Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown with a slight red hue to it. There are a few slightly raised veins and the seams are easily visible likely due to the thickness of the wrapper. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. There are two bands with the primary being the traditional gold on white and the secondary being a strip band carrying the line name sans the year. The aroma from the wrapper is a full barnyard with an abundance of hay. The foot brings creamy leather with some natural tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings hay and some natural tobacco sweetness.

Pre-light Experience

The Davidoff Art Edition 2017 has in between a Colorado Red to Colorado Maduro wrapper shade. Construction and feel is spot on providing a uniformed give, well pressed veins, tight seams and a well applied triple cap. Nosing the wrapper gives an abundance of barnyard and cedar. Nosing the foot tells soft black pepper, cedar and roasted nuts. Cold draw gives dried berries, soft cedar and nuts.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of slightly spicy cedar and a floral note with a black pepper finish. At a quarter inch in, the cedar and floral note are pairing nicely. At a half inch in, the black pepper finish is replaced by the spice paired with the cedar. At an inch in, the floral notes reduces a bit as the cedar and cream are paired up front. At an inch and a half in, the floral note increases back up to it’s previous level. The retrohale is primarily the slightly spicy cedar and cream with a much reduced floral note. As the third comes to a close, it is an even mix of the slightly spicy cedar, cream and floral notes. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third gives a profile that is on the softer side of the spectrum. Flavors of dry cedar, nuts and subdued black pepper spice. Retrohaling brings a nice stone fruit quality as well as elevated nuts and black pepper. Finish is comprised of primarily dry cedar and black pepper, doing a good job of coating the entire palate. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the floral note is reduced slightly while the spicy cedar and cream are again working together up front. At a half inch in, the spice drops from the cedar while the cream is still at an equal level and the floral note is very faint. At an inch in, the cedar transitions to oak and gains a slight char while the cream and mustiness are very faint. The floral note has dropped from the profile. The retrohale carries the charred oak with a slight mustiness. This is the profile the third finishes with. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Second Third

The second third’s profile transitions into a mineral focused format while the nuttiness takes a step back. Essentially it is now a mixture of minerals, cedar, a slight natural sweetness and yeast from bread, and the same subdued black pepper spice. Retrohaling ups the ante on both stone fruits and black pepper. The finish picks up a slight breadiness in addition to the same dry cedar and black pepper. Strength and body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the floral note returns to the background with the mustiness while the oak is up front. At a half inch in, the mustiness increases to become even with the oak while the floral note is still very faint in the background. At an inch in, the cigar begins to heat up which brings a mintiness to the profile. The retrohale is a warm oak. As the cigar comes to a close, the oak and mustiness are up front while some mintiness is present in the background. The strength in this third bumped up to slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third has some espresso beans thrown into the profile on an intermittent basis. Aside from that, it’s still the same notes as the second third (minerals, cedar, faint sweetness from bread, well mannered black pepper spice). Strength and body finishes medium.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy the entire way but never needed any attention. There was an abundance of smoke output the entire way as well. The ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

Impeccable burn performance. Razor sharp burn, two inch ash marks, solid ash and a cool burning temperature.

Draw

The draw was spot on through the first two thirds and then became slightly loose in the final third.

Overall

I really dug the combination of spicy cedar and floral notes in the first third. The complexity of the profile dropped down in each third thereafter and I found my enjoyment level followed that regression. The construction was really good and strength was right around medium the entire way. The price point on this cigar is a deterrent for me, but I did enjoy it. I just can’t see myself going back to it often due to the price though. It is definitely a cigar worth checking out to see what you think and if you feel the price point is worthwhile. Speaking on the cigar itself, it was an enjoyable experience.

Draw

The draw was perfect, striking the best balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

The Davidoff Art Edition 2017 was an overall pleasure to smoke. The large 6×54 had enough peaks and valleys to keep me engaged the entire time, ranging from softness in cedar, nuts, subdued black pepper with minerals and espresso beans towards the back end of the cigar. In a way, it is what is typically expected from a well done Davidoff experience. Not much in terms of wow factors as at no point did I feel the cigar hit a great groove. For $39, I should be wowed. Pick one up to try for a special occasion but probably not more than that.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$5.94

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$5.44

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Art Edition 2017