Davidoff Adds Winston Churchill Late Hour

Barrel-aged, black bands and Winston Churchill.

Those three traits each represent some of Davidoff of Geneva USA’s most successful launches in recent years and now they all come together in the form of a new line: Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour.

It’s highlighted by one tobacco in particular, viso leaves from Condega, Nicaragua which have been aged in spent single malt Scotch whisky barrels. Davidoff says the tobaccos are place in the former Speyside barrels for three months where the tobacco goes through additional fermentation. After the first three months, the tobacco is rotated and then left in the barrels for another three months.

That leaf is part of the filler, joined by three Dominican tobaccos—olor viso, piloto seco and San Vicente mejorado viso—as well as one last varietal, visos from Estelí, Nicaragua. On top of that is a Mexican San Andrés negro binder and an Ecuadorian habano marron oscuro wrapper.

It’s offered in three-sizes.

• Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour Robusto (5 x 52) — $17.50 (Boxes of 20, $350)
• Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour Toro (6 x 54) — $19.10 (Boxes of 20, $382)
• Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour Churchill (7 x 48) — $20.10 (Boxes of 20, $402)

The cigars will be on retail shelves in the U.S. this month, Winston Churchill Late Hour ships to Switzerland on Aug. 2 and other markets in autumn. Outside of the U.S., it will be offered in both boxes of 20 as well as four-packs.

“The late hours into the early morning was the time when Churchill would gather all those resources together and commit himself to working, whether it was on his books with his research advisors or with his military people deciding the course of action,” said Randolph Churchill, great grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, in a press release. “So, the late hours and the dark hours were when Churchill was his most productive in life. And he was never without a cigar.”

In addition to the cigars Davidoff will launch a new Winston Churchill accessory line.It’s highlighted by four humidors, two designs, each available in two different sizes.

Davidoff has created The London and The Union Jack humidors, each of which are offered in either Ambassador or Primos sizes.

The Ambassador is the larger of the two, capable of holding 70-90 cigars with a removable basket. It measures 15 inches x 9.45 x 5.63. The Primos is designed to hold 25-35 cigars, it measures 11.4 x 9.4 x 4.25. Both humidors are made from African Okoumé wood, a species chosen specifically for its lack of odor, and come with a single Davidoff slim regulator, the company’s humidification device.

The Ambassador models are priced at $2,050 and the Primos retail for $1,550.

“The aim was to craft a new range of contemporary Davidoff Winston Churchill accessories inspired by a key facet of the man himself – his statesmanship,” said Charles Awad, svp of marketing for Oettinger Davidoff AG. “Sir Winston Churchill’s leadership role in British politics for over 55 years, as well as his well-known fondness for fine cigars and Scotch whisky, were a great source of inspiration for Davidoff’s teams of designers and craftsmen. The attractive designs of this new range, as well as Davidoff’s unparalleled technical expertise, will make the cigar ritual and the enjoyment of today’s discerning aficionado.”

Davidoff’s French porcelain ashtray is also part of the Winston Churchill line of accessories. The ashtray is priced at $390 and limited to 115 numbered pieces.

Finally, the company has created new whisky glasses with two notches designed to act as a cigar rest. They are 9cm tall and measure 8cm in diameter. Pricing is set at $95 for a set of two glasses.

All accessories will begin shipping in August.