There’s a few reasons why 90 rated Ashtons have remained in the top ten for decades. They are made by the folks at Arturo Fuente. They are insanely consistent. They remain one of the benchmarks for mild to mellow taste. If you’ve smoked them you know. If you haven’t, I envy you! Pick your favorite size and enjoy!
Ashton defines premium Dominican taste in an iconic profile, unsurpassed in quality and consistency. Luxurious Dominican binder and filler tobaccos, aged three to four years, support a rich, golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf. Savor an impressive portrait of cedar, coffee bean, almond, and cashew notes with a touch of sweetness and spice around the edges. New cigar lovers and seasoned connoisseurs discover and relive their affinity for premium cigars with the unduplicated Ashton Classic.
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican
92 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, February 2023
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, September 2021
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, October 2018
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, December 2015
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, August 2002
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, December 1999
This brand started in Cuba in 1940 and is still being made there. When Cigar Giant Altadis acquired the name for the US, production went from the Dominican Republic to Honduras where it remains. This 90 rated stick is a staple at just about every worthwhile tobacconist in the country. This cigar’s complex blend produces a rich, full flavor with thick plumes of smoke. It’s smooth, slow burning and very strong. Buckle up!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Habano-Ligero-Maduro-Nicaraguan-San Andres
This brand started in Cuba in 1940 and is still being made there. When Cigar Giant Altadis acquired the name for the US, production went from the Dominican Republic to Honduras where it remains and is a staple at just about every worthwhile tobacconist in the country. This maduro edition is similar to its Original counterpart in that it produces a rich, full flavor with thick plumes of smoke. It’s also smooth, slow burning and just a bit more robust. Buckle up!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – San Andrés Marrón
Romeo y Julieta Romeo 505 Nicaragua is another fantastic collaboration between Altadis and Plasencia Tobacco S.A.
With attention to detail the 505 Nicaragua contains tobaccos from three of Nicaragua’s well-known growing regions, including a Habano seed wrapper and binder from Jalapa and a mix of fillers from Jalapa, Estelí and Condega. The result is an exceptionally good medium to full bodied smoking experience.
Noted reviewer KATMAN rates it at 92. His description of this flavor bomb is spot on. ” The most heartfelt flavors are malt, chocolate, creaminess, espresso, caramel, smokiness, baking spices, and black pepper creating a beautiful flow chart of indescribable complexity.”
It’s safe to say the 505 Nicaragua is another winner for sure.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Seed
Binder: Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Estelí and Condega)
See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
Romeo y Julieta’s Romeo is probably the strongest, most complexly blended Romeo y Julieta to come out of the Dominican Republic.
It’s hard to believe this edition is over 10 years old! Without a doubt this Romeo style takes taste to the to a whole new level. Unlike most Romeo y Julieta cigars, this one’s blend of selected tobaccos yields a robust, balanced truly full bodied taste. With attention to detail, Romeo contains a dark, oily Ecuadoran Habano seed wrapper around a potent Dominican blend.
It’s no surprise Cigar Aficionado rates this jewel an astounding 94. In fact, this Romeo beats out much of it’s Cuban competitors. They describe this great cigar perfectly. “Each puff layers the palate with a brawny core of black and red pepper spice, savory leather flavor and sweet impressions of raisins and dried fruit—a truly balanced smoke that covers the sweet, salty and spicy spectrum with elegance and strength.” If you’re a discerning smoker and haven’t tasted this cigars, now’s your chance.
Origin – Dominican Republic [Tobacalera De Garcia]
Filler – Dominican [Piloto & Olor]
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper – Ecuadorian grown Habano
See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
Montecristo White Vintage Connecticut is a boutique cigar lover’s dream come true.
Enter this special White Vintage Connecticut edition in 2016 with a three country blend of fillers and binder encased in a US grown Ct. shade wrapper from 2008 and the bar becomes seriously raised! This is an extremely smooth smoke with an all encompassing bouquet of flavors that everyone enjoys. With attention to detail, all the tobacco in these grows on Montecristo’s company farms and is exclusive for these special cigars.
