Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Ashton Cabinet Selection Belicoso is medium tan and has a dense network of small, lightly raised veins. The seams are easily visible as they are slightly raised and the Belicoso head is very well finished. The band is white, gold, black and red and denotes the company and line names. The aroma from the wrapper brings a very light and slightly sweet wood while the foot brings a much fuller musty cedar. The pre-light draw brings a pleasant sweet cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of young wood with light mustiness and bitterness. The retrohale is a very light musty wood note. At three quarters of an inch in, the bitterness that I’m getting is tying into more of a burning paper note to go along with the young wood and light mustiness. As the third comes to a close, the burning paper note has become very light and it’s more young wood and mustiness. The strength in this third was mild.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the young wood gains a bit more brightness. At a quarter inch in, the burning paper note returns to where it was. The retrohale is musty wood along with a light chalkiness. As the third comes to a close, a light chalkiness joins in with the young wood and burning paper note. The strength bumped up to mild-medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the burning paper note picks up, kicking up the bitterness and is overshadowing the young wood and mustiness. The retrohale is now young wood and mustiness. The cigar wraps up with burning paper, young wood and light mustiness. The strength remained at mild-medium.

Burn

The burn line was straight the entire way and the ash held on in near two inch increments.

Draw

The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

This is a very light strength cigar with a mild set of flavors. The flavor profile was focused around young wood, burning paper and light mustiness. I can see this cigar having dedicated smokers that really prefer light strength and would be a great cigar for beginners. As for me, this isn’t something I would come back to as it’s just too basic in what it presents. To me, the goal of the Ashton Cabinet Selection Belicoso is just to try not to offend the palate of the light strength smoker and provide perfect construction, and other than the burning paper note, which likely wouldn’t turn off these types of smokers, I think it accomplishes that goal.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$2.13

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Ashton Cabinet Selection Belicoso