Unbeknownst to me, Tim Vanderpool from Ashton cigars graced our halls today on an impromptu tour, and with that began to offer gifts to everyone in the form of a San Cristobal cigar. I, being the usually unlucky fellow that I am, missed this "Tobacco Christmas Event" and was left to begin my morning smokeless. But fear not friends, despite the initial setback I was able to acquire one from a sympathetic fellow at the office and consequently you, dear readers, will get to hear me yam on about this Ashton gift after all.

The Wrap Impression

My re-gifted cigar is wrapped impressively. San Cristobal Elegancia, aptly named after the Ecuadorian island upon which its golden Connecticut wrapper is grown, is firm to the touch with a just-appropriate amount of give. It is softer at the foot and firmer toward the cap which should even out during the smoke, a cigar tends to grow softer as it nears completion. The Elegancia is very smooth and only slightly sandy, with a bit of oil giving it an attractive luster. This comes as no surprise coming from Don Pepin Garcia, well known for producing a well-made cigar from their Nicaraguan factory. The cigar has a dual band that is very ornate and elaborately shows the red parrot in all its glory. Beneath it, another band is emblazoned simply with the denotation: Elegancia.

Elegancia Essence

This Garcia-created, coffee-colored stick of velvet is wrapped with thin leafy veins that run its full length neatly around Nicaraguan long-fillers. The fragrance is oaky and nutty. A more involved and unorthodox description of the outer wrapper notes might include the personal declaration that it smells like my face is pressed against a young oak tree as I hold a handful of unsalted cashews under my nose. Along with the usual woodsy, earthy notes, there may be the faintest hint of freshly ground black pepper in the mix. I am interested to discover if this note raises its hand and becomes more of an active participant with a fire going.

Lighting & Smoking

Something to note: thinner wrappers can be a bit of a baby with heat, so try not to go "all pyro" on the foot if faced with one. Toast the end lightly, with patience, to warm it gently as I do now. Today, I am allowing a butane torch lighter to do the honors. The first pull, admittedly, is not what I expected at all. Before lighting I had neither accounted for, nor noted at all for that matter, the creaminess that wafted into my mouth. Young oak, check. Cashew, check. Usual bit of wood and earth, check. Creaminess ... now added to the checklist. **Goes back to sniff the wrapper for missing notes of cream, ah now I smell it.**

In My Defense: Doesn't a cashew smell a little like a peanut in cream sauce, or is it just me?

Moving onward, the ash burns white with flecks of grey all while remaining intact. Little touch-up is needed during the smoke, and the draw is perfect, which again I attribute to the craftsmanship of a Pepin cigar wrapping. It burns warmly, and a light tapping results in the ash breaking-off intact, as you can see in the photo provided here.

[Not-So-Spoiler Alert] This is a mild smoke with low to zero nicotine punch. In an increasing deluge of full-bodied cigar offerings being released amongst seemingly every brand this past year, it is fitting that the Elegancia would opt to go mild. Elegancia has set a goal for being a softer option, and it meets this almost too well. Aroma is emitted in a near-transparent Milky Way of smoke, offering little room note for those around me to enjoy, or to be annoyed with, depending on present company.

Usually by now in a review, I would have broken down this cigar experience into thirds with details of the initial lighting of the cigar, the changes in taste I experience moving into the half mark and finally noting if there are changes in the smoke via the addition or subtraction of flavors as related to the first half.

I won't do that this time. Aside from a retrohale that brings about the pepper foreshadowed during the initial inspection, there are no changes in the notes or flavor. I find myself retrohaling more often than usual with the Elegancia, in an attempt to keep the extra spice going along with the creamy-nutty flavor (the kind of profile I am used to receiving from other San Cristobal offerings). The cream and nut tastes become increasingly softer as the smoke reaches the midpoint, and there it remains until my final draw.

It Is Very Much A Diet Cigar

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? There is certainly more room for complexity in a milder smoking cigar, and the Elegancia could have made use of that advantage over the full-bodied offerings that don't have as much leeway for certain subtler and softer flavors. To be fair, my palate is so overloaded these days with the latest full-bodied, "knock you on your ass" stogie smokes that, perhaps, the subtlety of this cigar goes a bit under-appreciated by me this morning.

This would be ideal for a fellow admiring the world of cigar smoking, who would rather dip his toe into the calm side of the pool rather than plunge head first into the end where all the cool kids are splashing around. At some points during the smoke, I felt as if I were tipping a mug of warm cream to my lips, and I found myself desiring something more to accompany it — some cocoa with a little mint, perhaps.

This particular San Cristobal would be an ideal choice for a neophyte, and construction is excellent, but ultimately it may turn away those that are looking for anything more than an easy, fuss-free, gentle sort of smoking experience.