Cigar Review: Davidoff Short Perfecto

Davidoff Short Perfecto

In the summer of 2006 these were my favorite cigars to smoke. Sitting outside at the Tiki Bar at the Elks club smoking a Short Perfecto and sipping on a drink was the perfect way to relax for me. Sometime in the past couple of years Davidoff quietly changed the blend of these cigars switching from a Connecticut grown wrapper, to a Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper. The Davidoff rep in NJ informed me that this was done because Davidoff did not want to depend on the Connecticut tobacco farms which are mostly owned by General Cigars. So they began to grow the wrappers in Ecuador which is under cloud cover most of the year compared to the Connecticut shade wrappers which are kept under cheese cloth to keep them out of the sun.

Cigar: Davidoff Short Perfecto
Origin: Dominican Republic
Size: 4 7/8 x 52 (Perfecto)
Wrapper: Ecuador Shade Grown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic

Appearance & Construction (18/20): One of my favorite shapes is the perfecto, and the Davidoff is a classic. The cigar features some minimal veins  with a somewhat toothy appearance. The band screams classy with its white band and the name Davidoff in gold script.

Flavor & Notes (23/30): The prelight draw reveals some strong notes of grass and wheat. After the perfecto is lit with ease the first third of the cigar offers notes of grass and a touch of pepper on the back of the throat. As we enter the second third of the smoke the pepper fades and while  notes of grass remain they are joined by some wheat notes. The conclusion of the cigar was that of earth and grass with a touch of wheat.

Burn/Ash/Draw (24/25): When lighting a perfecto you have to be more careful to get the whole cigar lit or you will wind up with an uneven burn fairly quick. If done correctly the burn line is crisp while the motted grey ash holds strong and the need to ash did not occur to nearly the halfway point. On a side note I had to put my cigar down for 10 minutes as I had to deal with some business issues. When I got back to my cigar it was still lit which is always a nice thing.

Overall (20/25): The rep told me me no one has complained about the change in the blend, but let me make this review my official complaint. The cigar is less smooth and creamy and the grass notes are far more then they used to be. What used to be one of my favorite cigars is now an average run of the mill stick and if it wasn’t for the name I wonder how many people would actually like a Davidoff.

Rating: 85
Price: $13.00

Cigar Review: Olor del Cibao

Olor del Cibao

Today’s smoke comes courtesy of TexCigars.com and according to their website; With a rather oily, dark maduro wrapper, these cigars are another favorite by Olor Del Cibao – a Dominican Republic Cigar Manufacturer. They are long leaf filler Dark Maduro Cigars. Because these cigars are 100% hand made in the Dominican Republic, they have a great draw and burn. If you’re looking for an oily cigar, this is the one for you. These cigars have been reviewed by a number of cigar aficionados including CigarJack, Brian Hewitt & VelvetCigar.net. All gave positive reviews on this line of cigars. Lets see if I agree with these great websites…

Cigar: Olor del Cibao
Origin: Dominican Republic
Size: 6 x 46 (Corona)
Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Maduro)
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic

Appearance & Construction (18/20): This cigar which is only available at Tex Cigars features a dark maduro wrapper with some minimal veins. The wrapper glistens with oils and has a generous weight to it for a corona smoke. The label is classic looking featuring colors of black, gold and white.

Flavor & Notes (27/30): The pre-light draw reveals earthy notes of grass and wheat, which to be honest is not something I am too fond of. Thankfully once the cigar is lit the grass slowly begins to take a back seat as a nice coffee note begins to take control of my palate. The first third concludes with notes of coffee, and nuts with just a little touch of grass remaining. As we make our way through the second third of the smoke there is a creaminess that is simply devine. The subtle notes of coffee and nuts remain that are most relaxing. Occaisonally they are joined by a trace of blueberry notes as the second third concludes.  The final third of this smoke offer notes of coffee with a slight nuttiness and a touch of grass.

Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): The draw for this corona starts off slightly loose, but is acceptable none the less. The ash is a gorgeous white color that holds on extremely well. The burn line is straight for the most part with an occasional jagged edge.

Overall (23/25): It is a shame that this cigar is only available at Tex Cigars because I can easily see it becoming a best seller in many brick & mortars around the USA. The flavor profile of this cigar is wonderful and i recommend giving them a shot!

Rating: 91
Price: 69.99 for 25 sticks

Cigar Review: Pinar Del Rio Oscuro

Pinar Del Rio Oscuro

According to the Pinar Del Rio website the Pinar Del Río Oscuro is rolled for the dark wrapper enthusiast. Utilizing a maduro wrapper leaf, Oscuro is a strong cigar that is supremely clean, a rare feat that is seldom accomplished by cigar factories today. with a silky texture. It recently came to be in a cigar pass from one of the members of CigarOutcast.com. Cigar Outcast is a private, invite only cigar forum for cigar enthusiasts.

Cigar: Pinar Del Rio Oscuro
Origin: Dominican Republic
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Habano Oscuro (Dominican)
Binder: Habano (Dominican)
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Appearance & Construction (19/20): This gorgeous Habano Oscuro wrapper features a flawless roll. It is virtually impossible to spot the lines of the roll. The cigar has a nice weight to it with no soft spots what so ever. The label is a nice mixture of gold, black and a eye catching shade of blue. If there is one negative it is the somewhat sloppy cap.

Flavor & Notes (25/30): The cigar starts with notes that were consistent with the pre-light notes of earth. As we continue to work on the first third of the smoke the earth is joined by notes of a very dark, strong coffee similar to Cafe Bustello. Make sure you have some water on hand as you smoke this cigar as it can leave you a little dry. The second third of the smoke the coffee notes move to the front, while the earth remains in the background. As we conclude our smoke the cigar is very earthy.

Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): The burn is even throughout and despite an initial flowering effect of the ash it held tigh and strong. The color of the ash, a chalky white. The draw was the negative in this category as both sticks I smoked offered a slightly tight draw but not at the point where it was not smoke worthy.

Overall (22/25): The Pinar Del Rio is a boutique brand that flew by unnoticed by me until the cigar pass made it’s way to me. However now that I am aware of this brand I will keep a few in my humidor at all times and I look forward to trying their sun grown blend.

Rating: 89
Price: 6.75