Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2014

Davidoff

• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Cigars Davidoff
• Wrapper: Dominican Republic
• Binder: Ecuador (702)
• Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto Ligero and Viso, Hybrid Olor, and San Vicente Ligero, Visos and Seco)
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $35 (Box of 10, $350)
• Release Date: Sept. 1, 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: 2,500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (25,000 Total Cigars)
• Original Score: 92

Cigar companies make cigars that they think will do well in the market, a skill that requires understanding how to create a profile with a good amount of wide appeal, as well as ensuring that there is enough tobacco to consistently create that profile over time.

But what do those cigar makers prefer to smoke when they get to create their own blends? It’s a question that is occasionally answered with limited editions such as this, the Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2014.

Rooted in a collection of cigars that Davidoff’s former blend and quality control chief, Eladio Diaz, made for himself around his birthday, the Master Selection has continued to grow despite Diaz leaving the company to start his own factory. And while Diaz’s name and signature are gone, this latest edition lives up to the high expectations set by the previous six cigars that launched the series in 2017.

A glance at the blend profile gives a good indication of what the cigar will offer, as it shows off some excellent expressions of flavors and profiles synonymous with the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. After starting with a fairly tame, mellow profile, the cigar undergoes a steady progression that finishes with a surprising robustness. But it’s the journey from start to finish that makes this a special cigar, particularly the interaction between puffs and retrohales and how well they complement each other. Each retrohale seems to reveal a nuance about each puff and vice versa, which leads to experiencing some remarkably detailed flavors and aromas.

As I did in my original review, I will once again borrow a line from one of Charlie Minato’s reviews, all it takes is smoking the Davidoff The Master Selection Series 2014 to make it easy to understand the excellence of this cigar. — Patrick Lagreid.