While much of the focus regarding Davidoff Group has been the rebranding of its Camacho brand and the launch of Davidoff Nicaragua—both of which have events scheduled for tomorrow for formal their respective formal launchings—Davidoff has been busy with other things as well. One of them was the launch of the Davidoff Masters Edition “Club House” Toro last month.

The press release covered most of the important details:

May 22, 2013 (Basel, Switzerland) — Davidoff tobacco masters have created these very special Limited Edition “Club House” Toro Cigars with moments of shared pleasure in mind. The connoisseur’s choice, wherever he or she is relaxing, particularly enjoying the fairways on a golf course.

Creation of the Davidoff Masters Edition 2013 “Club House” Toro
For this cigar, the Davidoff Master Blenders decided to play the long game, taking adventurous, sometimes risky, shots. They mixed rare and specially matured tobaccos, focusing on delivering delightful aromas rather than pure strength.

The majestic Gran Toro format allows the aficionado to enjoy the cigar’s intensive but balanced and nuanced taste over its entire length: the exceptional Yamasá wrapper, Mejorado filler and Ecuadorian binder develop mildly peppery and creamy notes, followed by elegant hints of chocolate, caramel and coffee.

Finally, displaying a playful elegance, both the cigar box, which is finished in high gloss white, and the second band carry a golf ball pattern.

The new Davidoff Masters Edition Club House Toro is the ultimate way to fill your time beautifully on a golf course with your friends.

This exclusive edition is limited to 7’000 boxes worldwide and the Davidoff Masters Edition 2013 “Club House” Toro can certainly be described as a collector’s item. As we all know, the perfect round of golf depends upon the choice or club and cigar.

This Limited Edition will be available from the end of May onwards in Appointed Merchants across the US.

Price: $21.90 (each)
Price: $219.00 (box of 10)
Format: Gran Toro
Length: 15.9 cm, 6 ¼”
Ring gauge: 2.1 cm, 52 RG
Wrapper: Yamasá- Marron Claro (matured for 3 years)
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Piloto Viso, San Vicente Mejorado Seco, Piloto Mejorado Seco, San Vicente Mejorado Viso, Vicente Mejorado Viso
Aroma: Intensive
Strength: Medium-strong flavour

Here’s what the boxes look like:

Masters Edition Club House Toro Box.jpg

(via Oettinger Davidoff Group)

Davidoff Masters Edition 2013  Club House Toro 1

  • Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Masters Edition 2013 “Club House” Toro
  • Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
  • Factory: Cigars Davidoff
  • Wrapper: Dominican Republic (Yamasá Marron Claro)
  • Binder: Ecuador
  • Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto Viso, San Vicente Mejorado Seco, Piloto Mejorado Seco, San Vicente Mejorado Viso, Vicente Mejorado Viso)
  • Size: 6 1/4 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 52
  • Vitola: Gran Toro
  • MSRP: $21.90 (Boxes of 10, $219.00)
  • Date Released: May 22, 2013
  • Number of Cigars Released: 7,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (70,000 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 1

It’s a great-looking cigar with the Dominican wrapper fairly dark, more akin to Millennium Blend than the Thousand Series, albeit with noticeably more reds and a bit more darkness than the former. While the golf ball treatment to the band is the most obvious appearance feature, the cigar is extremely round. This probably has something to do with the fact the cigar was shipped to us in a single packaging, so the force of the box didn’t apply any press, and probably something related to the precision that is Davidoff. It’s fairly strong to the nose with  roasted barnyard, dark earth, cedar and spices, all smooth and full. There’s some spice on the lips for the cold draw, but the Davidoff is predominantly a mixture of sweet roasted cedar and a touch of cocoa. 

The Club House Toro starts the first third with a touch of bubble gum through the nose before the cedar takes over. It’s somewhat dark, but also sweet, but unfortunately it’s the only discernible flavor for the first fifteen minutes of the cigar. Eventually some dry cocoa notes, more generic roasted flavors and a bit of barnyard make appearances, the latter particularly through the nose. It’s a heavier mix, but still with the smoothness you’d expect from Davidoff. Elsewhere the cigar features a medium plus strength and solid construction with nearly two inches of ash and plenty of smoke through the first part of the cigar.

