Ashton VSG (SMFRW#3)

[Dr vonPuffenberg]

Ashton VSG Torpedo 6.5X55

‘Cuban seed’ Dominican filler, Ecuadorean sun grown wrapper

 

 

 

It’s much to cold to smoke in my garage, and probably my last chance to smoke until after Christmas.  I headed over to the closest lounge to my house, Arlington Pipe and Cigar Lounge in Arlington Heights, IL.  My plan was to smoke the Andalusian Bull I’ve had in the humidor for 3 or 4 years, but you can’t/shouldn’t bring your own sticks to a lounge.  This excludes Cubans obviously, but I have very few in the ‘large’ category.  This is only the second time I have been here, even though the first time was a good experience.  The lounge in mainly one large room with humidors lining the walls, and cushy seating seating arranged in zones.  It’s a good lounge with good Chicago vibes.  Plus, they have a community fridge full of beer.  Today, the place is a cloud of smoke, very busy.

 

I selected an Ashton VSG Torpedo.  I’ve probably had 2 VSGs before, but they never really hit the spot for me.  For some reason, I had a feeling that I might like this one better and I was right.  I lit it using the lounge’s tabletop lighter and there were some immediate tasty aromas.  I would describe the flavor and aroma as deep cocoa and leather.  A very rich and tasty cigar.  It’s smoking good, but I am frequently having to touch it up and relight it.

 

A little side story:  I’m touching up the cigar with my replacement Xikar light I just got in the mail.  Xikar has a lifetime warranty.  I bought this thing about 5 years ago and about 3 years ago it stopped working.  The old policy was that you could bring a defective lighter back to the place of purchase, and they would hand you a new one on the spot.  Shortly before mine stopped working, Xikar was purchased by a Chinese company.  They still honor the warranty, but you have to send it in to a service center.  I was lazy so I just let it sit on the dresser while I used one of my other lighters for a few years.  Like I said, I just got it back, and was excited to use it.  I filled it with ‘premium’ butane and it had a very long flame (single flame).  The second time I clicked, no flame.  Again, no flame.  Also, there is a slight hissing sound after you release the button.  I’ve purged the air, refilled, etc.  The thing basically lights once and then you have to wait a minute before using it again.  Annoying.

 

The second third loses some of the cocoa and leather, and transitions into something a little more spicy and floral.  This is a good cigar and I’m looking forward to trying a few other vitolas.  My main issue is that since it keeps wanting to go out, I have to puff frequently and I’m starting to feel the nicotine a little bit.  Hopefully I can hang in there on this large stick.  I should note that there are no less than 2 ladies present in the lounge today, 3 counting the one who works here.  I rare and welcome sight indeed.

 

Moving into the third third, I stroll on over to the community beer fridge only to find it missing!  I haven’t been here in a couple years, they must have had some kind of issue with the local constabulary.  The cigar is still requiring babysitting, but tasting nice.  The overall body of the cigar is heating up so to speak.  When I let the smoke from the foot waft into my nose, it’s starting to burn (in a nice way).  With about an inch left before the torpedo taper starts, I’m wrapping it up.  This was an enjoyable cigar, and I would like to grab a few to age in my humidor.  Perhaps the storage conditions at the lounge are a little less than ideal due to all the opening and closing.  This would be a good stick for El Presidente who was asking about full bodied cigars that don’t smack you with pepper.

 

Would I smoke again?  Yes

Would I recommend?  Yes

 

Score: 85 (higher without the construction issues)

 

Thanks everyone and have a Merry Christmas!

 

Just as I’m about to leave, 4 gentlemen start singing some beautiful and soothing a cappella.

[jakebarnes]

Yeah, this weather sucks! But we'll have a balmy 14* tomorrow, so there's that.

You review .akes me wanna dust off one of the VSGs I have sitting around. It's been a while for sure. If you make it into the city definitely drop me a line and we can grab a cigar. 

[Silverstix]

I always bring my own stick to the lounge, of course I buy 1 or 2 from them - that’s kind of the price of admission. I never saw anything wrong with this. I mainly bring my own because most places keep their storage waaaay too wet to account for all the opening and closing. Hence the burn issues.


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[BrightonCorgi]

47 minutes ago, Silverstix said:

I always bring my own stick to the lounge, of course I buy 1 or 2 from them - that’s kind of the price of admission. I never saw anything wrong with this. I mainly bring my own because most places keep their storage waaaay too wet to account for all the opening and closing. Hence the burn issues.


