10 Years in the Making: Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto Review
Coming soon to Emerson’s Cigars, Davidoff Nicaragua.
Davidoff, known for crafting some of the most luxurious cigars in the world, is stepping into unfamiliar territory with the soon to be released Davidoff Nicaragua. Being the first Nicaraguan cigar to bear the iconic name, the Davidoff Nicaragua is a bold step for the cigar titan. Not one to shy away from a challenge, the company has taken great strides to ensure that the quality and complexity of the cigar are up to the Davidoff standard. Over 10 years in the making, and using tobacco from the best areas of Nicaragua, this cigar is a paradox of familiarity and bewilderment, of expectations and exceptions. Without further ado, here’s my take on the Davidoff Nicaragua.
Appearance and Construction: The Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto is carefully packaged in a black tubo proudly displaying the Davidoff name and three triangles, which represent the themes of the cigar, explore adventure and discover. Removing the cigar from the tube reveals the flawless 10-year old Nicaraguan Rosado wrapper. A quick snip of the cap reveals the impeccable draw that has become one of the many the hallmarks of any Davidoff cigar.
1/3: The cigar starts off in classic Davidoff style with mild sweet notes and the Davidoff signature floral finish. For a Nicaraguan puro, the cigar is remarkably tame and civil with a light soft finish. As sweets notes of wood, and maple overtake my palate, I am greeted with an awesome finish that is almost impossible to describe. The finish is smooth with sweet hints of cocoa and vanilla. By the end of the first third, it is clear that Davidoff has taken their classic style of elegance and delicacy and applied to the traditionally robust tobacco of Nicaragua.
2/3: Leather and sweet notes of vanilla and cocoa are the key themes of the second third of the Davidoff Nicaragua. While the first third was dominated by wood and maple notes, the second third transitions into a sweet medley of vanilla and cocoa with a fantastic leather finish. This cigar continues to standout from traditional Nicaraguan puros, such as Padron and Oliva, by having a light flavor profile. The cigar has barely managed to break into the medium-full bodied range, but is yeilding fantastic flavors. Clearly, Davidoff has taken great strides to ensure that the cigar stands out on its own, while also remaining true to the qualities that have made Davidoff famous. It is interesting to note that by the end of the second third a note of white pepper is present on the retohale. So far, the Davidoff Nicaragua has totally redefined what I can expect from Nicaraguan tobacco. While most Nicaraguan puros have a pronounced strength, Davidoff’s first official undertaking into the nation has yielded a cigar that is both delicate and remarkably refined.
3/3: The trends of the second third continue well into the final third of the Davidoff Nicaragua. The only unique change into the last portion of this cigar is the slight uptick in strength to a true medium-full bodied cigar. In the end, I’m really not sure how to feel about the Davidoff Nicaragua. Part of me loves the fact that it tastes like a great Davidoff, only using different tobacco; while another part of me feels that the cigar could benefit from being a little more unique from the rest of the line. If I had to sum up the Davidoff Nicaragua utilizing the rest of their lines, I would sum it up as a toned down Davidoff Puro d’ Oro. However I may feel about the cigar, one thing is clear, the Davidoff Nicaragua is a great cigar that will surely be a hit among those who already enjoy Davidoff products. For those self professed Nicaraguan junkies, it remains to be seen if they will receive the Davidoff Nicaragua in a similar fashion.
The Davidoff Nicaragua will be available in 3 sizes (Toro, Robusto and Short Corona) at all five of our Hampton Roads locations as well as emersonscigars.com. The Toro and Robusto will be packaged in 12 count boxes, while the Short Corona will be packaged in 14 count boxes.
