As a second generation tobacconist, Robert Levin was no stranger to the cigar industry when he started his company in 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia, Levin created the Ashton Cigar. Levin and the Ashton Cigar Company rose to international fame when he teamed up with the famous Fuente Cigar Company. The Fuente Family is now the manufacturer of Ashton Cigars, and they use Dominican grown leaves to create an award-winning line of cigars, with Connecticut Shade Grown and Ecuadorian wrappers, with a medium to full strength.

There are currently six types of cigars that the Ashton Cigar Company manufactures: Ashton Classic, Ashton Cabinet Selection, Ashton VSG, Ashton Heritage Puro Sol, Ashton ESG, and Ashton Aged Maduro.

The first cigar created was the Ashton Classic cigar, and this brand has medium strength containing a peppery spice. The Ashton Cabinet Selection, nicknamed “The White Burgundy” of cigars, was released as a limited edition, and contains a rich sweet taste from the blending of six different types of tobacco. After the Ashton Cabinet Selection, the Ashton Aged Maduro was launched, and this rare cigar is known for its unique wrapper with a nutty and rich taste.

The Ashton VSG (Virgin Sun Grown) was developed in 1999, and put Ashton Cigars on the map, as this brand is an award-winning, in-demand cigar that was created by the Carlos Fuente family. Later, the Ashton Heritage Puro Sol was developed in 2003, and manufactured by the Fuentes Family. This cigar is made from 100% sun grown tobaccos. In 2005, to celebrate twenty-years of the company, The Ashton Cigar Company and the Fuentes Family released the Ashton ESG (Estate Sun Grown), which is used with rare tobaccos that give the cigar a rich and unique taste.

Levin and his company used interesting advertising and metaphor to market Ashton Cigars to celebrities and cigar aficionados. In the late nineties, leather smoking accessories were introduced. In 1998, Ashton Cigars had a Good for the Soul slogan, featuring posters of a Cherub angel with a cigar. A clever campaign in 1998 includes the metaphor of golf. Golf is inconsistent, yet Ashton Cigars are consistently good, hence consistency in an inconsistent world.  Celebrities who smoke Ashton Cigars include Bill Cosby, Wayne Gretsky, Rush Limbaugh, and Isaiah Washington.

Ashton cigars, due to popularity and taste, are currently distributed all over the world. Here is a listing of the places that supply Ashton Cigars: Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, North America, and South America.