Davidoff’s Zodiac Series has always done well on the halfwheel Packaging Awards, but the 2021 release of the Year of the Tiger may have set the bar even higher. Truly drawing on and bringing the theme of a tiger to life, the company created slated box lids that evoked thoughts of a tiger’s stripes, while the center cigar—the one most visible—immediately reinforces the theme due to its uniquely treated wrapper.
Once removed from its white, outer protective box, the main packaging reveals several impressive touches, from the gold tiger that is etched into the wood of the lid, and a strip of wood held into place by magnets to keep the cigars more securely in place.
While we also include the bands of a cigar when allocating our votes, in this case, they may be the most pedestrian aspect with the familiar white Davidoff band and a red and gold secondary band, yet even they are still classy and elegant. Likewise, the thickness of the wood used might also be overlooked at first but shouldn’t go unnoticed or unrecognized for adding to the substantialness of the release.
While it didn’t factor into this evaluation process, the company further enhanced the release of the Year of the Tiger with an accessory set that includes a Davidoff Masterpiece Humidor adorned by two contrasting tigers, as well as an ashtray and cigar case. — Patrick Lagreid.
