Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto

By Tony Casas | July 28, 2016

In 2013, Davidoff released a Nicaraguan puro – appropriately named Davidoff Nicaragua – to much critical acclaim, although for some reason, it has so far escaped review here at Casas Fumando.  Earlier this year, a box pressed extension to the Nicaragua line was introduced, but it was not just a different shape.  The Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed sports a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper as opposed to the original’s Rosado, and an extra ligero leaf has been added to the filler blend to give it a little more punch.  The Box Pressed line comes in two sizes:  Robusto 5 x 48, and Toro 6 x 52.  Prices are $14.50 for the Robusto, and $17.20 for the Toro, and like all regular Davidoff lines, is made at the Cigars Davidoff factory in the Dominican Republic.

Famous Smoke Shop’s Cory Grover reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing this cigar.  Of course, there was no way I was going to decline the opportunity to do so.  Famous Smoke carries just about everything Davidoff, and you can check out Famous Smoke Shop’s Davidoff page here.

For some reason, there have not been a lot of reviews here of Davidoff cigars, but Jeremy did a great one of the Millennium Blend which you can find here, and Tony reviewed the Escurio here.

The Basics:

Samples provided by Famous Smoke Shop
Wrapper:  Nicaragua Habano Oscuro
Binder:  Nicaragua Jalapa
Filler:  Nicaragua (Condega, Esteli, and Ometepe)
Size:  Robusto box pressed 5 x48
Price:  $14.50
Smoking time:  One hour, ten minutes
Pairing:  Doorly’s Fine Old Rum Aged 12 Years (ABV 40%)

 

Pre-light: 

The Davidoff Nicaragua Box Press Robusto’s shape gives it an appearance that seems more like a petite corona than a typical robusto, but needless to say, it certainly lives up to what one might expect of Davidoff’s standards.  The wrapper presents itself in an almost uniform amber tinged medium brown spotted with darker hues, a silky oily feel and sheen, and minimal veining leading to a neatly applied triple cap.  It carries a bit of a spongy feel with a few softer spots.  Something I wasn’t expecting is that the primary band also identifies the size of the cigar as Robusto; not a feature you normally see on any cigar, as that would require a different band for each size.  Yep, details obviously matter to Davidoff.  The wrapper exudes a sharp earthy scent, while the foot shows an aroma of rich natural tobacco with faint tones of mossy wood and herbs, and perhaps even a bit of unsweetened cocoa.  After clipping the cap, I am met with sweet spice, light woodiness, a touch of saltiness, and a bit of peppery tingle on the lips and tongue.

 

First third:

Upon lighting, musty, earthy tobacco, pepper, and sweet spicy herbs hit the palate.  Woodiness bordering on mesquite or hickory follows as the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto is already at a solid medium body, while giving up a copious amount of smoke with each easy draw.  The burn line is sharp but wavy, and the ash has unexpectedly fallen into my lap and onto the porch floor.  Toward the end of the opening third, the pepper that had been leaving a scratchiness on the back of my tongue has ebbed, and the entire experience has smoothed out considerably, while bringing in some mocha-like notes and pushing up the body a bit more.

Middle third:

The second ash of the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed has decided to be nice to me and hung on for a good inch before falling off into my ashtray.  The burn has pretty much self-leveled as the mocha/coffee pushes in further and the body continues to climb.  The cigar is rich and smooth and there is just enough strength at this point (combined with the rum) to put me in a nice state of relaxation.  The mustiness is still there, but has moved farther into the background and the sweetness has also fallen back.  Some tartness has emerged, giving the cigar another dimension.

Final third:

Continuing its ascent into the medium-full realm, the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robusto has brought back the pepper, although more in the flavor department than in feel, and some sweetness also return on entry but quickly dissipates on the palate.  Wood, earth, coffee, tartness, a little bit of leather, and that rich and once again musty tobacco intermingle nicely.  The strength continues to move up, but not to an uncomfortable level, as the body approaches full.  With no re-lights or corrections needed throughout, the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed smokes comfortably cool and with just a small amount of softness down to the last ¾”.

Final thoughts:

Nice appearance?  Check.  Great construction and burn?  Yes.  Outstanding flavors, complexity and balance?  Another tick.  The only misgiving I would have is the price, which is obviously a bit high for a 60-70 minute smoke.  That being said, if I could afford it, I would have this stick around at all times.  It’s a damned good cigar to relax and melt into a comfortable chair with, and no doubt one of the best I have had so far this year.  Highly recommended for those who like their smokes on the fuller, stronger side, but still want great balance and smoothness to go along with it.

Thanks to Cory at Famous for sending these to me to check out!  And for another take on this line, but in the Toro size, you might want to take a look into my friend Gary Korb’s review here, which I had to keep myself from reading until I finished my own review, lol.  Sure, Gary works for Famous and is also the head man at Cigar Advisor, but I have always found his reviews to be honest and concise.  Damn, now I want to try out the Toro.

Pairing:

I figured it was about time to take my own advice and match a cigar with a nice rum that I thought would enhance my experience with this cigar.  Doorly’s is a product of the well thought of Barbados based Foursquare Distillery (R.L. Seale & Co. Ltd.), and is mostly available through the Total Wine and More beverage chain.  The Aged 12 Years is a blend of pot and column stilled rums, with 90% aged for 12 years in Kentucky bourbon barrels and the remaining 10% aged for 12 years in Madeira barrels.  Exuding banana and apricot fruit on the nose and a not overly sweet oaky vanilla hit on the palate, this rum presents a smooth and silky feel on the tongue with a nice bit of alcohol warmth.  At about $28 for a fifth, it’s a great deal for a high quality sipping rum and a perfect match-up for a number of cigars.  Hell, that’s an entire bottle for about the cost of two of the Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Robustos.  This was certainly a great pairing, as each complemented the other with what they had to offer, and any deeply flavored but not overly sweet, balanced rum would do well with this cigar.  If you’re looking for a beer to go with it, I would recommend something rich and strong, especially something barrel aged, and in terms or wine, a rich tawny port with a good acidic balance is something I would love to match this up with.

*We often post pairings here on Casas Fumando and have always been advocates on finding the right pairing for your cigar smoking experience. Our friends over at Famous Smoke Shop recently released a very easy to use tool which helps you choose the right pairing for your cigar or drink. Check it out here: https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigar-pairing