Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition is between light and medium brown and has some thick, raised veins. The seams are a bit raised and the caps decently applied. There are two bands, with the primary being the traditional design for the company and carrying the black and silver color combination for the series. The secondary band is black, copper and silver and denotes the anniversary. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of barnyard and Mexican hot chocolate while the foot brings stewed fruit and cedar. The pre-light draw is dusty cedar and stewed fruit along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition is a good-looking cigar. Finished with a lovely Colorado wrapper, there is some great red clay coloring. Small to medium sized veins present throughout the leather like wrapper. Slightly gritty and silky in texture. Aromas of earth, coffee, spices, wood, leather and tobacco.
John: The Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker with an integrated tear tab to remain intact when opened. The cigar is double banded with a Limited Edition Davidoff silver on black primary band, and a 2013/2023 10 Anniversary secondary band underneath. The cigar weighed in at exactly 20.0 grams and the humidity as measured by the HumidiMeter Pro was 63.8%. Aromas from the wrapper were notes of sourdough, wood, a yeasty center and musty, mild wood. From the foot, I was getting sweet raisin and tobacco, bread and earth.
Jiunn: The Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition has an oily Colorado Red wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell of barnyard, cedar and funky cheese. Aromas from the foot give abundant sweet roasted nuttiness and dried red pepper spice. Cold draws reveal hay and mixed nuts.

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with lightly toasted oak, earth and baking spice. At a quarter inch in, a light mustiness joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, the baking spice transitions to black pepper. The retrohale is toasted oak with light earth and black pepper. At an inch and a half in, the mustiness picks up a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is up front, with the earth, black pepper and mustiness all even a fair bit behind. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with leather, dry earth and spice notes. Not heavy spices, but balanced and present. I am picking up some faint wood, tobacco and coffee bean notes as well. Medium in strength and body.
John: Coffee gets the profile going followed by tobacco, as mild earth and wood finish the draw. A delayed note of tannins comes in the post draw by the second puff. Mild spices make up the retrohale and linger at the back of my throat. Creaminess comes in a few minutes later to balance them out. The retrohale continues to evolve with musty wood on the center of the retrohale. Chocolate and mild dry wood combine by the bottom half of the first third.
Jiunn: The first third is supremely balanced and flavorful. Vanilla cream, brioche bread, hay and baking spices. Retrohaling gives effervescence, cedar and cream. The finish is clean with layered dry cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, all of the supporting notes behind the toasted oak mellow a bit. At a half inch in, after the re-light, the supporting notes pick back up to their previous level. At three quarters of an inch in, the earth and black pepper bump up to right behind the toasted oak. The retrohale is now toasted oak, earth and light mustiness. At an inch and a half in, the black pepper mellows a fair amount. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is just ahead of the earth with black pepper and mustiness in the background. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The second third continues to deliver the flavors of leather, dry earth, tobacco, wood and spices. Coffee notes on the finish. The cigar is balanced. Smooth cigar that is medium in strength and body.
John: Sweet wood greets me in the second third followed by tobacco and dry wood to finish. As the second third settles in, a mushroom and earth combination defines the finish. Earth and wood combine in the center, approaching the halfway point.
Jiunn: The second third is still balanced and flavorful. Flavors of minerals and baking spices become front runners, while maintaining the same level of sweetness and earthiness. Strength and body remains medium.

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth is now even with the toasted oak up front. At a half inch in, the mustiness picks up a bit. The retrohale remains toasted oak, earth and light mustiness. At an inch and a quarter, the toast level increases a bit. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is heavily toasted oak and earth even up front, mustiness in the middle and black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third is in line with the first. Dry earth, wood, tobacco, spices and coffee. Some faint mocha qualities on the finish with some mineral qualities. Medium in strength and body.
John: A retrohale of creamy baking spices are the initial flavors at medium strength here. Tannic wood takes home on the post draw. As the last third continues, the profile becomes wood forward. Earth is driving the finish by the halfway point.
Jiunn: The final third continues to impress. Still a great interplay of minerals, baking spices, vanilla cream and brioche. Strength and body finishes the same medium.

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy throughout and needed one touch-up to keep the wrapper fully burning. The cigar also went out once, requiring a re-light.
Seth: Great construction throughout.
John: The burn was straight through the first and second thirds, becoming wavy in the last third but never requiring a touch-up to intervene.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect. Even burn, ample smoke production, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Beautiful draw from start to finish.
John: The draw was somewhat into the resistant spectrum, roughly 1-1/2 to 2 notches.
Jiunn: Draw performance was on point, providing the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with lightly toasted oak, earth and baking spice. Some mustiness joined in fairly quickly. Later, the baking spice transitioned to black pepper. The second third saw the earth increase and the black pepper and mustiness mellow. The final third saw the earth become even with the toasted oak. The Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition had a nice start, but from the second third on, the flavor profile was average and pretty mundane. This cigar is a far cry from the original Nicaragua blend and doesn’t even approach the enjoyment level of that blend. Unfortunate due to the anniversary nature and the very high price point. Not a cigar I’d see myself returning to.
Seth: Davidoff seems to release limited editions for certain lines in larger vitolas. I don’t know why, but they do. I would say it was successful with Winston Churchill in 2016, as I thought that massive LE was good, but the Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition was somewhat lacking in the giant scheme of things. And I think the lack in performance is due to the ring gauge. Not an unpleasant cigar, or at any point below what I would say is good, but there is something missing and lacking with the overall quality and complexity to the cigar that is needed.
John: The Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition started out well enough in the first third, keeping me engaged with interesting flavor combinations. The second and last thirds were less dynamic and I didn’t find anything there that I would reach for over the original Davidoff Nicaragua Edition. The burn was uneventful with the draw being slightly into the resistant spectrum. I found the profile overall slightly above average, which when you factor in the ultra premium price point is going to be a big miss for me. Other than the band, I don’t find this has a lot in common with the Davidoff Nicaragua which I enjoy in a variety of vitolas. Total smoking time was a long 2 hours and 43 minutes.
Jiunn: This Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition is one of the few that is worthy of a limited edition/anniversary. Not the most transitional of blends but from start to finish, the cigar was amazingly flavorful and balanced. Pick one up or enjoy two hours with this at your favorite cigar shop.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$6.21

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.20

Cost/Point

$5.81

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.85

Cost/Point

$6.15

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$5.02

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Davidoff Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Limited Edition