Davidoff

The name Davidoff boasts a vision of a life in pursuit of quality and the best life has to offer. Their cigar making is founded on the best tobacco and presentation, all encapsulated in their motto, “Time Beautifully Filled.” While flavor profiles vary across their lines, the cigars seem to define fine living. With the Dominicana, Davidoff gives homage to the culture and essence of the country where they produce so much. Robustos can be wonderful cigars to smoke as the size enables a lot of opportunities to blend various tobaccos into it and the time frame seems to fit most quite well. This vitola made properly can have it all.

Here’s what Edward Simon, chief marketing officer at Oettinger Davidoff AG had to say about the 2021 release:

The Davidoff Dominicana is not only a spirited example of Davidoff’s expertise and excellence in craftsmanship, but is also a statement to our enormous assortment of vintage tobacco stocks. The tobaccos harvested in 2014 have been carefully aged over six years to be eventually blended into the Davidoff Dominicana, making it a bold testimony of our vintage proposition.

It’s a fine statement, but a review should leave marketing lingo behind, and that’s why I reviewed this cigar blind-labeled, prepared by our review team.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Dominicana Robusto
• Wrapper: Dominican
• Binder: Ecuadorian
• Filler: Dominican
• Size: Robusto (5” 1/8 x 52)

Appearance & Construction

This robusto has a silky wrapper to the touch with lightly visible veins. The tight pigtail cap is a good indication of the expertise of the roller–finishing a cigars’s head in that style, especially that close on the cap, is not an easy task. As I roll it in my hands the symmetry is perfect. Giving a squeeze there are no soft spots to speak of and it feels well balanced with filler tobaccos.  Smelling the foot gives off big oak and fruit notes with some must.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

With my Xikar Mammoth lighter I take a precision cut that clips the pigtail and just a bit of the cap off. The dry draw is just that, drying on the lips with an earthy mushroom quality.  Striking a long match, I gently light the cigar and with my first puff there’s toasted oak and leather in spades. Another long draw and vanilla bean sweetness and dried plum move forward with a graham cracker finish. The rerohale is bringing those oak and toasty notes up as well as some baking spices. The strength is more on the side of full with the flavors well pronounced.

As I reach the midsection of this cigar, I’m admiring the solid white ash and perfect burn line. The construction is a fine example of what a premium cigar should be. The transition from leather and spice has now brought me to earth and chocolate leaving a creamy finish in its wake. While I let the smoke resonate in my mouth, the mouthfeel akin to that last sip of café au lait. In an interesting turn the cocoa notes yield to a cinnamon spice and more dried fruit. These flavors are a bit more subtle, slowly coaxing themselves out as I take a few puffs. The strength remains in the fuller range although never overpowering.

The sweetness returns on the final third which is balanced by leather across the palate. While the cigar is producing a waft of smoke the flavors in mouth are of black pepper with forest floor mid palate and an earth laden finish. I take another retrohale where the fruits take over and as I exhale there’s mushroom and a savory umami quality pushing through. With a few last puffs there’s bakers’ chocolate along with mint and ending in a creamy finish. A deliciously complex cigar.

Conclusion

This smoke was attractive at first glance with its silky wrapper finished with a well-crafted pigtail. It did not disappoint. Upon lighting, it prepped the palate with oak and leather that segued to sweetness and dried fruits. As it developed, the earth, chocolate and creaminess slowly increased. The burn was what you always appreciate in a choice cigar and stayed straight as an arrow. The strength carried itself in the fuller style in a well balanced well that did not distract from the flavors. The last part of this stick was more cocoa and savory notes that brought the cigar to an enjoyable ending.

When I found out this was the Davidoff Dominicana I was not shocked given the craftsmanship and blend. I would recommend a box for sure. Otherwise, grab one from you local shop as you will be in for a treat.

Final Rating: 91

In its 10th release in the limited edition series based off of the Chinese Year of the Zodiac, Davidoff created an appropriately sized Year of the Ox cigar for 2021. This cigar is a six inch by sixty ring gauge smoke, fitting the profile of an Ox and falling in line with the continued demand for thick gauge cigars. I’ve personally not been a fan of these sizes. They rarely feel comfortable smoking and generally they don’t generate the abundance of flavors needed to justify the time and effort required for such a large cigar. So needless to say, I wasn’t particularly excited to smoke this blind.

