Back in 2015 Ashton Cigars introduced San Cristobal Ovation which at the time was a limited edition release. At the time only 3,000 boxes were to be released. In 2016, a second size would be added to the line the Opulence before a torpedo would be added at a later date. I walked into Twins Smoke Shop in Londonderry, NH a couple of weeks back and was surprised to see these on the shelf as I didn’t think they were produced anymore.
Cigar Review: San Cristobal Ovation
Size: 5.5 x 50 (Opulence / Robusto)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Oscuro
Binder: Nicaragua
Fillers: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Release Date: September 2015
Box Count: 22
The Cigar: The gorgeous San Cristobal band with the parrot sees some magenta added to is around the name Ovation as well as with a ribbon at the foot of the cigar. For some reason the presentation of these remind me of the Oro Opus X right down to the wrapper. It’s smooth, with almost no visible veins and a nice amount of oils. In the hand the cigar is firm though the foot feels slightly underfilled. In the hand it has a slightly less than avg weight to it for the size.
The Notes: The cold draw has notes of cashews, molasses and an abundance of raisins that pours off the wrapper as well giving it an incredible aroma. The foot of the cigar is similar to the cold draw but it also sees a plum sweetness. Once the cigar is list some initial notes of pepper give way to a subtle plum and raisins.
Smoking into the first third of the San Cristobal Ovation there are notes of raisins and plum that pull back revealing notes of wood. It’s almost reminiscent of a tawny port. As the first third comes to a close the sweetness of raisins and plums disappear as the wood notes become the focal point of the cigar with a subtle mocha. The retrohale enhances the mocha with a subtle amount of pepper.
Moving into the second third notes of mocha begin to give way to a strong espresso with notes of hickory and cedar that fill the air with its aromatic qualities. As we move past the half-way point some notes of plums and raisins begin to return but they are lingering in the background at this point. The retrohale sees some more pepper than the first third with a subtle brown sugar sweetness.
As we enter the final third the notes of plums and raisins come and go in the background while notes of espresso, wood and nuts are the focal point. Ther eis a subtle brown sugar that makes its way to the palate and it also remains on the retrohall with some pepper. The finish of the cigar is heavy on wood notes with oak being the focal pont.
Conclusion: The last 3 times I’ve been to Twins Smoke Shop and their 7-20-4 Lounge this has been my go to cigar with a a bourbon. I will say while I loved the cigar today I love it even more when paired with a libation. There is something about a good bourbon that really brings out the flavors of the San Cristobal Ovation. So much so I am comfortable in saying this was the one of the best ever cigar pairing experience I have had in my 26 years of smoking. Even without the bourbon, this would be my top San Cristobal release.
Score: 93
Price: $16.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
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