If you are like most aficionados, you travel from time to time. Whether for work or pleasure, flying to different states and countries has become a regular part of your life. Even though you can't do it on the plane, you wouldn't dream of traveling without partaking in a fine Casa Magna or one of your favorite Ashton Cigars. The experience is a vital part of enjoying the good life so you bring some smokes with you. Although you could buy smokes in most places you visit, why waste time looking for a quality tobacco shop when you can bring cigars from home?
The number of smokes you bring with you depends on the purpose and duration of your trip. If you are traveling for business, it's best to bring double the number of cigars that you would normally carry. This accounts for the smokes that you might share with new clients and partners so it's worth it to pick out the cigars you believe to be best suited for this purpose. If pleasure is the reason for your trip, carry a few more than the regular number of cigars you would smoke in the same amount of time. You might want those extra few smokes for yourself or to share with new acquaintances.
Stock up on cigars for traveling by visiting Thompson Cigars today!
Winston Churchill is one of the most well known figures in human history. As the leader of the United Kingdom during the Second World War, he played a huge role during the twentieth century. During his tenure as prime minister, he gave some of the most impressive, captivating, and encouraging speeches that the world will probably ever witness. They were a reflection of his stalwart and undaunted character in the face of tough, unrelenting opposition and the need to give his fellow Britons hope during dark and dreadful times. He characterizes holding fast and keeping hope in the face of a deadly storm along with the belief that those who fight the good fight will never surrender and eventually prevail.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that Churchill was an aficionado to the core. His love for good cigars was displayed at all times as he was an inveterate cigar smoker. Just about every image of Winston Churchill from the time of the war shows him with a cigar in hand or in the mouth. We can only imagine what treasures were held in the humidor of this great leader but his legacy lives on in the form of a cigar actually named after him. Cigars known as "Churchills" are long, large, Corona smokes with a 48 ring gauge that are similar in size to the smokes enjoyed by the man they are named after. Whether you enjoy Ashton Cigars, Baccarat Cigars, or other brands, don't forget to treat yourself to a Churchill now and then.
Find Churchills and all of your smoking needs at Thompson Cigars today.
There are cigars for just about every price range and situation. The cheapest of cigars aren't necessarily the worst but they probably aren't going to provide as enjoyable experience as more expensive smokes. Higher priced cigars tend to also receive high ratings because more time and care is usually put into the process of making them. In addition, the best of smokes earn their place of distinction because the people who craft them only use certain types of tobacco, leaf that comes from certain varieties of seed, and are often fanatic about quality control.
Brands like Ashton and Davidoff come to mind when aficionados talk about such high-rated, high quality cigars. Nevertheless, there is at least one brand of cigar that makes use of the same types of leaf as those top-shelf smokes yet offers its cigars for a substantially lower price. The company in question is known as "Gispert" and it's hard to find smokes that provide more bang for your buck than their high quality offerings. These excellent cigars use Honduran tobacco for a robust, bold experience and their quality will make you wonder how they can sell them at such lower prices than other brands.
Find these excellent, discount smokes and all of your cigar needs at Thompson Cigars today.
For some aficionados, an essential part of the cigar smoking experience involves rolling the cigar between the fingers and knowing that someone who loves cigars crafted this smokeable work of art by hand. The person who hand-rolled that cigar did it with care and diligence and that truth is demonstrated by its texture and appearance. The true test doesn't happen until the cigar is smoked and properly enjoyed but even before it is lit, one can appreciate the care that went into constructing it.
With that in mind, is it any wonder that so many aficionados avoid smoking machine-made cigars? Some even look at such smokes with disdain and don't even consider them to be real cigars. As much as they might be looked down upon, machine-made smokes are just as worthy of the cigar name as Ashton Cigars and other highly respected brands. They are made with dried and fermented tobacco leaves so they are by default "cigars". In fact, if you have never tried machine-made cigars, you might be surprised at how good some of them are. Several are infused with flavors for a sweet, uplifting smoking experience, and all are lower priced than their hand-rolled cousins. They are worth a try and you might find yourself smoking them on a regular basis. Pick from a huge variety of cigars at Thompson Cigars today.
Every success and milestone in life should be celebrated. As kids, birthdays are marked with parties where we eat cake and ice cream, maybe watch the antics of a clown, and have fun with friends. It's even more important to celebrate the anniversary of your birth the older you get but nobody will blame you for waiting to mark the day with a good scotch and high-rated smoke rather than cake and ice cream.
Wedding anniversaries, kicking off a business, and winning a race are also events that should be celebrated. Cigars can be components for all of these although you better check with your spouse before lighting up a Casa Magna on the eve of your wedding anniversary.
