Ashton VSG

Ashton's core lines are polite, mild-to-medium Dominicans. VSG is the exception, and it is the one serious smokers tend to keep. The wrapper is a sun-grown Sumatra from an Ecuadorian farm Ashton talks about at length, and it delivers leather, earth and a slow-building pepper over a Fuente-made Dominican core that is aged longer than the standard lines. What sets it apart from other 'full' cigars at this price is balance: the strength is there, but the cigar never turns bitter and the finish stays clean. Construction is Fuente-grade. Prices have crept up and it is now firmly a premium purchase; the Robusto is the size that gives the blend room without becoming a two-hour commitment.

A full-strength cigar for someone who wants power with manners — after a heavy dinner, not before.