Cigar Weekly

Black Plague · 03-31-2008, 08:53 PM

Call me stubborn, but I rarely give up on a brand after one or two bad experiences. Though the Davidoffs I've tried in the past have never been REALLY bad, they've never been much good either. First one I ever had was a Millenium Brand Robusto with no flavor whatsoever (but looking back and considering the guy I got it from, I wouldn't be surprized if it was a counterfeit). The Mille Series one I had a few months back was boring. But I finally found one that lived up to the Davidoff reputation. Though I can't really see myself shelling for a whole box, simply because of the price, this one was one of the best milder NC's I've had in a long time.

Davidoff
Grand Cru No. 2
5 5/8 x 43 Corona

Prelight: A light walnut shell-colored claro wrapper, Connecticut seed grown high up in the mountains of Ecuador. Pale, unraised veins ran in rivulets across it, stains of oil unevenly splotched around, especially towards the box-pressed foot. A round but slightly uneven cap. Cut nicely with my Xikar, and prelight draws teased out woody-sweet flavors with some hints of tea and honey.

Beverage: Started out with water, but decided that Crown Royal Special Reserve Canadian whisky would make a nice accompaniment.

Flavor: Began sweet, mild, and very "clean" tasting, like the best Connecticut Shade wrappers do, whether grown in their homeland or in the clouds of Ecuador. Cedary finish with those tea and honey notes from the preburn draws, along with a light nutty flavor and wood on the finish. A quarter of the way down, wood and cedar flavors grew. Around this time, I decided to pair it with the whisky, which brought out sweet and woody barrel flavors. Honey-roasted nuts, a woody sweet aroma, and nuances of exotic spice. Halfway, the finish was super-long, woody, with hints of straw, what I consider to be emblematic of good Connecticut-wrapped Dominican leaf. A very light cinnamon spice grew on the tip of my tongue. Tiny hints of grass came out in the aroma and the palate, along with some sugary sweetness. Two-thirds down, it was still mild and woody, but with a little black pepper tingle developing on the finish.

Construction: Typical Davidoff construction...in a word, perfect! Burned straight as an arrow the entire length, draw was just right, and the medium-gray ash never flaked and held on like a champ.

Summary: This is why I'm reluctant to give up on any brand, even after some bad experiences. I normally am not a big fan of Connecticut-wrapped cigars, but this blend seemed to pick out all the best that mild, woody Connecticut and Dominican tobaccos have to offer while eliminating the negatives. The Grand Cru series is proof that a mild NC cigar can still keep you interested. Only caveat I will make is that, to get the best out of this cigar, it needs to be smoked slowly and leisurely. Too fast, and the woody taste just dominates and ruins the flavor profile.

03-31-2008, 08:53 PM	#1
Black Plague Herf Meister Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 7,650	Davidoff Grand Cru No. 2 Call me stubborn, but I rarely give up on a brand after one or two bad experiences. Though the Davidoffs I've tried in the past have never been REALLY bad, they've never been much good either. First one I ever had was a Millenium Brand Robusto with no flavor whatsoever (but looking back and considering the guy I got it from, I wouldn't be surprized if it was a counterfeit). The Mille Series one I had a few months back was boring. But I finally found one that lived up to the Davidoff reputation. Though I can't really see myself shelling for a whole box, simply because of the price, this one was one of the best milder NC's I've had in a long time. Davidoff Grand Cru No. 2 5 5/8 x 43 Corona Prelight: A light walnut shell-colored claro wrapper, Connecticut seed grown high up in the mountains of Ecuador. Pale, unraised veins ran in rivulets across it, stains of oil unevenly splotched around, especially towards the box-pressed foot. A round but slightly uneven cap. Cut nicely with my Xikar, and prelight draws teased out woody-sweet flavors with some hints of tea and honey. Beverage: Started out with water, but decided that Crown Royal Special Reserve Canadian whisky would make a nice accompaniment. Flavor: Began sweet, mild, and very "clean" tasting, like the best Connecticut Shade wrappers do, whether grown in their homeland or in the clouds of Ecuador. Cedary finish with those tea and honey notes from the preburn draws, along with a light nutty flavor and wood on the finish. A quarter of the way down, wood and cedar flavors grew. Around this time, I decided to pair it with the whisky, which brought out sweet and woody barrel flavors. Honey-roasted nuts, a woody sweet aroma, and nuances of exotic spice. Halfway, the finish was super-long, woody, with hints of straw, what I consider to be emblematic of good Connecticut-wrapped Dominican leaf. A very light cinnamon spice grew on the tip of my tongue. Tiny hints of grass came out in the aroma and the palate, along with some sugary sweetness. Two-thirds down, it was still mild and woody, but with a little black pepper tingle developing on the finish. Construction: Typical Davidoff construction...in a word, perfect! Burned straight as an arrow the entire length, draw was just right, and the medium-gray ash never flaked and held on like a champ. Summary: This is why I'm reluctant to give up on any brand, even after some bad experiences. I normally am not a big fan of Connecticut-wrapped cigars, but this blend seemed to pick out all the best that mild, woody Connecticut and Dominican tobaccos have to offer while eliminating the negatives. The Grand Cru series is proof that a mild NC cigar can still keep you interested. Only caveat I will make is that, to get the best out of this cigar, it needs to be smoked slowly and leisurely. Too fast, and the woody taste just dominates and ruins the flavor profile.