Then there are other times that only happen once in a lifetime and thus merit a particular sort of fanfare. Graduations from law school, receiving a doctorate, and the marriage of a son or daughter all come to mind. These are hugely important events and are the perfect occasion for lighting up your choice cigars. You can also enjoy an Ashton on other occasions but they work well for the biggest of events because they make them that much more memorable.
For me, this H Upmann Lonsdale Maduro is part of my Big Three of cigars, along with Ashton Maduro and Macanudo Maduro. The H Upmann Maduro tastes great and is a smooth smoking machine. It is time for me to buy another box. If you are a maduro cigar smoker, you just don't get any better than this.
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: Good Draw, Great Flavor, Well Constructed Best Uses: Everyday Describe Yourself: Cigar Aficionado
H. Upmann is perhaps the most renowned name in cigars, the standard by which cigars have been measured for decades. When a manufacturer with this reputation to uphold enters a new product into his line, he must be sure, very sure. With so much riding on the reputation of the brand, he cannot afford a mediocre effort. Enter H. Upmann Maduro Plus.
Utilizing Connecticut Broadleaf, the rarest selection of Maduro, hard to find, hard to handle without injuring the leaf, but yielding the sweetest, most delicious Maduro smoke imaginable, H. Upmann maintains its stature and sets the world standard for Maduro. Nothing less than the Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro would suffice for H. Upmann. As any cigar maker would attest, however, as good as the wrapper is, there is more to the success of the cigar. If the result is to meet the expectation, the long filler blend must be a taste match and of equally great quality. Suffice it to say, the H. Upmann Maduro Plus preserves the reputation.
This is a special cigar that needs to be enjoyed with few distractions. Examples- outside on the porch watching the sunset, early morning on the beach watching the sunrise. My best ideas come to me while enjoying an Ashton!!
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: Good Draw, Great Flavor, Undamaged Wrapper, Well Constructed Best Uses: Events, Gifts, Special Occasions Describe Yourself: Cigar Aficionado
Ashton Cigars are carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic by the exceptionally skilled cigar makers at Tabacalera A. Fuente, in Santiago. Ashton's rich, complex, and exquisitely satisfying flavor can only be achieved by blending expertly cured 3-5 year old tobaccos under the strictest supervision of both Carlos Fuente, Sr., and his son, Carlos Fuente, Jr. Ashton is, quite simply, one of the finest smokes made in the world today. As you might expect, our supply is often limited.
All my cigar buddies agree that the Ashton is the best and smoothest smoke - all the way to the nub.
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: Easy To Light, Good Draw, Great Flavor, Undamaged Wrapper, Well Constructed Best Uses: Events, Weekly Men's Meeting Describe Yourself: Ashton Lover, Aspiring Aficionado
Ashton Cigars are carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic by the exceptionally skilled cigar makers at Tabacalera A. Fuente, in Santiago. Ashton's rich, complex, and exquisitely satisfying flavor can only be achieved by blending expertly cured 3-5 year old tobaccos under the strictest supervision of both Carlos Fuente, Sr., and his son, Carlos Fuente, Jr. Ashton is, quite simply, one of the finest smokes made in the world today. As you might expect, our supply is often limited.
I gave a five pack to my father for his birthday. He was thrilled!
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: Good Draw, Great Flavor, Undamaged Wrapper, Well Constructed Best Uses: Gifts Describe Yourself: Aspiring Aficionado
Ashton Cigars are carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic by the exceptionally skilled cigar makers at Tabacalera A. Fuente, in Santiago. Ashton's rich, complex, and exquisitely satisfying flavor can only be achieved by blending expertly cured 3-5 year old tobaccos under the strictest supervision of both Carlos Fuente, Sr., and his son, Carlos Fuente, Jr. Ashton is, quite simply, one of the finest smokes made in the world today. As you might expect, our supply is often limited.
Pros: Easy To Light, Good Draw, Great Flavor, Well Constructed Best Uses: Special Occasions Describe Yourself: Special Occasion Smoker
Ashton Cigars are carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic by the exceptionally skilled cigar makers at Tabacalera A. Fuente, in Santiago. Ashton's rich, complex, and exquisitely satisfying flavor can only be achieved by blending expertly cured 3-5 year old tobaccos under the strictest supervision of both Carlos Fuente, Sr., and his son, Carlos Fuente, Jr. Ashton is, quite simply, one of the finest smokes made in the world today. As you might expect, our supply is often limited.
