Prelight

For a cigar that has been around for close to four decades, every review is a testament to consistency. I'll be going with a Churchill for this review.  My Churchill is a tall flawless golden blonde tower of sweet smelling tobacco. Sweet cedar notes with underlying nutty nuances waft off the shaft.
It's a smooth silky shaft with barely visible flat veins and well done seams. There's a shiny sheen on the stick and no soft spots. Cold draw conveys light nuts, grass, graham cracker, and implicit cedar. The draw is the perfect milkshake consistency.

First Third

A  Churchill is a massive cigar. I will definitely enjoy this more than usual. My Ashton Classic opens with lots of warm creamy nutty notes. Some pepper is present to balance the pleasant warm ambience. Yet it's not really pepper but more of a sweet spice that tastes more like nutmeg (perhaps because of the nutty profile already present).Sweet cedar comingles with the nutty creamy notes to add to the smooth transition.

Shy hay notes come into the picture followed closely by a basic earth tone at the very end. The finish is long and deliciously winding. This cigar deserves every compliment it's accumulated over the years. It's always in total control of it's own transitions; taking you on a leisurely flavor cruise. The burn and ash are beyond perfect. I'm in my happy place.

Mid Third

Here's how to know you're in the mid third; the nutty sweetness intensifies. Sweet espresso joins the symphony. Hay notes, though still mild, sashay in the background. Sweetness seems to have increased too. The spice is the perfect balance to bring it all together. I can't stop obsessing about the finish. Smoke outlines of hay, cedar, sweet spice, vanilla, coffee, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg remain on the palate until the next draw. The cream is lulling my palate like a sweet lullaby. I haven't spoken about the delicate billows of aromatic smoke all around me. At this point, I can't tell if I'm smoking this baby too fast or if I'm taking too long between draws; I've entered a realm of perfect enjoyment. Hazelnut nuances, graham cracker sweetness, cinnamon, roasted almonds, cappuccino, vanilla, and creamy sweetness usher me into the final third. I can barely feel the nicotine and yet I'm not jittery; what a cigar!

Final Third

In the final third, cedar jumps to the front of the palate but is still enveloped in tons of creamy sweetness. There's a new flavor and that is cloves. It's more of a subtle but distinct zing on the tip of my tongue. Leather also joins the exquisite camaraderie of flavor notes accosting my palate. Loads of sweet creamy mocha, coffee, cinnamon, spice, cedar, earth, and a little peppery heat dominate the last draws of this incredible smoke. As I put my nub down, I recommit myself to a lifetime of  Ashton Classics. It was an absolutely satisfying experience.

Final Words

After all these years, I am now convinced that even if you pick up an Ashton Classic in the next decade, it will be like the one I just smoked. And now you know why Ashton is perennially among the Top 3 most sought after cigars in the US. If you've never had an  Ashton Classic, I will just go ahead and assume you're a newbie to which I will say; Go Now.
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