Davidoff Masters Edition 2013  Club House Toro 2

Unfortunately, as so often happens, the burn becomes troubling during the second third. It’s a touch-up or two an inch, which isn’t a huge deal, but is just odd price and manufacturer considering. It’s even more confusing when you factor in the clouds of smoke the Dominican Toro is putting out. Flavor-wise things are changed from the initial third, but it’s still cedar. It’s earthier and even more robust, but just as dominating as it’s been for the first four inches. At some points, there are other notes that show signs of life in the Davidoff, mainly grass and dark chocolate, but both are short-lived and never come close to even matching the cedar, let alone overtaking it.

Davidoff Masters Edition 2013  Club House Toro 3

As the final third of the Davidoff Masters Edition 2013 enters, other notes arrive as the flavors themselves begin to decline sightly. The cedar is still dominant, but generic woodsiness and grass emerge as actual fixtures. Construction remains much like the second third, a few touch-ups with great smoke production. Strength ends close to where it started medium-plus to medium-full with a full and robust body.

Davidoff Masters Edition 2013  Club House Toro 4

Final Notes:

  • Davidoff is really protective of the White Label itself. While they’ve made it red, gold and now black—the golf ball treatment to the band was a bit surprising, mainly because it’s still mainly white.
  • Golf obviously goes along with a lot of luxury products. The first thing that comes to mind with the phrase “golf ball” treatment is the older Captain Morgan Private Stock bottling.
  • I know it’s only a 52 ring gauge, but it felt more like 54 or 56 while smoking.
  • It’s interesting Davidoff uses the “Davidoff Master Blenders” in the marketing material. The first thing I thought of was not Augusta, but actually of some of the legendary cigars Eladio Diaz rolls for himself.
  • Speaking of the marketing material, I’m not sure what’s with the quotations around Club House. It just seems odd. 
  • I do however appreciate the specificity with tobaccos used. 
  • Presumably the use of “2013” in the name implies there will be a 2014 release.
  • For those wondering, multiple retailers have told us their Davidoff reps have informed them there will be a Davidoff Year of the Horse, a follow-up to the Year of the Snake release, which was banded as “2013,” but released in late 2012.
  • As with almost every Davidoff limited edition, only a fraction of the Club House Toro will show up in the U.S. given Davidoff’s extensive global operations.
  • In addition, the shipments vary. There are still plenty of retailers who seem to be waiting on their shipment. Once again, nothing new.
  • Both good and bad, I was shocked by the construction. The smoke production was better than any Davidoff of memory and as good as just about anything on the market. The draw was predictably ideal, but after the first third, the burn was all over the place. It’s not just that this is a $20.00-plus cigar, it’s Davidoff, universally regarded as one of, if not the, most consistent and precise manufacturers. The first third was great for those wondering.
  • The cigar for this review was sent to halfwheel by site sponsor Davidoff.
  • Final smoking time was one hour and 50 minutes.
  • Site sponsor Cigar King (1.800.669.7167) has the Club House Toro in stockFamous Smoke Shop (1.800.564.2486) is also a Davidoff Appointed Merchants, however, it doesn’t list the 2013 Masters Edition on its website. Don’t forget to tell them halfwheel sent you.
85 Overall Score

I didn't read the press release word-for-word when it first got emailed, but I did after smoking the Masters Edition 2013 "Club House" Toro. Balanced? Sure. Nuanced? Not really Davidoff-nuanced. Mildly peppery? Maybe. Creamy? No. Chocolate? Yes. Caramel? No. Coffee? Nope. What I got was a cigar with a lot of dark cedar notes—detailed and robust—but unfortunately either alone or largely overwhelming every other flavor. If any of the other flavors had emerged in serious form, I would like this cigar a lot more, but as it is, it's a bit lacking for me. Without the bands, I probably won't get this is a Davidoff, let alone a White Label, but for me, that's probably not a good thing.

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.