These cigars were a gift for my friends at a golf tournament. They loved them. I've never been disappointed by Ashton's
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: Easy To Light, Good Draw, Great Flavor, Undamaged Wrapper, Well Constructed Best Uses: Events, Everyday, Gifts, Special Occasions Describe Yourself: Aspiring Aficionado, Special Occasion Smoker
Ashton Cigars are carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic by the exceptionally skilled cigar makers at Tabacalera A. Fuente, in Santiago. Ashton's rich, complex, and exquisitely satisfying flavor can only be achieved by blending expertly cured 3-5 year old tobaccos under the strictest supervision of both Carlos Fuente, Sr., and his son, Carlos Fuente, Jr. Ashton is, quite simply, one of the finest smokes made in the world today. As you might expect, our supply is often limited.
A century ago, La Aroma de Cuba cigars were among the most highly sought-after in the world. Back in the day, it was Winston Churchill's cigar of choice, and you know that guy knew a thing or two about quality cigars. Then it faded into the annals of history.
Until now. Thanks to the distribution system of Ashton cigars and the skilled craftsmanship of Don Pepin Garcia, La Aroma de Cuba cigars has been revived as a boutique stick that's just about the best thing coming out of Nicaragua. Their cigars have hit the market by storm, earning high ratings and frequent use at the highest rankings of society.
Thompson Cigar has recently added two La Aroma de Cuba cigars for sale. The La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial Natural Toro cigar is a medium-bodied cigar with an old-school flair that has a little kick to it at the finish. The La Aroma de Cuba New Blend cigars are rich and spicy, just a touch more mild with a sweeter finish thanks to the Connecticut broadleaf wrapper.
Any time you revive a brand like La Aroma de Cuba cigars, there's a risk. If it fails, it cheapens a historic name and makes the manufacturer look bad, but succeeding is hard given both the high standard and the rose-colored glasses look back with nostalgia that makes older cigars get better and better in our memories year. But no worries: Don Pepin Garcia hit the mark here.
I'm not sure whether the other cigars have better marketing in the Washington D.C. area or my friends are just sticking to what they know, but the Ashton Classic shouldn't take a backseat to any cigar. It's one of the finest Dominican cigars available, with tobacco that has been cured from three to five years and hand-crafted to produce a complex flavor that is impossible not to appreciate once you've smoked it.
Ordinarily, I would try and convince visitors to give it a try. After all, it has a 90 rating, which pretty much sells itself. But given that these are sometimes hard to find -- if I can't get it at Thompson Cigar, I usually have a hard time locating it anywhere, I figure that the more of these left in my humidor at the end of the night, the more chances I have to smoke them later. That's not a bad thing at all. But don't fall into that boat yourself -- if you haven't tried one of these yet, consider picking some up in your next order. You're guaranteed to love it.
Particularly when I'm watching sports, I like to drink a beer or three to help enhance the experience. I like my beer to taste like something other than water, and tend to choose ales. The darker, the better.
Beer and cigars aren't traditionally paired, but there's no reason why they can't be combined. Many cigars have flavors and qualities that lend themselves to accompanying a quality beer, and I'm seeing more and more events that specifically offer beer and cigar combinations. And fortunately for me, I find that darker beers are among the easiest to find a match for -- with one unfortunate exception.
I'm a big fan of the Ashton VSG with my six-pack, since I tend to like full-bodied cigars and they stand up to anything. But another brand that I've liked lately is the Rocky Patel Autumn Collection, another powerful smoke in a tasty Connecticut Shade wrapper.
Ashton VSG cigars can be hard to find. Not here. In fact, Thompson Cigar has recently added four new Ashton VSG cigars to its inventory, each of which is rated at 90 or above. The Ashton VSG Toro Sun Grown, the Ashton VSG Tres Mystique Sungrown Petite Corona, Ashton VSG Spellbound Sun Grown Presidente, and the Ashton VSG Torpedo Sun Grown are all premium smokes with tobacco blended by the legendary Carlos Fuente. The tobacco is between four and five years old, with a top-rate Ecuadorian wrapper that deserves a lot of the credit for imparting the superior flavor that have made these cigars so hard to find. This wrapper is sun-dried, and produces a rich taste that's hard for anyone else to replicate.
Thompson Cigar just got these in stock, and as popular as they are they're unlikely to be around for long. If you want to give these out as holiday gifts, you might want to order them now so you aren't shut out in December when cigar aficionados have bought out the lot.
Phillies Cigars are a sweet treat when you're craving a flavored cigar. Coming in a variety of shapes, sizes and wrappers, these little blunts pack a big punch at a small price. Produced in Puerto Rico, Phillies cigars feature tobacco filler from the Dominican Republic and Honduras for the perfectly mild-bodied taste.
