Last year, Eiadio Diaz, master blender for Davidoff, released the Master Selection, a collection with each blend dedicated to one of his birthdays. Each are produced in a very limited number. Today we are reviewing the Davidoff | Master Selection 2007.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
“These Master Selection Series cigars have been crafted by our Head Master Blender, Eladio Diaz, to satisfy the most demanding cigar aficionado in the world – himself. His agreement to release a few of these six very personal and delightful blends that he has been creating to mark his very own birthdays is a treat for Davidoff. These are simply the finest cigars, worthy of the most special of occasions: time superbly filled for those who have the chance and privilege to taste these cigars,” says Charles Awad, Senior Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer at Oettinger Davidoff AG.
The 2007 is wrapped in a Ecuador “Habano” wrapper and uses Dominican filler San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Seco, Hybrid Corojo/Olor Ligero and San Vicente Mejorado Visus and a binder Hybrid Olor/Piloto They company gives is a 3 out of 5 strength.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Hybrid Piloto/Olor
Filler: Dominican (San Vicente Mejorado, San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Seco, Hybrid Piloto/Olor
Factory: TABADOM
Blender: Eladio Diaz
Number of reviewers: 5 – John I. (John I.) Diana (ArmyRN) Daniel S. (Daniel S.) Alan(Eulogy) Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Price: $35.00
Age: 10 Months
Release Date: September 2017
Contributed by: Davidoff Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 91
“This is a very handsome cigar. Medium-dark brown wrapper with delicate veins running the length with an almost seamless application. There is a well applied triple cap at the head but the cigar does have a slight bent at the foot. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
Aroma: 89
“Soft barnyard notes from the cigar up to the nose. The dry draw is like sweet hay with a hint of barnyard. Not strong or over powering and no ammonia noted. Cigar smells well aged.” –Diana (ArmyRN)
First Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Really nice open draw that fired up really easily. Great early smoke production.
Starts with fairly soft leathery flavors, not as big an opening as a lot of cigars maybe due to the massive girth. Fifteen minutes in and I’m really enjoying this. There’s some background sweetness that’s in the floral realm, along with the very forward notes of creamy leather. Construction is really nice. ” –John I. (John I.)
“Notes of floral were quickly overtaken with a nice black pepper and coffee and I got really excited. But it seems to have calmed down and maybe too much? It may be that the initial flavor burst dies too quickly and gave me a scare but it is starting to flesh out again and the flavors are fairly smooth with the coffee and chocolate coming forward in the retro. The pepper is just a slight tingle but now that the cigar is finding it’s groove I am happy with that.” –Diana (ArmyRN)
Second Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The notes of leather are very clean and upfront; pepper, cedar and stone fruit round out the draw making it a slightly familiar yet unique tasting. The retrohale is still a deep leather which doesn’t help change the dynamic. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
“The play between earthy spices of saffron and cumin and wood continued into the second third. They were joined by another flavor in the form of toasted light rye bread. The wood notes were mostly noticeable on the retrohale. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“I’ve been pretty happy with this throughout the experience, but entering the final third I’m becoming very happy. All of the softer notes have transitioned to really bold earth and coffee. Strength has picked up into the fuller realm without being too much of a nic-bomb. ” –John I. (John I.)
“There is some power in this cigar although one might not think so. Some mineral flavors are peeking through. The coffee continues to be the dominant flavors and the pepper has died down even more. I’d actually like the coffee to come forward even more at this point but I think it’s hit it’s max output. As I head into the home stretch the mineral and floral notes are coming forward and I’m pleasantly surprised by it. Give s a nice finish to this cigar.” –Diana (ArmyRN)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 96
“Nice amount of resistance from the draw and it produces thick cream clouds of smoke. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
Burn: 93
“This cigar maintained a fairly straight burn from start to finish. The ash held through each third.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Construction: 93
“This cigar looked great, and performed very well. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“Loved this one. The early phases were very accessible and really enjoyable, but the transition to bigger bolder flavors in the final third was really the ball game for me. This cigar held my attention from beginning to end. Really fantastic construction was another big plus here. Extremely well done and I’m not generally a big stick guy. ” –John I. (John I.)
“I struggled somewhat with this cigar and I’m not sure why. The flavor was a blast out the gate and then died back very quickly. It had a nice balance of coffee in it but I think I kept waiting for it to come forward more and maybe it lasted too long because of the vitola. The cigar did make a comeback for me in the last third when the mineral and floral notes popped out. Overall it is a solid cigar that I would smoke again but not sure it would be in my regular rotation.” –Diana (ArmyRN)
“With this cigar I was not able to pick any distinct flavors. However, the cigar tasted really good. The flavors were strong and bold. I just simplyed enjoyed the overall flavors of this cigar. I would definitely smoke this cigar again.” –Daniel S. (Daniel S.)
“I enjoyed this cigar. It was a bit of a one trick pony in regards to the flavor profile but the notes were crisp throughout. The smoke was a standout here, producing thick creamy smoke. I wish it did have a bit more evolution in the flavor development but what it does, it does very well. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
“This was a fun cigar as each puff was not the same as the previous. The struggle to be the dominant flavor never ceases, all the way to the end. It always kept me interested and would easily become part of my regular rotation. ” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
"This was a fun cigar as each puff was not the same as the previous. The struggle to be the dominant flavor never ceases, all the way to the end. It always kept me interested and would easily become part of my regular rotation. " -Isaac M. (The Nothing)