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If I ever go a cigar lounge again; I am not going to bring cigars unless their cigar prices are absurd.  I want to smoke something unfamiliar to me.  Whether you have 10 or 100+ unique boxes of cigars; they all become old hat after a while.

[Dr vonPuffenberg]

13 hours ago, jakebarnes said:

Yeah, this weather sucks! But we'll have a balmy 14* tomorrow, so there's that.

You review .akes me wanna dust off one of the VSGs I have sitting around. It's been a while for sure. If you make it into the city definitely drop me a line and we can grab a cigar. 

Sounds good bud.  Where do you like to smoke in the city?

 

As far as bringing a stick to the lounge, I would like to know if it is 'officially' allowed by the place before I light up.  It's their business, their rules.  I'm happy to have a place to smoke and drink.  I hear you, burn issues are a pain in the ass.  Still, I don't like to be "that guy".

[GVan]

Ashton VSG is a staple in my humidor for many years.  They are a once in while treat when you're looking for a rich, full-bodied and not your everyday smoke. For my palate, aging them is a must!  As time goes by, the nicotine diminishes a little, the leather gets sweeter, with cinnamon and anise emerging as non-typical NC flavors. Right now, there is one Torpedo left from a box I bought in 2009 (see post below), 5 Socerer's (Churchills) aging away from Oct 2021 and I've been looking for a box of Corona Gorda's (my favorite size in these) for the past year.  Due to the rising prices that seemed to effect Ashton even more than other NC's - just havn't been able to pull the trigger on a buy yet.  

But I will at some point.  Your post reminds me to get this done and then let them age away - just like a good CC - and I'll be treated to a fantastic smoking experience.

 

[clickbangdoh]

3 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

If I ever go a cigar lounge again; I am not going to bring cigars unless their cigar prices are absurd.  I want to smoke something unfamiliar to me.  Whether you have 10 or 100+ unique boxes of cigars; they all become old hat after a while.

I ALWAYS bring my.own smokes. I usually look to buy one or two new-to-me type smokes when I get there, but those come home to rest and acclimate and I smoke my own stuff while there. Reason is that many times the cigars at alot of places are too wet, either cause they have fresh boxes due to how often they rotate stock, or because they're crap at hitting their RH reliably. I'd rather smoke my sticks that I know are good to go, then have to burn up my lighter with relights and get crap flavor.

[Silverstix]

5 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

If I ever go a cigar lounge again; I am not going to bring cigars unless their cigar prices are absurd.  I want to smoke something unfamiliar to me.  Whether you have 10 or 100+ unique boxes of cigars; they all become old hat after a while.

I can buy something unfamiliar to me and smoke it later. The lounge is great for going to smoke in a nice warm environment. Love to bring a DC or a Churchill when it’s too cold to smoke something like that outside. Like today when it’s negative balls outside

 

2 hours ago, clickbangdoh said:

I ALWAYS bring my.own smokes. I usually look to buy one or two new-to-me type smokes when I get there, but those come home to rest and acclimate and I smoke my own stuff while there. Reason is that many times the cigars at alot of places are too wet, either cause they have fresh boxes due to how often they rotate stock, or because they're crap at hitting their RH reliably. I'd rather smoke my sticks that I know are good to go, then have to burn up my lighter with relights and get crap flavor.

100%


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[El Presidente]

Thanks for the  walk down NC memory lane. Ashton VSG were at/near the peak of the pyramid in the late 90's. Readily available and enjoyable but they did require time down. 

[hawkeye5050]

On 12/23/2022 at 5:49 PM, Dr vonPuffenberg said:

The second time I clicked, no flame.  Again, no flame.  Also, there is a slight hissing sound after you release the button.  I’ve purged the air, refilled, etc.  The thing basically lights once and then you have to wait a minute before using it again.  Annoying.

Try to adjust the flame/gas way down. In my experience its too high and almost blowing itself out.

[Bagman]

I have 2 Xikars.  At least once a year I have to send them in for replacement.  I will never buy another.  There is a cheapy lighter you can get online that is cheaper then the price to just mail the lighters back to xikar. 

[Dr vonPuffenberg]

7 hours ago, hawkeye5050 said:

Try to adjust the flame/gas way down. In my experience its too high and almost blowing itself out.

I have turned it down. I noticed this one does not go down nearly as low as the last one I had.  It’s actually working a little better now.