Davidoff is doing something that most in the cigar world thought they would never do: release a Nicaraguan puro.

News of the new cigar, appropriately called the Davidoff Nicaragua, was released in the April 9, 2013 issue of Cigar Insider. It is scheduled to be released at the upcoming IPCPR Convention and Trade Show being held in Las Vegas in mid-July.

While the cigars use only Nicaraguan tobacco, they are being made at the Cigars Davidoff factory in the Dominican Republic under the watch of Hendrik “Henke” Kelner. It will use a 10-year-old Nicaraguan Havana-seed Rosado wrapper over a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos that come from throughout the country’s prime growing regions. The binder comes from Jalapa, while the filler draws tobacco from Estelí, Condega and Ometepe.

The Davidoff Nicaragua will be available in a trio of vitolas at its debut: a 6 1/2 x 54 Toro; a 5 x 50 Robusto; and a 3 3/4 x 46 Short Corona. The cigars carry price tags of $16.90, $13.90 and $9.90, and while all three sizes will be available in four-packs, the Short Corona will be available in boxes of 14 while the Toro and Robusto will be packaged in 12-count boxes.

Update (June 26, 2013): The original published info regarding the Toro was incorrect. The correct size is 6 1/2 x 54 and is priced at $16.90. In addition, the company has issued the following press release:

 

June 24, 2013 — The new Davidoff Nicaragua Puro cigar range is officially revealed at a New York pre-launch event Basel, June 2013. Davidoff Cigars has unveiled its first Nicaraguan cigar line, Davidoff Nicaragua, at a New York City pre-launch event on June 20, 2013.

“This is a major step for Davidoff to expand to a new territory,” explains Oettinger Davidoff Group CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard. “Davidoff’s mission is to bring aficionados delightful experiences – regardless of territory.”

Exploration, adventure and discovery

Inspired by Zino Davidoff’s pioneering spirit, Davidoff Cigars has made it a mission to delight the cigar aficionado by bringing him a variety of taste experiences and cigar pleasures. Davidoff masterblenders, led by Hendrik “Henke” Kelner, went on an exploration for a new type of blend that would stimulate both the bitter and sweet taste buds. The team embarked on an adventure searching for tobacco across the world’s renowned tobacco regions that would enable the creation of such a cigar. The relentless pursuit for the right blend paid off when they discovered that a blend crafted with the finest leaves from plants grown in the fiery volcanic soil of the Esteli, Condega, Jalapa and Ometepe regions of Nicaragua created just the right balance of sweet and bitter notes to tantalize the palate.

It took time, patience and perseverance to create the perfect conditions in which to craft these fine cigars. 10 years were needed for the preparation, curing and ageing to tame the wilder tendencies of the Nicaraguan tobacco, and to deliver an exceptional blend with all the intensity, excitement and refined sophistication aficionados would expect from Davidoff. As with all Davidoff Cigars, and to guarantee its quality and exceptional craftsmanship, the new Nicaragua range is hand rolled in Davidoff’s Dominican facilities by expert rollers.

“Davidoff Nicaragua has been crafted to delight today’s adventurous aficionados who are in the mood to discover new and exciting experiences to fill their time beautifully. These superb cigars combine the signature Davidoff refinement with all the intriguing intensity of Nicaraguan tobacco,” notes Charles Awad, Senior Vice President Global Marketing and Innovation at Oettinger Davidoff Group

The Davidoff Nicaragua Experience

The 100% Puro Nicaraguan blend combines a 10-year-old Habano Seed Nicaragua Rosado wrapper in a beautiful colour, with a binder from Jalapa and a filler blend of tobaccos from Esteli, Condega and Ometepe. The range comes in three sizes: Toro (5 1⁄2 inches; 54 RG); Robusto (5 inches; 50 RG) and Short Corona (3 3⁄4 inches; 46 RG).

The new range was very well received by aficionados who had a chance to experience it. In a blind taste test conducted at the Art Of Smoke in Germany, Davidoff Nicaragua ranked as of the five best cigars ever tested across all tobacco origins and blends. “One of the best cigars I’ve ever smoked. The cigar would be a regular in my humidor,” reveals a participant of the taste test carried out by Art of Smoke.

The experience starts off with white peppery notes, joined by typical Nicaraguan stimulation at the back of the palate. In the second third, the cigar starts changing, growing milder, alongside the appearance of an enjoyable sweetness. The aroma becomes milder, and flavours of roasted coffee beans and dark, bitter chocolate make themselves known. The cigar develops a creaminess at the end of the second third. During the last third, the cigar keeps building on the second third, delivering growing excitement and balance, thus becoming the kind of experience that only Davidoff can create. Time filled beautifully.

Launch and Availability

The official launch of Davidoff Nicaragua will take place during IPCPR (USA) in July 2013, followed by Inter-tabac (Germany) in September 2013.

The three formats – Toro, Robusto and Short Corona – will be available at Davidoff Appointed Merchants / Depositaires from July 2013 in the US and worldwide from September 2013.

To complement the cigar range, Davidoff will be introducing innovative accessories: a stylishly crafted new Limited Edition humidor, Davidoff’s first jet flame lighter and a punch cutter.

  • Formats                               Toro; Robusto; Short Corona
  • Length/Diameter               Toro (5 1⁄2 inches; 54 RG); Robusto (5 inches; 50 RG); Short Corona (3 3⁄4 inches; 46 RG)
  • Wrapper                              10-year-old Habano Seed Nicaragua Rosado
  • Binder                                  Jalapa
  • Filler                                     Tobaccos from Esteli, Condega and Ometepe
  • Price                                     66.00 US $ (per pack of 4 Toro cigars)
    198.00 US $ (Toro, 12-piece box)                                              55.60 US $ (per pack of 4 Robusto cigars)
    166.80 US $ (Robusto Tubo, 12-piece box)49.50 US $ (per pack of 5 Short Corona cigars)
    138.60 US $ (Short Corona, 14-piece box)
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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.