the cigar. This cigar is full flavored and full bodied, it gave me a bit of a nicotine rush.

http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/...htonesg225.jpg

Would I buy this cigar again? I liked this cigar a lot, but the €20.50 fixed price tag here in The Netherlands is quite steep.

Appearance: 8 / 10
Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Burn: 7 / 10
Smoke & ash: 7 / 10
Aroma first part: 7 / 10
Aroma second part: 8 / 10
Aroma third part: 8 / 10