Blind Man’s Puff rates the Double Corona a respectable 91. Their description is still spot on. “I really enjoyed this cigar. I loved the peculiar first third that was able to undergo a metamorphosis into other complex flavors.” Without doubt, this Montecristo is a winner!
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: U.S. Connecticut Shade Vintage 2008
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Peru
Factory: Tabacalera de Garcia
Blender: Grupo de Maestros
See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Montecristo Original is without a doubt one of this iconic brand’s best selling cigars.
With attention to detail, the masterfully blended Original’s selection of pure super premium Dominican fillers and binder of these wonderful cigars are encased in a near perfect USA grown Connecticut Shade wrapper. These beautiful vitolas yield a super smooth, medium bodied taste with just the right bit of spice letting you know their heritage.
To put it another way, garnering a 90 rating way back in 1998 by Cigar Aficionado, their perfect description still stands. ” A well-made cigar with a beautiful light brown wrapper. It has a rich, velvety smoke. Smooth, medium-bodied with sweet spices and hints of wood.” No doubt why smokers the world over have been enjoying these for over 25 years. With this in mind, if you haven’t tried one of these, you don’t know what you’re missing.
See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Montecristo Nicaragua is a collaboration between Rafael Nodal, head of product capability for Altadis U.S.A., and Master Blender A.J. Fernandez.
With attention to detail, this exceptionally fine cigar is expertly crafted in Nicaragua and made solely from vintage Nicaraguan tobacco. The result is a smooth tasting, medium bodied smoke that’s one of the best Montecristo makes.
No surprise Cigar Aficionado rates it an astounding 93. They did one even better by naming it their #10 cigar of 2018 proving the point even further. Their description of this beauty is spot on. “The balance of this cigar is undeniable, medium to full in body, resonating with the fine qualities of chocolate-covered espresso beans, rich woods and dried fruit.”
If you’re a fan of Montecristo and AJ Fernandez, this one should be in your humidor today! Enough said!
See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Montecristo Monte is one of the best cigars this amazing company produces.
When Monte launched in 2013 it took a while for those in the know to catch on. To point out, most Dominican Montecristos are mild to medium bodied with Connecticut-seed wrappers. With attention to detail, the box pressed Monte features a multi-national blend with tobaccos from three countries. The result is a well balanced medium-full bodied smoke with a Cuban styled spice to light up your palate. In 2015 , when the #2 size pulled a 94 rating by Cigar Aficionado and was named one of their top 25 cigars of the year, the secret was out.
If you’ve never tried a Monte, you’re really missing out on an amazing smoking experience.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Olor/Vintage Nicaraguan Corojo (Double Binder)
Filler: Aged Dominican tobaccos
See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
The Groupo de Maestros written inside the lid of the box proudly states that the master blenders at Altadis responsible for many of the Romeo, Monte Cristo and H. Upmann selections we enjoy got together again to produce a new style of an iconic brand. Unlike H. Upmanns traditional medium to full bodied smokes, This Connecticut edition delivers mild to mellow, smooth and creamy taste to the masses! If you’ve steered away from H. Upmann in the past, now you can enjoy what they’ve been doing well for over a hundred years!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Connecticut
The H. Upmann brand spans over 170 years and has remained a top rated, consistent favorite for countless smokers. As one of Altadis’ flagship marques, we’ve become accustomed to to the excellence of these Dominican beauties. When Master Blender AJ Fernandez was commissioned to add his genius to the H. Upmann name, the result was a 90 rated superstar!
By combining a selected Dominican long filler with 29 year old vintage Nicaraguan Criollo and Piloto Cubano additions encased in an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, I think he outdid himself! This complex, medium-full bodied smoke draws perfectly and will give you a real insight into why AJ is the Master he is! Please try a five pack of your favorite size and you’ll see what I mean.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Sumatra
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