Davidoff Nicaragua
History:
My personal "most anticipated" cigar of
2013 was definitely the Davidoff Nicaragua. Being a huge fan of
Nicaraguan cigars, I was very interested to see how Davidoff would blend this
cigar: would it be complex like a Padron? creamy like a (my recent favorite)
Regius? or a powerhouse like the Oliva Serie V? Needless to say, I had a lot of
questions with very little to no answers. I first heard about this cigar in
the April 9, 2013 issue of Cigar Insider... my interest was peaked,
but what really made me excited was the 06/24/2013 press release:
The Davidoff Nicaragua Experience
The
100% Puro Nicaraguan blend combines a 10-year-old Habano
Seed Nicaragua Rosado wrapper in a beautiful
colour, with a binder
from Jalapa and a filler blend of tobaccos
from Esteli, Condega and
Ometepe. The range comes in three sizes: Toro (5 1⁄2
inches; 54 RG);
Robusto (5 inches; 50 RG) and Short Corona (3 3⁄4
inches; 46 RG).
The new range was very well received by aficionados
who had a
chance to experience it. In a blind taste test
conducted at the
Art Of Smoke in Germany, Davidoff Nicaragua ranked
as of the
five best cigars ever tested across all tobacco
origins and blends.
“One of the best
cigars I've ever smoked. The cigar would be a
regular in my humidor,”
-participant of the taste test carried out by Art of Smoke.
So there I was, on my birthday, smoking a Padron
1964, reading this and thinking: "Did Davidoff know it was my birthday?
And if so, Why make me wait a month before I would be able to smoke my
present?...RUDE"
However after smoking this cigar,
it definitely was worth the wait and lived up to my expectations! Now
enough of me rambling, I present to you the 2013 Davidoff Nicaragua:
Cigars Smoked: Davidoff
Nicaragua Short Corona & Toro
Country of Origin: Dominican
Republic
Wrapper: Nicaragua
(10-year-old Nicaraguan Havana-seed Rosado)
Binder: Nicaragua
(Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaragua
(Estelí, Condega and Ometepe)
Size: 3 3/4 x 46 (Short
Corona) & 5 1/2 x 54 (Toro)
- Short Corona -$9.90 (Boxes of 14, $138.60) - Robusto – $13.90 (Boxes of 12, $166.80) - Toro- $16.90 (Boxes of 12, $202.80)
Appearance:
The 10-year-aged Habano Seed Nicaraguan Rosado
wrapper is in one word- amazing. With few veins present throughout,
this cigar boasts a brownish-red color that contrasts very nicely with the
black and silver band and it is silky and smooth to touch. It is
firm but has a little give, typical of most Davidoff's great construction with
a double cap on the head. The pre-lit aromas indicate a sweet cedar
and pepper.
Taste:
The first third of
the Davidoff Nicaragua starts off with a slight white pepper spice
that is just strong enough to open the palate, but not strong enough to affect
the character. After a couple puffs there is a enticing sweetness on the finish
that like most Davidoff's will linger on the palate. While both the burn and
draw are phenomenal through the first third the amount of smoke produced is
average.
Going into the second third of
the Davidoff Nicaragua, the spice has given way to a great earthy and
nutty flavor that all great Nicaraguans are known for and highlighting
notes of espresso and bitter sweet chocolate. The spice will return
from time to time giving an amazing balance and complexity. Construction-wise,
the draw and burn remain virtually flawless.
In the final third, the white
pepper on the retrohale returns and remains until the end of the cigar, as does
a new vanilla sweetness. The amount of smoke produced continues to be
average, but the burn and draw continues to impress me. A final note about the
construction, the nub remained cool until the very end and needed no touch ups.
Final Thoughts:
Wow, Davidoff has created another great line! Even
though this is not Davidoff's first time using Nicaraguan tobacco (Davidoff
Maduro and Zino Platinum used Nicaraguan
tobacco) it tastes refined and perfected. This is in part due to the craftsmanship
by Hendrik “Henke” Kelner, a master who also blends cigars for PG (another
personal favorite) and is one of the best in the business. This is also due
to Davidoff importing all of the tobacco for
this puro from Nicaragua so they can roll the cigar in their factory in
the Dominican Republic. Kelner has said repeatedly that they are doing this
because it is the only way they can assure that the cigars have the quality
construction they are known for.
Click here to get your hands on this amazing cigar
to try for yourself!
Grade:
88/100
(Great)
