Initial Thoughts:
San Cristobal cigars, which are made by Ashton, have been some of my favorites throughout the years. In fact, one of them made the Best Cigars Under $10 list for 2018. However, some of their cigars have also been pepper bombs that I didn't love.
So, when I went into one of the local lounges in the area and one of the sales guys recommended the San Cristobal Ovation Decadence, I thought “What the heck!” and grabbed one. The decadence has a medium-brown, Mexican San Andres wrapper that looks oily and delicious. There are a few veins, but they look to be thin and well dehumidified.
After lighting the cigar, the flavors of Nicaraguan tobacco are immediately apparent, and there are faint floral flavors that are quite nice. Fifteen minutes in and the burn is even and the cigar is delicious, so I've got high expectations.
CigarScore:
Brand: San Cristobal
Line: Ovation
Size: 6 1/2 x 52
Cut: Select Draw
Light: Torch
Price: $15.45
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Oscuro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoke Time: 105 minutes
Final Thoughts:
Although I stuck the San Cristobal Ovation Decadence with my Select Draw Cigar Cutter multiple times, the draw from the beginning of the cigar was fairly tight. While I couldn't see inside the cigar (because this cutter keeps the cap intact), I suspected there was a stem constricting airflow in the smoking end. However, the flavors were good, the burn was even, and the cigar started very well.
In the end, the San Cristobal Ovation Decadence was a good cigar. The flavors were great in the first half and okay during the second half. However, the tight draw really hurt the enjoyment of this cigar. Due to the less-than-perfect experience, combined with an almost $16 pricepoint, the Decadence earns a CigarScore 3.
