This weekend I picked up a cigar that was something I hadn’t grabbed in a very long time, Davidoff Millennium. The cigar was originally released in 2001 which gives it more than enough years to be FDA compliant in terms of being pre-2007. It’s a cigar that I smoked from time to time when I lived in NYC, but over the years it fell off my radar.
With my palate calibrated once again thanks to the cigar I smoked last week I wanted to smoke a cigar that I hadn’t picked up in a long time, and this brings up to today’s review.
Cigar Review: Davidoff Millennium
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador Sungrown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Vitola: Toro
The Look: Packaged in 10 count boxes, the first thing I said when saw the cigar after many years was “wow, that’s dark for a Davidoff white label”. I’m not gonna lie, the darker nature of the exquisite sun grown wrapper from Ecuador pulled me to the cigar despite its hefty price tag. The wrapper that adorns the cigar is flawless and seamlessly applied. Under the fingers there is a subtle roughness to the touch and a nice weight to it. Featuring a dual band the secondary band denoting Millennium Blend is placed under the iconic Davidoff white label.
The Notes: The aroma off the foot reveals a subtle sweetness, cedar and earth. While that seems familiar for a Davidoff, the cold draw is different than expected. There is a subtle wine like note that is complimented by roasted nuts. In fact the notes have me wondering if any of the tobacco saw some barrel aging.
Once the cigar is toasted and lit some of the roasted notes from the prelight draw carry over to the smoking experience. There notes are joined by a subtle brown sugar and earthy notes. The retrohale of the cigar has a sweetness to it which brings out some white chocolate notes on the finish.
Moving on to the second third some hints of caramel develop with continued elements of roasted nuts that dominate the palate. As the cigar crosses the half-way point some cedar begins to develop and the retrohale while still sweet develops a subtle pepper to go along with it.
The last third of the Millennium continues with some sweetness and roasted nuts that continue to dominate the flavor profile of this toro cigar. The finish has more earth than the previous two thirds with some pepper through the nose on the retrohale.
The Finish: The one thing that really stands out when it comes to Davidoff is how smooth and balanced they are. A lot of people will smoke a Davidoff and think it is incredibly mild because of the incredible blending that Henke Kelner does. On a scale of 10, the strength factor on this Millennium blend is a 7, but many might think it far less because of the balance achieved in putting together the tobaccos used on this cigar. Simply put, this cigar is exceptional and I plan to light up another the next time I pour a glass of Glenfiddich 14 Year (Bourbon Barrel Reserve).
Score: 93
Price: $24.29 / $91.99 / $228.99
