Ashton ESG 22 Year

Rated #13 Cigar of 2011 by Cigar Aficionado

The shade-covered fields of Chateau de la Fuente near the tiny town of El Caribe, Dominican Republic, yield reddish brown, supple and oily tobacco used for wrappers. That leaf was once reserved solely for Fuente Fuente OpusX cigars, but the wrappers now also go to a very small production brand called Ashton Estate Sun Grown.

Made for Ashton Distributors, each size in the brand commemorates a year of that company’s existence. The 22-Year-Salute is a gorgeous pyramid that packs considerable power beneath that supple wrapper leaf. The cigar is quite intense, full of copious amounts of rich, nutty flavors and coffee notes. The cigar not only has a high-octane kick, but shows considerable balance as well.

#13 Cigar of 2011