Each year that Davidoff releases their limited edition Year of the Series I can’t help but chuckle as it is a cigar ahead of its time. Despite being November, 2018 the cigar is billed as a 2019 Limited Edition. This year marks the seventh time that Davidoff has released a cigar in conjunction with the Chinese New Year, and only 3,000 boxes of 10 cigars have been released in the U.S. market. Without further delay, here is our review of the Davidoff Year of the Pig.
Cigar Review: Davidoff Year of the Pig
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano 2000
Binder: Mexico San Andres Negro
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli Ligero, Condega Seco), Dominican Republic (Piloto Visus, Hybrid Plor/PilotoVisus, Piloto Seco)
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 56
Size: Gran Toro
The Look: Packaged in a high gloss box of red and gold inspired by Asian influence complete with a silhouette of a pig, the animal associated with the 2019 Chinese New Year. The cigar features two bands with the first one being the classic Davidoff white label, and a secondary band denoting Year of the Pig. The toothy looking Habano 2000 wrapper is rolled to perfection with a slightly spongy foot and a very subtle pigtail cap.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Davidoff Year of the Pig serves up notes of cinnamon and clove, with a slightly musky aroma of damp wood, and leather. After we toast the 56 ring gauge Davidoff, the initial notes remind me of oak.
Moving into the first third the woody notes remind of something that would be used to smoke meat. In addition there are hints of wheat and some leather on the finish of the cigar which is moderate in length. The retrohale serves up pepper notes, that lengthens the finish slightly.
Moving into the second third the wood notes begin to pull back and hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove begin to develop with a smooth creaminess on the finish which is becoming longer a the cigar progresses. The retrohale serves up red pepper flakes and nuances of leather.
As the cigar comes to a close notes of oak become dominant with a touch of leather. The retrohale adds some added red pepper and the cigar has a moderate finish.
The Finish: This marks the fourth cigar I’ve reviewed from the Year of the releases. In 2014 I gave the Sheep an 88, in 2015 the Monkey received a 91, the Rooster in 2016 got a 93 and last year the Dog got an 88. This year, the cigar ranks higher in all but one. There is a nice amount of flavor to this cigar that is different then you would expect from Davidoff. It’s a winner, even at the hefts price tag.
Score: 92
Price: $39.00 / $389.99
Davidoff Year of the Pig
Davidoff Year of the Pig Foot
Davidoff Year of the Pig Burn
