Today’s review comes from the host of The Cigar Authority, David Garofalo while Barry is on his honeymoon.
Cigar Review: Davidoff Royal Salomone (Royal Release 2016)
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Blend: Dominican Puro (Wrapper, Binder and Fillers)
Single: $100 Single
Box: $1,000 Box of 10
Size: 8.5” x 57
The Davidoff Royal Solomone cigar has been previously released, and I smoked them but they tell me this one is different, and it is. The size is the exact same. However, the first thing that you will notice different about it is the color of the secondary band which is a royal blue instead of white. The second thing you will definitely notice is the price, twice the previous price, now priced at one hundred dollars per cigar.
Also different is the blend, which uses a new proprietary wrapper called Aromatica Dominicana. This cigar is now a Dominican puro, meaning the wrapper, filler and binders all use Dominican tobacco. All hand selected for this very special cigar. The tobacco has been aged 8 years and just 4 pairs of highly experienced rollers have been commissioned to roll these ultra-luxury cigars. Each and every cigar has been inspected and signed off by Henke Kelner himself along with the very pair of rollers who made the cigars within each box.
Davidoff Royal has a shorter size, in the same blend, called the Royal Robusto measuring in at 5.5” x 55 and priced at $80, so for just $20 more, I thought I’d go for the gold (or Royal in this case) and smoke the Solomone. So here we go… The 2016 Davidoff Royal Solomone.
Because this is a Solomone, it has a nipple (for lack of a better word) where you light the cigar. After a quick light the flavors begin in just a short moment. The burn climbs up the bulb and you are smacked with eruptions of cinnamon and citrus notes. The aroma is sweet and toasty.
The body is heavier than I expected on such a large cigar, medium-plus as I got through only the first third which took an entire hour as it slowly and steadily burned perfectly.
Tangy citrus and cedar wood notes with hints of black pepper are apparent in the second third. This cigar is no light weight, as it builds in strength and character.
Leather notes become apparent in the final third as I approach the first band which I will remove to get further into this masterpiece.
Final Thoughts: This is a special cigar and the price points are not for everyone and shouldn’t be. It is a celebration cigar and for a very special occasion. If I was to go back in time before lighting this cigar up, I would choose to buy 2 of them and enjoy the cigar with someone, which could take this cigar to another level, as I believe this cigar is meant to be experienced with others and not alone.
It has very different characteristics than any other Davidoff cigar with complex notes that I had a difficult time describing in words. Medium-plus in body and strength. I smoked it for a little over two and a half hours which breaks down to about forty dollars an hour. Is it worth it? Of course not (only for the price), but it is an experience I just had to have, and I’ll probably do it again, but definitely not alone next time.
Rating: 91
