Ashton Story Part I

The new Cigar journal is a great publication! It used to be named the European Cigar Cult Journal. As the owners and publishers changed, they wisely changed, or better yet, they updated the original name to “Cigar Journal” and distributor l”. It’s the best cigar magazine today! I can say that, because I was its American editor for over 5 years in the mid 90’s. Apart from Reinhold, Cigar Journal has a new writer, Colin C. Ganley who shared with us Ashton’s story.

Ashton cigar is owned by the Levin family, also owners of the smoke shop Holts. This was very interesting, because most of the information I had in my head was separate. Ashton was a separate entity from Holtz.

The article was able to bring it all together and create one picture.

As per the article, the relationship of the Fuentes and the Levin’s developed before 1985, when the first blend of the Ashton line was created. By 1985 it was considered a medium bodied smoke. Today we refer to it as a mild smoke…..lol Not that the blend was changed…

A note: Americans developed a taste for stronger blends than Europeans or South Americans, who prefer lighter and shorter smokes.

Four or five years later, 1990, the American market had matured enough to be introduced to a more flavorful blend.

This is when the cabinet series came out, followed by the Maduro line. As we roll into the mid nineties, the cigar boom explodes the market and the new American cigar smoker wanted an even stronger blend. It was the perfect timing to launch the Virgin Sun Grown, today known as the VSG.

End of Part I

Long ashes.....

Jim

What will you chose this Holiday?

What you eat will dictate what you smoke or vice versa. If you leave the house carrying a certain blend of cigar(s), what you have in your pocket will call for a specific menu.

A repast of fish and vegetables will call for a light dry wine and a mild smoke. A Don Diego, a Romeo Y Julieta, a Davidoff 1000 (thousand) series or a Dunhill.

Stepping up to fowl of any sort will work well with a light red wine and a cigar with a fuller body. A Montecristo White, a Miami made Cuervo Rojo from our humidor in Boca Raton, FL.

And if you are served a steak, enjoying an aged scotch, you should enjoy a full bodied blend. A Montecristo Classic, a Partagas or Cohiba. Or a Kuba-Kuba from Drew Estates.

Any of the above choices will fit the three basic menus above, with personal variations. So what to do after the holiday meals? Usually the best idea would be to bring a medium smoke if you can smoke at the dinner party. With an aroma that would be pleasurable for the guests to experience.

The best way to enjoy a good smoke here in Florida is to smoke outside. Drawing a fire pit to chase away the cold, having mulled wines and ciders. Hot buttered Rum or spiced Eggnog.

Enjoy!

Jim

Peterson Christmas 2011 Pipes

These are Peterson's 2011 Christmas Pipes. They Are Soooo Good looking!
And they are greeeen!
Check the out in our site
Bennington Tobacconist

Cheers!!!!!!!!

Holiday Food and your tobacco

Believe it or not, your tobacco can change the taste of your food, or vice versa. Tobacco has a powerful flavor, be it

Non-aromatic or aromatic. It hits right in the middle of the tongue and spreads from there. Non-Aromatics tend to go from the middle to the tip. Aros tend to go closer to the outer sides. Therefore if you want to do justice to the lady of house' cooking during these holidays keep your choice of tobaccos on the lighter side. Smoke outside, because as you enter the house those wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen will hit you right in the middle of the eyes!

If you are an aromatic smoker, chose a chocolate- cherry tobacco, or laced with rum, cognac or whiskey. It will make the newcomers loooove that eggnog you will be handing them. That's right, if you can get a fire pit going and have your drinks outside, not only you can smoke your best backy but be the bell of the ball too...lol

After dinner, if you are a non-aromatic smoker chose a mellow burley-Latakia or burley-Cavendish mixture. No Orientals, no Perique. Tennessee Burleys and Kentucky Burleys lend lightness to the room note. Many times they are confused with Aromatic mixtures.

And don't eat too much! Uncomfort will take away the pleasure of the many tastes you will experience during the holiday meals...

Enjoy all....

Jim

What to....Drink?

Oh... my,

That is a difficult answer... Eggnog, spiced rum, mulled wine, apple ginger sparklers, kir royale, eggnog, martini, southern comfort, orange mimosas, blood orange mimosas or grapefruit mimosas, peppermint chocolate, spiced tea, mulled cider, Irish coffee or brandied coco.

All strong, some strong and heavy, some light and strong. Some light and relaxing.

And any drink pretty much goes with any smoke, it all depends on your palate, if it is classic or open to any adventure.

Whenever we mix fruit juice (sugar, although natural) we kick up the strength of the concoction and we get tipsy faster. A way to hold back getting totally smashed is having protein, food, before you go to the party. Prevention is better than the cure. It's all well and good curing a hangover, but wouldn't it be better not to have it in the first place?

Know your limits and stick to them.

75% of people who consume alcohol to intoxication will have a hangover the next day. A hangover is nature's way of clearing the toxins from your body, so the more you ingest, the nastier the hangover will be. The number of alcoholic beverages it takes to reach a state of intoxication varies from person to person and knowing your own limits is important.

For most people, the most pleasant moment is when the first drink one kicks in, Blood-alcohol level around .05, and drinking more at that time just moves you away from the "sweet spot." At one per hour, your blood alcohol level will tend to stay in that range, resulting in more pleasant feeling and less likelihood of doing something stupid. It is recommended that you don't have more than three beverages in any 1 to 2 hour period, and no more than five beverages in one night. Here is the great reason why...

Pay attention how different types of alcohol affect you. No matter what the studies say, each person's ability to metabolize alcohol differs and you'll know by experience which beer, wine, spirit, or liqueur works for you or plays havoc with your body. Listen to your own body's reactions and take care accordingly.

Stick to one type of beverage. Staying with one type of alcohol you will not be mixing up various additives, flavorings, and other elements found in different types of alcohol, which can all increase the chances of forming a hangover cocktail. Naaasty!

Stick with light (vodka or gin) colored spirits instead of darker (brandy or whiskey) ones. Light liquors have fewer "congeners" (a toxic chemical element of alcohol that gives it its distinctive characteristics), which contributes to hangovers. Of which red wine is the worst! Here is a list in decreasing color of the type of liquor that will give you from a horrible to a bearable hangover.Brandy, red wine, rum, whiskey, white wine, gin, vodka, and pure ethanol. LOL... yeah the last one is really not recommended...lol

Most important of all is to stay hydrated. Drink water and a lot of it! Alcohol has a tendency to dry you up like a prune!

And if you want a nice list of holiday drinks and cocktails head over to Martha Stuart's or Emeril Lagassi's site...

Enjoy the holidays and stay safe....

Jim