Davidoff cigars are first-rate, and you’ll rarely, if ever, find a poorly constructed stick. There’s a reason for that, and it’s analogous to the brand’s history. Its founder, Zino Davidoff, is renowned for prioritizing quality and craftsmanship. To understand his dedication, let’s take a quick look back at history.
A brief history of Davidoff
A young Zino Davidoff became fascinated with creating his own cigars. But unlike his family, namely his father, who had already been in the industry for years, Zino wanted to do things a little differently. He traveled the world, visiting South and Central America and, of course, Cuba, studying and working with cigars directly. Around the 1930s, he pursued an official license and began his legacy, borrowing everything he learned to craft his own cigars, including the growing conditions he observed in Cuba.
It wasn’t until years later, in 1968, that the first cigars named “Davidoff” hit the market. Believe it or not, they were a joint production with Cubatabaco, Cuba’s state tobacco monopoly. They continued producing Davidoff cigars until 1989, when Zino ended their relationship due to quality control and ownership rights. Zino had burned thousands of cigars that he felt were of poor quality and not appropriate to sell — a testament to the company’s impeccable quality that still exists today. To ensure production stopped, an official agreement was drawn that no more Davidoff cigars from Cuba would be sold. Shortly after, in 1990, Davidoff cigars began production in the Dominican Republic. Those were released in 1991.
Davidoff’s intriguing history in the cigar world aligns with its operations today. It continues to wow cigar enthusiasts worldwide with new blends made to some of the highest standards in the industry.
The best Davidoff cigars I’ve tried and tested
Now that we’ve read up on the brand’s history, we can return to the present to try out some of its fantastic cigars. I’ve smoked a bunch and am here to share some of my favorites.
Aniversario
- Strength: Mild
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
The Aniversario series was one of the first Davidoff-brand cigars to be released, and that tradition continues. It comes in various sizes, like the Aniversario No. 3, Double R, Special R, and Special T. The No. 3 is my pick and what I tried for my recent experience. Right off the first draw, you’ll taste sweet cream, leather, and some cocoa. You’ll also pick up roasted nuts, cedar, raisins or dried fruit, and subtle herbal notes.
Escurio
- Strength: Medium to Full-bodied
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper in the Davidoff Escurio comes from a Cuban seed. It’s toothy — tiny bumps of oil that appear on the outer leaf. Nutmeg, cinnamon, wood, leather, and spice are the prominent flavors in this stogie. It’s also surprisingly salty in the latter half of the cigar, making this one a proper medium to full-bodied smoke.
Grand Cru
- Strength: Mild
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
It may be mild, but the Davidoff Grand Cru sure is creamy. You’ll also taste some earth, grass, and balsa wood, and when it mixes with the nuttiness in the later thirds, you’ll be in heaven. It’s all topped off with some spice, but light baking spices more than strong pepper. The blend is made possible by the Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper and the blend of premium Dominican filler tobaccos. Next time I want a complex but mellow smoke, the Grand Cru is what I’m reaching for.
Millenium Blend
- Strength: Solid Medium
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
The Millenium Blend uses a dark, oily, sun-grown Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper and aged Dominican tobaccos. Even so, it delivers a solid, medium-bodied smoke with a ton of bold flavors. Wood and oak, lots of leather, brown sugar, spice, cream and even a subtle hint of herbs will hit your taste buds. Also, when it’s alight, this cigar produces some unreal aromas. If you have guests, they’ll probably love it as much as you.
Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium to Full
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan Rosado
Interestingly, the Davidoff Nicaragua line is made in the Dominican Republic, where most of the brand’s cigars are crafted. It features an absolutely stunning Nicaraguan Rosado leaf wrapper grown from Cuban seeds. It’s dark and oily and meshes well with the Jalapa binder and Estelí, Condega, and Ometepe long-fillers. Flavors include toastiness, nuttiness, maple, nutmeg, cocoa, cream, and spice. Rest assured, I will be smoking more soon. If you like full-flavored cigars, you might want to try it.
Signature
- Strength: Mild
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
The Signature series is best described as a lovely, mellow to mild smoke. It is wrapped in an Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf. A Dominican binder and fillers lend some nuance to the flavor profiles, with a concentration of sweet, creamy notes. In the later portions of the cigar, I tasted light coffee, some dough or fresh bread, just a hint of milk chocolate, and some floral notes. I would recommend this one as an early-day or first-in-your-lineup smoke. It will pair nicely with coffee, cappuccino, sweet tea, or even ice water.
Winston Churchill The Late Hour
- Strength: Medium to Full-bodied
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
The Winston Churchill line is one of the more popular options in Davidoff’s portfolio. Cigar enthusiasts love the . The Late Hour is more full-bodied, thanks to an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper in the Oscuro shade. Most interesting, however, is the multi-faceted blend of Dominican Piloto Seco, San Vicente Mejorado and Olor Visus, with Nicaraguan Estelí and Condega Visus tobaccos inside. Those are also tucked inside a Mexican San Andrés Negro binder. It’s creamy, it’s smooth, and it’s peppery. You’ll pick up some incredible flavors like coffee, caramel, oak, wood, dark chocolate and leather. They are expensive, so I typically reserve them for special occasions or to share them with good company.
Yamasa
- Strength: Medium to Full-bodied
- Wrapper: Dominican Yamasa
The Davidoff Yamasa is probably one of my all-time favorite cigars. It’s wrapped in a Dominican San Vincente leaf from Yamasa and has a mix of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. The unique blend offers chocolatey goodness throughout the cigar, but you’ll also taste nuttiness, spice, coffee, cedar, and black pepper. A subtle floral sweetness permeates some of the darker flavors, as well. Every time I’ve had one, I’ve come away impressed, including my most recent smoke.
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Get to know our expert
Why should you listen to me? It’s a valid question. I smoke cigars all the time, and I have many recommendations and plenty of advice to share with others. But none of those things qualify me as an expert. Instead, it’s the years of experience, the time I’ve invested in the world of cigars, the excellent connections I’ve made with cigar makers and sellers, and the vast wealth of knowledge I’ve gained during that time. I’m always curious about the cigar industry and general production, and I’ve spent hundreds of hours trying new cigars and blends. I know what goes into an excellent cigar, and I’ve certainly earned the right to recommend some to others, whether you’re a beginner and this is your first time smoking or have your own cabinet humidor stocked and maintained. Instead of waxing poetic, I’d rather let my recommendations speak for me.
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