Ashton Aged Maduro Pyramid

I guess Ashton prefers to call a torpedo a Pyramid. Classier sounding. After clipping the tip, I get a nice smooth draw without having to suck hard like most torpedoes...which in turns requires clipping a little more off the end. I get a wash of pepper and earth. Right behind that, is some creaminess. The creaminess is unusual in that in most cigars, it appears in the second half. The NUB claims to be one entire sweet spot. But the Ashton Cabinet can claim that for the entire length of the cigar. I get hints of cooking spices, like vanilla and ginger, and cocoa. Its a leisurely smoke. With a libation, it takes me 90 minutes to smoke it. There is also a nice blending of woodiness and nuttiness. I taste cashews because its sweet. But then its hard to distinguish between sweet nuts and sweet tobacco. My favorite time of the year is Spring. I can sit out back on the deck, watch the kids, sit with a couple of buddies, enjoy the sun, and smoke my Ashton.We have an above ground swimming pool and of course, the kids can spend all day in it.They are tireless. So I get a nice tan and an opportunity to spend all day smoking my Ashtons. While the Cabinets series is my favorite, I change the line up with the Maduro, the ESG, the Heritage, and the Classic. The Ashton line has all the flavor profiles I need. The Fuente family swung for the fences with this line.

How do you find your size? Smoke them all? Listen to friends? I have no idea. But when I know its right, its right. And the Pyramid is my cigar. I not a fan of torpedoes or pointed heads. With most blends, the tobacco is packed too tightly at the end. So the question becomes, how much do I snip off? Too much and it unravels. Too little and my cheeks turn inside out. I have a couple tools. One is like an ice pick and the other is like an ice pick but instead of it being pointed at the end, it looks like a drill head...although very small. Either way, you have to line up the tool carefully and you cross your fingers you dont penetrate the outer wrapper by angling it wrong. The other thing is that if the cigar is not humidified correctly, you can crack the whole cigar. Either way, you must spin the point of the tool like a screwdriver while penetrating the end. And then after youve inserted it as much as you are brave enough to do, you must unscrew it going counter clockwise. You just cant pull it out for that will surely crack the cigar. Long story long....my tools are not necessary with the Pyramid. The tobacco is packed perfectly at the pointed end. I give it a 1/4 snip and Im good to go. The draw is impeccable. This cigar is just a wonderfully complex cigar. And if Im in the mood, I will share with friends and mooches. But I insist on snipping it. Or they dont get one. At $10 each, this is not to be trifled with. Not on my dime. Its amazing how every cigar smoker thinks hes…