Let’s get to the blind review.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Year of the Ox
• Wrapper: Dominican
• Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
• Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
• Size: 6” x 60 (Gordo)

Appearance & Construction

This thick cigar has several veins running alongside its chocolate hued wrapper. As I give it a squeeze it’s not too firm nor is it under filled.  Smelling the foot of this cigar I pick up all spice, cedar and earth notes.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

I can see I’m going to need a blade that can handle this gordo so I pick up my Xikar Wooly Mammoth cutter which seems fitting for the size of the stick. I give it a swift slice and take off an appropriate amount from the head. The cold draw delivers a combo of vanilla sweetness and café au lait creaminess. With this large gauge I grab my Lamborghini torch and begin toasting the foot trying to ensure I’m getting an even burn across it. 

My first puff has salt and sweet with a tingling on my lips from the wrapper.  Another draw yields burnt crème brûlée notes with a toasty finish. I take a retrohale that delivers red fruits and nuts while the smoke blowing out my sinus has a cedary finish. Thus far the cigar is in a solid medium range and despite its size is not that uncomfortable to smoke.

At midway through the cigar, the ash is long and white. The draw is excellent, and with another puff cereal, bread and a charry note lingers on the finish.  Another retrohale hits me with nutmeg, cinnamon and earthiness in a medium bodied core of strength. The smoke is beginning to waft intensely and I take a puff out rather than in which seems to quell this. With a steady draw I pick up a honeyed sweetness which is in contrast to the forest floor I’m now getting a touch of. There’s a slight medium to full body that is starting to resonate on my palate which I was not getting previously.  Despite this being a large cigar it has been burning at a slightly faster pace than I anticipated, and I’m smoking at a normal pace.

In the final third, I get a lot of toast along with almonds and a long woody finish. The burn line has been pretty straight and the ash rather firm throughout.  The retrohale I take is giving flavors of oats, wood and hay that surround my palate momentarily as I release the smoke.  Another draw brings a bit of cocoa swathed in wood and earth creating a unique profile.  With a final puff there’s wood, nuts, toast and coffee delivering a medium salty finish.  A tasty gordo for sure.  

 Conclusion

Having bucked the trend of smoking these large gauge cigars I will say there are some that can change your opinion.  This is a fine example of such a turnaround. The Davidoff Year of the Ox demonstrates that a thick size can be used to add more of a variety of filler tobaccos simply by having the room to do so. The smoke had a harmonious balance of salt, sweet, toast and nuts without overwhelming each other.  I did wish the flavors where a little more pronounced and savory as that would’ve really made this cigar stellar.

When I found out this cigar was Davidoff, I was surprised there wasn’t more of the the typical earthy, mushroom and truffle notes associated with the types of Olor tobacco they are known to use.  This is the best reason of all to smoke blind if you are reviewing a cigar as it eliminates those pre-conceived notions and leaves you open to a new experience.  

The Davidoff Year of the Ox is a cigar that even with a large price tag justifies purchasing one or a box.  If you like smokes in this size, you’ll be quite pleased and if not this may change your mind.  

Final Rating: 92

In 2002 Davidoff released a limited edition cigar with a 53 ring gauge using aged tobaccos and in a perfecto format.  What made this cigar unique was the utilization of a Dominican wrapper. Davidoff has now rereleased the vitola in another limited run with 10 year aged tobacco and another Dominican wrapper. I was able to smoke the original version back then and this made for an interesting comparison. Smoking blind I could only see the cigar itself was very well made and I was looking forward to checking out what it had to offer.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Special 53 Capa Dominicana
• Wrapper: Dominican Republic
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Size:6 1/8 Perfecto
• Price: $32

Appearance and Construction

The Davidoff Special 53 Capa Dominicana is draped in a semi-dark, slightly slightly veiny wrapper with a pointed foot. The cigar is extremely well rolled and is packed full of tobacco. The foot smells of cocoa and strong cedar and the roll is solid which attests to the craftsmanship of the cigar.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

After a straight cut, I take a dry draw from the Davidoff Special 53. It’s airy and gives off impressions of raisin and wood notes. I light the cigar with a strip of cedar and the first few puffs are drying rather than leathery with some saltiness. I encounter some chary characteristics that become immediately bitter on the finish. As the cigar progresses a bit, there’s an emerging pencil lead followed by earth and cedar. The Davidoff Special 53 is medium bodied at this point with less than pronounced flavors.

