My order came in yesterday from Holt's and since I wasn't going to have a chance to sit down and really enjoy a cigar, I waited until today for my first VSG. I chose the Illusion because I was looking for about an hour long smoke, and figured that besides the Tres Mystique this was probably going to be my least favorite due to the small gauge.
ASHTON VSG ILLUSION (6.5 x 44)
APPEARANCE AND CONSTRUCTION (14/15)
This cigar has a gorgeous wrapper that is almost seamless in appearance. The aroma is almost intoxicating and incredibly enticing. One of the best constructed cigars I have seen, the only problem was a slightly crooked foot.
FLAVOR (22/25)
Great flavor, best of any NC I have tried so far. The pre light draw was firm and sweet, and upon lighting it I was treated to sweet wood. About a quarter inch in it develop some spice which stuck around for the rest of the cigar. Half an inch in it developed some coffee notes, and then some leather. Throughout the cigar the flavor was superb, very complex for an NC, but the secondary notes of coffee and leather were not as strong and the sweet wood taste diminished during the first half of the cigar, but came back in force during the second half. Throughout the Illusion was very smooth. Really enjoyable.
SMOKING CHARACTERISTICS (23/25)
The cigar had a firm but decently plentiful draw, which got firmer as the cigar smoked until about halfway down, where it opened up again. The draw was a bit firmer than I would like, but still quite good. The ash held on firm for 2 inches, maybe a bit more before letting go. The burn was good, but not razor sharp. Some draws resulted in lackluster amounts of smoke but they were very few, and overall the cigar produced ample smoke.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS (33/35)
Great cigar. While the draw was a bit firmer than I like and the foot crooked it redeemed itself with otherwise amazing construction and excellent flavors. I would put this as a medium bodied smoke, I was left buzzed but not anywhere near hard hit (I could still walk fine
). For the MSRP of 8.50 I would say this is a tad overpriced, but definitely worth picking one up once in a while for a treat.
OVERALL SCORE: 92
Does this cigar compare to my favorite, the Montecristo #2 (Cuban)? Yes. Is it it's equal? Hell no. The flavors in the MC are much more prominent and complex, the draw significantly better, and fuller in body. And since the #2 can be had for about the same price, I would rather buy a box of them then the Illusions, however if I walked into a shop and saw these for 8.50, I would definitely walk away with one.
