Monday, September 2, 2013

New Release: 2013 Davidoff Nicaragua


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
Factory: Cigars Davidoff
Wrapper: Nicaragua (10-year-old Nicaraguan Havana-seed Rosado)
Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaragua (EstelĂ­, Condega and Ometepe)
Size: 3 3/4 x 46 (Short Corona) & 5 1/2 x 54 (Toro) 
MSRP: 
 - 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)
Date Released: Mid-July

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)

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