At midway, what began as paper turns into oak and sweet cedar delivering a short bitter finish. The burn line is sharp and the ash somewhat flaky at its peak. Sweet and salty dominate the cigar with crema on the sides of the mouthfeel, albeit in short supply when it reaches the back of the tongue. As the Davidoff Special 53 progresses, it gives off a pencil lead note and a charry smell in its smoke production. I am drawing the cigar at a fine pace, but burns a bit hotter than I want. Despite this the medium body smoke remains the same and a bit of spice resonates on the retrohale.

Toward the final third of the Davidoff Special 53, sharp oak–almost like a bourbon–hits my throat in a surprising fashion. The flavor smooths out to become less woody and adds a bit of cinnamon spice. All the while there is the same underlying bitterness that makes the cigar unpleasant. 

Happily the bitterness is later rounded out with a slight sweetness that tames the smoke. With the medium bodied profile continuing on, the interplay between paper and airiness creates a milder body that is lacking in depth. As I take the last few puffs of the Davidoff Special 53, cedar and bit of crema emerge, but with a short finish.

Conclusion

Not knowing what I was smoking, I wasn’t surprised when I later found out it was Davidoff. The construction, tobacco and roll was spot on. I was disappointed overall though. I’ve smoked the original Davidoff Special 53 and I recall it being a medium bodied, nuanced smoke with a tasty wrapper. While this cigar fell into the medium bodied range the flavors were either papery, arid or bitter. Even when salty, sweet and wood notes emerged they were short on the finish. The bitterness that came through especially midway hurt the smoking experience as well. Davidoff produces some excellent quality cigars and quite enjoyable blends. However for the price point I would look to other lines in their portfolio.

Final Rating: 87

From traveling to Central and South America for his rites of passage as a tobacconist in the 1920s to smuggling Cuban cigars out of France in the 1940s, Zino Davidoff had a thrilling and adventurous story behind his success. If the entertainment industry takes an interest in the history of tobacco, he takes the top prize as a success story in the industry. As for me, understanding the hardships he went through and the difficult decisions he had to overcome make me appreciate Davidoff cigars that much more.

Under normal circumstances, I would only smoke a Davidoff cigar when celebrating or for a special event, not a regular Tuesday smoke. To my surprise, I had the pleasure of doing a blind review on the Davidoff Aniversario Special R.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Aniversario Special ‘R’
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Size: Robusto (5” x 50)

Appearance & Construction

Without knowing the brand, I can tell this cigar is rolled with perfection in mind. The soft honey-colored wrapper feels very smooth all around. There are no noticeable veins or blemishes, just the right amount of tobacco packed, and there are no soft spots in the roll.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The cold draw is very pleasing with a taste of sweet and tart of dry apricot. The draw resistance is perfect, about a 6/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness.

Once I introduced a laser-sharp flame to the foot of the cigar, a scent of sweet caramel emits from the smoke. About another twenty seconds in, the cigar is lit and I’m able to take my first puff. The smoke is creamy with notes of cedar, dry hay, and light caramel accompanied by an undertone of red pepper.

On retrohale, red pepper spice sizzles through my nasal passage. Just when I think the burning sensation is about to become overwhelming, it mellows out and the scent of light caramel and vanilla wash over. Also interesting is that unlike any other Davidoff I’ve had, the Aniversario Special ‘R’ starts as a nicotine bomb.

An inch in, the ash holds sturdily in the wind. The smoke profile becomes sweeter and toastier, and it also introduces flavor notes of lily petals and fresh almonds.

Arriving at the second third of the Davidoff Aniversario Special R, the red pepper transforms to black pepper and the sizzling sensation moves from the back of my tongue to the tip. The overall flavors lighten up, and the smoke is sweet and floral with a citrusy tart aftertaste. The nicotine lets up a bit halfway through as well.

In the final third, the pepper spice dissipates on the palate. All that’s left are fresh almonds and cedar in the smoke, and pepper spice and barnyard in the retrohale. As the last bit of smoke dries out my tongue, I can’t help but compare it with the texture of sandy graham pie crust.

Conclusion

The Aniversario Special ‘R’ is a complex and nub-worthy smoke. The flavors are well balanced between the palate and the retrohale. As good as this cigar was to smoke, the unexpected nicotine bomb during the first third of the cigar was just a bit much. If shifted to the final third, then I think this would have been a near-perfect smoke.

Final Rating: 88