Smoked: Davidoff Nicaragua

This Davidoff Nicaragua Box-Pressed Robusto (5 x 48) had been resting in my humidor for 6 months, so I decided it was probably time to check it out. Its perfect burn, draw, smoke production, and unexpectedly amazing complex flavor profiles and transitions BLEW ME AWAY.

It started out with a blast of black pepper, but after an inch of burn, that gradually faded away, morphing into baking spices that were present throughout the first two thirds of the cigar. Also present in the first two thirds was a woody note – not cedar, but more like oak – which somehow reappeared at the nub stage. Nuttiness was also present in the first third, vanished in the second third, only to return in the final third. In the second third, a sweetness emerged, which turned into an enticing bittersweet note in the final third. (Are you keeping track of these transitions?!) Leather became apparent in the second third, lasting through to the end. Creamy and earthy notes entered in the final third. Then, a flavor I couldn’t immediately identify became present in the final third. When I did put my finger on it, I can best describe it as the heady aroma of a warm, freshly worn leather saddle combined with the sweet, floral aroma of the hay in a horse stall. Seriously? Amazing…

Never in my life have I ever experienced a complexity of flavor notes, nor have I ever experienced the interesting (to say the least) flavor transitions in a cigar, like I did in this wonderful stick. It seemed like each puff brought a delightful flavor profile change. I rate it as full body, full strength, and fully captivating. Top ratings across the board.

At first, I was taken aback by the little robusto’s hefty $18.70 price tag. However, after the incredibly enjoyable experience of smoking it, I now believe it’s worth every penny. No, I won’t be buying them regularly, nor anytime soon, but they certainly qualify for a very special occasion cigar worthy of adding a box to my collection at some point. Maybe when I win the lottery. Well done, Davidoff. Very, very well done.