When Davidoff announced they were rereleasing the discontinued Davidoff Signature number one I was anxiously awaiting to try it. The lancero format is one of my favorite sizes as I feel you get a nice taste of the wrapper and with the concentrated tobaccos in the filler you can really pickup nuanced flavors. That’s not to say all lanceros are the best as it still needs the skill of a blender to be able to use the right components to have this vitola shine through. Regardless whenever I see a lancero I am eager to try them and with this blind tasting I couldn’t wait to light up
Blend Specifics
- Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Signature No.1 Limited Edition
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Binder: Ecuadorian
- Filler: Dominican
- Size: 7” ½ x 39 (Lancero)
Appearance and Construction
The lancero is a claro wrapper that’s a bit pale and veiny. As I squeeze the cigar it is noticeably soft in several places. The pigtail stands out with a coil truly that of a pig. The foot brings cedar, barely wine and pepper that tingles my sinus. The roll on this cigar flows nicely in hand and is a good looking light cigar.
Tasting and Smoke Characteristics
The cut slices the pigtail cap easily and the draw is perfect. With a puff there is leather, hay and some salinity to it. With my single flame Xikar I light up and the first flavors are sweet sandalwood, caramel and toast. The body of the cigar is more intense than I assumed from the wrapper and is in the medium to full range. A retrohale has oak and walnut with wheat flowing through. A flaky dark grayish ash begins to form with subtle smoke emanating at this point. There’s a floral note which brings about a tart fruitiness that finishes long. The burn is a bit fast.
In the second half I take a slow draw as to not to have the cigar move too quickly and miss some of its flavors. There are some more floral tastes which surprisingly bring in white pepper for an added change in the profile. The cigar continues to deliver a heartier strength than I had perceived and the ash is really beginning to flake off. The retrohale has walnut and a creamy finish that lingers which reminds me of an aged “Cubanesque” profile. The white pepper that was initially there is now black pepper that covers the sides of my mouth with a zippy acidity.
Despite the cigar burning faster than I enjoy, the flavors have turned to a creamier mix with toffee and nuts on the long finish. Cedar returns along with the barley wine smell from the foot with a leather that leaves the drying sensation as the smoke is exhaled. I get sweetness from the wrapper along with a mustiness that at times has a mushroom/earthy quality to it. Another retrohale gives off more earth, pencil lead and pepper which gets a bit muddled at its end. The burn is sharp even with the ash not holding on well and the strength settles into a medium body. Coffee and wood return with a shorter sharper finish than I’ve experienced before. A final puff initiates a waft of smoke with some sweetness and an herbaceous note that elongates its finish.
Conclusion
This was a well-constructed lancero with a slightly fuller body than the wrapper would indicate. This proves that the appearance of a cigar whether darker or lighter, does not necessarily give a clue as to how strong a cigar will be. The sweetness, wood and pepper that seemed to permeate throughout the cigar was pleasing as well as the long finishes. The change in the last third gave a more earthy profile ending in a sweeter finish. Finding out this was a Davidoff No.1 was quite pleased they brought these back as even though it’s not the most complex cigar the flavors are there if you smoke it slow. I would certainly recommend picking a few up.