Davidoff Announces Eladio Diaz-inspired Master Selection Series

Three years ago, Davidoff released Oro Blanco, best known for being a $500 cigar. But it had something else of note: the signature of Eladio Diaz.

Diaz is Davidoff’s longtime master blender and quality control chief. While he has traditionally played a role in the background, a stark contrast to Davidoff’s Henke Kelner, his name had slowly gained more prominence outside of the country and the Dominican Republic, something that came to a head with Oro Blanco. For those close to Diaz, there’s also Diaz’s personal cigars, rolled for his birthday and released to friends and family—they are said to be radically different from much of what Davidoff releases.

Traditionally, they are viewed as much stronger—now the world will have a chance to find out. Davidoff has announced The Master Selection Series, a new line containing previous releases of Diaz’s personal blends. It will start with six cigars: three heading to appointed merchants and three heading to the company’s flagship stores.

All sizes share a few details. They are all 6 x 52 toros, priced at $35. Each comes in a numbered box of 10, though the U.S. boxes will have cigars wrapped in cellophane, where international releases will not. The cigars will ship over the next four months at various times depending on the release and the market.

Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2013 — Appointed Merchant Release / June (U.S. Shipping)

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian habano
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Dominican Republic (piloto viso, piloto seco and San Vicente mejorado viso) & Nicaragua (Condega and Estelí)

Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2010 — Appointed Merchant Release / August (U.S. Shipping)

• Wrapper: Dominican Republic
• Binder: Mexican San Andrés negro
• Filler: Dominican Republic (piloto ligero 10-years-old, San Vicente ligero and San Vicente viso) & Nicaragua (Estelí viso and Semilla A seco)

Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2007 — Appointed Merchant Release / September (U.S. Shipping)

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian habano
• Binder: Dominican hybrid olor/piloto
• Filler: Dominican Republic (hybrid corojo/olor, piloto seco, San Vicente ligero and San Vicente mejorado)

Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2016 — Flagship Release / June (U.S. Shipping)

• Wrapper: Dominican Republic
• Binder: San Vicente mejorado
• Filler: Dominican Republic (piloto mejorado viso, piloto viso and San Vicente mejorado viso) & Nicaragua (Condega viso and Estelí)

Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2011 — Flagship Release / August (U.S. Shipping)

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian habano
• Binder: Mexican San Andrés negro
• Filler: Dominican Republic (piloto volado, San Vicente ligero and San Vicente mejorado viso) & Nicaragua (Estelí ligero and Semilla A viso)

Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2008 — Flagship Release / September (U.S. Shipping)

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian habano
• Binder: Mexican San Andrés negro
• Filler: Dominican Republic (piloto mejorado ligero, piloto mejorado viso, piloto viso, San Vicente mejorado ligero) & Nicaragua (Estelí viso)

The 2007 and 2013 will only go to Switzerland and the U.S.

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.