Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2018 #21 Cigar Of The Year – Rated 92
San Cristobal Quintessence Corona Gorda is the fourth regular production cigar in the ultra premium San Cristobal lineup from Ashton, following the original San Cristobal release, Elegancia, and Revelation. Blended by Don Pepin Garcia with more focus on flavor and balance, rather than raw strength like its predecessor, Quintessence is produced in the world famous My Father factory in Nicaragua. The wrapper leaf is a beautiful reddish brown Ecuadorian Habano and the filler and binder blend consists of premium Nicaraguan leaves from the Garcia family farms. Since its release in 2016, Quintessence has garnered numerous accolades including a pair on 92 ratings in Cigar aficionado and a spot on the 2018 Top 25 list.
The packaging follows suit with the other San Cristobal releases, presented in a luxurious wooden chest and each vitola bearing the gorgeous San Cristobal parrot band. The pre-light aroma is pleasantly intoxicating, indicating a blend that is doubtless complex and robust. Solid construction means a plentiful draw and razor sharp burn with minimal necessity of touch-ups. Thick clouds of silky blue smoke present a lovely introduction of cedar and bread notes, followed up promptly by a rich core of spicy Nicaraguan pepper. A main note of refined raw tobacco lingers throughout the experience, while hints of cinnamon and nutmeg are detected through the nose. The finish is sweet and clean, and the body of the cigar reaches medium-full by the second third, remaining there throughout the rest of the cigar. The flavor profile is impeccably fine-tuned and frankly out of place for a cigar at this price point. The Corona Gorda size is 5 5/8 ” x 46 and offers just the right amount of time to get acquainted with the beautiful flavors the blend has to offer.
If the original San Cristobal blend was a high-powered muscle car, Quintessence would be comparable to the agile roadster driving circles around it. Complex and satisfying, it is truly a blend geared towards highly experienced connoisseurs. Like any high-end stick, Quintessence pairs wonderfully with single malt scotch or cognac-based drinks and is ideal for special occasions and celebrations. If you have found yourself fond of such cigars as Ashton ESG or Arturo Fuente Sungrown, Quintessence should be right up your alley. The dictionary defines Quintessence as “the most perfect or typical example of quality or class.” How fitting that such a premier specimen of a cigar as this would bear such a name! If you want to experience one of the finest cigars Ashton has to offer, trying San Cristobal Quintessence Corona Gorda isn’t merely an option, it’s a necessity!
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