Cavalier Genève Limited Edition 2023

In 2018, Cavalier Genève released its first limited production creation for the American market: Limited Edition 2018. The 4 3/4 x 58 box-pressed robusto gordo was based on the company’s Black Series II line. While 500 boxes of that first limited edition were released, only 200 of them were shipped to retailers in the U.S.

Since that first year, the company’s Limited Edition line has become an annual release, and while the first two incarnations were the same 4 3/4 x 58 vitola—albeit with different production numbers—starting in 2020, Cavalier Genève has utilized a 6 x 54 toro gordo size. In addition, while the company has not disclosed the blend for any of the Limited Edition releases, it has confirmed that each cigar is different from year to year.

During the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, the company showed off the latest addition to the line, aptly named Limited Edition 2023. While the newest version is the same 6 x 54 vitola as noted above, this one is round as opposed to being box-pressed like its predecessor. It also features a different secondary band design compared to the 2021 and 2022 versions, and while that band is very similar visually to the one used on the Limited Edition 2020, they are not exactly the same.  

“Being completely free to work with any tobacco, experiment, no compromise related to sourcing to ensure continuous volumes, allowing the use of unique, in some cases hard to source, sometimes even particularly difficult to work with, tobaccos to create an uncompromised cigar always is a fantastic process,” said Sebastien Decoppet, founder of Cavalier Genève Cigars, in a press release. “This year’s LE is no exception to the rule and I will say that I am very pleased with the final result. The cigars will be showcased at the PCA as is customary for us and will then progressively reach retailers across the country in the following weeks.”

Like last year’s Limited Edition, the total production for this year was a very specific number: exactly 1,948 10-count boxes. According to Decoppet, 1948 degrees Fahrenheit is the melting temperature of gold, a reference to the gold leaf the company has put on every cigar to date other than the recent Inner Circle release.

The MSRP for the Cavalier Genève Limited Edition 2023 is set at $14.60 per cigar, and out of the 1,948 boxes of 10 cigars that were produced, about 1,000 were designated for U.S. retailers. As was the case with last year’s release, the cigars were rolled at Cavalier’s Fábrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A. factory in Honduras and boxes started shipping to retailers in July.

• Cigar Reviewed: Cavalier Genève Limited Edition 2023
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Fábrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A.
• Wrapper: Undisclosed
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Toro Extra
• MSRP: $14.60 (Box of 10, $146)
• Release Date: July 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: 1,948 Boxes of 10 Cigars (19,480 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The Cavalier Genève LE 2023 is covered by rustic, dark brown wrapper, though, in certain light, I do see a slight reddish tint. There is a touch of oil present on all three cigars, but there is also a large number of very obvious, protruding veins, and the wrappers feel like parchment paper. Aromas from the wrappers include light notes of earth, leather, barnyard and generic sweet nuttiness along with a slight woodiness. Notes from the feet of the cigars are quite a bit more distinct, with strong earth leading black pepper, cloves, dark chocolate, oak, roasted coffee beans and vanilla bean sweetness. Finally, after straight cuts, the cold draws bring flavors of creamy oak, earth, sourdough bread, leather, cocoa nibs, raisins and very slight paint.

Just after lighting to the foot, the profile of the cigars starts off with notes of cloves, black pepper, and a bit of spice on my tongue, although after only five or so puffs, I can tell the latter is already fading. While the cloves note remains one of the top flavors during the first third, it is joined by a creamy oak flavor fairly quickly, and that combination is followed by leather, earth, toasted bread, baker’s spices, almonds and tree bark, along with a slight mushroom note that comes and goes. In addition, the amount of black pepper on the retrohale is quite light, which allows a very rich—although not very strong—maple syrup sweetness to emerge. Flavor ends the first third at medium-plus, while both the body and strength top out at a solid medium so far. Construction-wise, one cigar needs a minor correction with my lighter, but the burn lines on the other two cigars are excellent; there is plenty of thick, gray smoke, and the draws give just the right amount of resistance.

I start to notice an increase in the amount of spice on my tongue just after the second third of the Cavalier Genève LE 2023 begins, but the creamy oak and cloves combination continues to easily top the profile. Additional flavors of earth, sourdough bread, roasted coffee beans, cocoa nibs and almonds flit in and out at various points, while one of the cigars includes a distinct cinnamon note on the finish for a short time. Small amounts of both black pepper and maple syrup sweetness are still evident on the retrohale, but neither note has increased substantially compared to the first third. Flavor bumps up to medium-full, the body remains at a solid medium and the strength increases just enough to land at a point just over the medium mark. One cigar ends up needing a minor touch-up, but the other two cigars are fine in that regard. All three cigars continue to be problem-free when it comes to the draws and smoke production.

The profile shifts a bit during the final third, as the cloves note moves to the background and is replaced by a powdery cocoa nibs flavor that joins the creamy oak note. Secondary flavors include toasted bread, coffee beans, toasted bread, earth, generic nuts and light lemongrass, but there is slightly less black pepper and slightly more of the sweet maple syrup on the retorhale. Flavor remains at medium-full, but both the body and strength increase slightly to land at just over medium and medium-plus, respectively. Finally, the construction across the three cigars is a carbon copy of the second third: one cigar needs a quick burn correction and all three exhibit copious amounts of smoke and excellent draws until I put the nubs down with less than an inch left.

Final Notes

• The paint note I tasted on the cold draw is somewhat interesting since the cigars didn’t smell like paint when I opened the box up.
• The construction was just short of fantastic on all three cigars I smoked for this review: the draws had just the right amount of resistance after straight cuts, there were copious amounts of thick, gray smoke, and other than two very minor corrections on two separate cigars, I did not even have to think about picking up my lighter at any point.
• The Cavalier Genève Limited Edition 2020 took the 10th spot in halfwheel’s Top 25 of 2021.
• If you are wondering: yes, the company’s signature diamond made out of edible gold is present on the wrapper, but it is totally covered until you remove the two bands. Of course, I understand the idea of wanting bands on cigars to differentiate releases, but I do hate the fact that the distinctive golden diamond is covered up.
• For those worried about smoking edible gold, I talked to a doctor before smoking the Daniel Marshall 24kt Golden Torpedo 2011—which is completely covered in editable gold—and his professional opinion was that there would be no problems since gold has a much higher melting point than tobacco, provided I was inhaling the cigar smoke.

• The box that our cigars came out of was number 0999/1948.
• Cavalier Genève advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• This is a fairly slow-burning cigar for the size, and the smoking times for all three cigars averaged out to 1 hour and 52 minutes.
• If you would like to purchase any of the Cavalier Genève Limited Edition 2023 cigars, site sponsor Atlantic Cigar Co. has them for sale on its website.