"The Phillie Strawberry Blunts are one of my favorite cheapie smokes, but are getting pretty pricey if you pay-at-the-pump. Finding that Thompson Cigar had them in Boxes online for about 1/2 the price was a huge bonus. I bought a box for me - enjoyed them - and then turned around and bought a box for my uncle - perfect gift!"
Phillies cigars are advertised for the "value-conscious smoker" and while I believe this to be true, I think that only accounts for half the Phillies smokers out there. The reality is that every cigar brand has a demographic and Phillies is dominated by a younger, hipper group. How many cigar smokers out there start off with a Cohiba or Ashton cigar? Every cigar smoker starts off somewhere and for many that somewhere was a gas station Phillie or Swisher Sweet. Either way, these little cigars pack a lot of flavor at a cheap price, sure to keep you and your wallet happy.
Are you a cigar smoker who will drive miles out of your way to get the exact cigars you want? Or does it not matter so much?
I like to try new things and will usually pick something different over a brand I’ve tried several times before. H o wever, I do know what I like, so I tend to be loyal to certain styles.
For example, I generally find that I like Dominican cigars the best, so for the most part that’s what I have on hand. Gurkha cigars are my favorite, and are always in my humidor. But to be honest I’m equally likely to go with something totally different if you catch me on an adventurous night.
And if you give me a cigar to smoke, even one outside my comfort zone, I’m not going to turn it down. The other night, I bummed an Ashton Classic off a friend at a bar – it was a brand I would never have purchased for myself, but I have to admit that I enjoyed it very much and might pick up a couple the next time I order a batch of cigars.
How about you? Do you smoke the same cigars, or always pick cigars with the same attributes? Or do you just spontaneously pick whatever suits your fancy on a particular day?
All Ashton Cigars are well-respected by avid cigar smokers. But within this respected name stands one line that is getting even more attention than the rest. The only problem is there aren't a whole lot to go around.
These full-bodied, extremely difficult-to-come-by cigars were blended exclusively for Ashton by Carlos Fuente using small-batch Dominican long-fillers aged for up to five years and a wrapper more exclusive than an invitation to The White House, grown on a private, carefully controlled estate in Ecuador. While firmly entrenched in the hearts of a generation of aficionados, this cigar has never before been offered by Thompson because we simply couldn't get our hands on a large enough supply, until this past April when we unveiled the Ashton VSG to our cigar-greedy (but kind, of course) customers.
At Thompson Cigar, we've been fortunate enough to have some serious cigar celebs and cigar manufacturers visit us these past couple of weeks! We were able to add another one to our remarkable list on May 14th; Robert Levin and his son Sathya from Ashton Cigars! They were gracious enough to sit down for an exclusive interview and answer some questions that Ashton fans (like myself) have been asking! Hands down, the best Ashton is the Ashton Classic, perfectly constructed with a creamy Connecticut wrapper; It's one of my favorite weekend smokes!
Watch the video to find out if they will be coming out with a value-driven cigar under the Ashton name or if you can expect the Ashton VSG and ESG lines to be more available in stores. You may even hear about some secret items that could possibly be debuted at the 78th annual IPCPR (International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association) Trade Show!
I could write you out an intricate list of cigars that are ALWAYS in my humidor for one reason or another. Although, nothing quite compares to the 90 Rated, 7.5 inch Ashton Classic Churchill Connecticut that has it's own special spot in my humi. I'm positive I'm not the only one who feels as strongly about this smoke; Thompson Cigar customer "Lightup1," from Hickory, NC, said "This was a good smoke. 45 minutes of pleasure. I enjoyed the flavor and burn time on this cigar." Ashton Cigars are carefully crafted in the Dominican Republic by the exceptionally skilled cigar makers at Tabacalera A. Fuente, in Santiago. Ashton's rich, complex, and exquisitely satisfying flavor can only be achieved by blending expertly cured 3-5 year old tobaccos under the strictest supervision of both Carlos Fuente, Sr., and his son, Carlos Fuente, Jr. Ashton is, quite simply, one of the finest smokes made in the world today.
Along with the Ashton Classic Churchill Connecticut, Thompson Cigar offers many other Ashton Classic cigar options that are sure to impress your taste buds!
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If you are like most aficionados, you travel from time to time. Whether for work or pleasure, flying to different states and countries has become a regular part of your life. Even though you can't do it on the plane, you wouldn't dream of traveling without partaking in a fine Casa Magna or one of your favorite Ashton Cigars. The experience is a vital part of enjoying the good life so you bring some smokes with you. Although you could buy smokes in most places you visit, why waste time looking for a quality tobacco shop when you can bring cigars from home?
