Ashton ESG 23-Year Salute

Product Summary

The Ashton ESG 23 Year Salute, with its classic 6 1/4 × 52 Toro silhouette, continues the glorious legacy of Ashton's 23-year collaboration with the Fuente family. The Dominican Chateau de la Fuente's exclusive Sun Grown wrapper boasts a deep red, glossy sheen, encasing the estate's finest Dominican filler. Its meticulous structure and exceptional complexity make it the most full-bodied and balanced Toro in the Estate Sun Grown (ESG) series, ideal for discerning connoisseurs seeking high-end Dominican puro.

Main Specifications

• Dimensions: 6 1/4 × 52 (Toro)

• Waistband: Sun Grown, Dominican Republic (Exclusive to Chateau de la Fuente)

• Cigarette Tube: Dominican Republic

• Eggplant Fillet: Dominican Republic (Chateau de la Fuente)

Flavor characteristics

The opening section features a strong aroma of cedar, red pepper and black cherry, with the Sun Grown wrapper bringing the signature spice and licorice. The middle section gradually unfolds with rich layers of roasted almonds, dark chocolate and leather, with caramel and ebony intertwining. The finish is marked by rich cocoa, roasted toffee and delicate white pepper, resulting in a smooth transition and a long, powerful finish.

Origin and wrapper information

Rolled exclusively by the Arturo Fuente family at the Chateau de la Fuente estate in the Dominican Republic. The wrapper is grown only in specific microclimate plots on the estate, undergoing rigorous selection and years of natural aging after harvest to ensure ample oil content and even burning. Both the filler and binder are made from the estate's finest Dominican leaves. This Toro size is classic, allowing the flavors to fully express the depth of the ESG series during smoking.

ESG Series Tips

Launched in 2005 by Robert Levin and Carlos Fuente Sr., the Estate Sun Grown (ESG) series aims to showcase the ultimate potential of the Chateau de la Fuente Sun Grown wrapper. Production is strictly controlled, with cigars only made when the wrapper reaches perfect ripeness, resulting in consistently high demand. The 23 Year Salute, a classic Toro size, symbolizes Ashton's 23-year collaboration with Fuente, presenting the full depth of ESG with a powerful yet balanced palate.

Reasons for recommendation

The Ashton ESG series has long been considered a pinnacle of the brand's portfolio, its stable and restrained style earning consistent praise from mainstream media. Cigar Aficionado awarded the series a high score of 93-95 points and ranked the 22 Year Salute 8th in the Top 25 in 2014, emphasizing its structural integrity and classic character, considering it a masterpiece that triumphs through balance and depth. Halfwheel also gave it high marks in its review, noting its burning performance as stable as a ruler, its overall progression calm and disciplined, more like a precisely functioning mechanical watch than an impromptu piece seeking dramatic tension. In terms of overall character, the 23 Year Salute is more like a well-structured symphony, with a solid bass line running throughout, its style upright and proportionate, like a meticulously crafted sculpture, its narrative complete and restrained. Within the ESG series, it is often regarded as the core chapter with the most "orthodox spirit," suitable for important occasions or long-term immersive experiences. It also has clear collectible value due to authoritative media endorsement and long-term stable reputation, making it a highly representative long-term holding choice in the Ashton family.