Aged & Rare: Davidoff Tour Gastronomique

• Vitola: Toro
• 6″ x 52 ring gauge
• ~$25
• Purchased at Maxamar Ultimate Cigar

Background

Before there was a Chef’s Edition, Davidoff Cigars was hosting an annual “Tour Gastronomique” or “Gastronomy Tour” featuring incredible food in lavish locations and special cigars that went along with them. I remember seeing one of these Tour Gastronomique cigars at some place along the line…maybe Burns…maybe some other shop…but I never had the desire to try them out until after I had discovered just how amazing the Chef’s Edition was.

While I was at Maxamar in October, I picked up a stick with the intention of writing about it…then I discovered that there really is no information about these cigars anywhere. It’s like they never existed. I found a “10 Year Anniversary” version of the Tour Gastronomique at one store with an online shop, but this stick doesn’t fall in that category. It may be the same blend…in which case it’s most likely a Dominican puro…but it also may not be the same.

I’m basing size information above on my own observations, too, so don’t be surprised if it’s a little off. Bottom line…I’m looking forward to this cigar as a great way to top off a homemade meal (not world-class, I guess, but still very good). I am pairing it with some Maker’s Mark Bourbon.

Notes

There’s hardly anything to say about the look of the cigar. It is typical Davidoff White Label, which is to say: simply elegant. The bands are clean and classic. The wrapper is perfect, smooth, and oily.

The wrapper leaf had a faint hay aroma to it, with just a touch of earth mixed in. The foot was a mix of Dominican earthiness, grass, and wet forest. Once cut the cold draw had touches of honey, hay, and that Davidoff funk you love so well (or don’t love if you’re not into Davidoff, I guess).

Lighting up the cigar brought out flavors of well-aged tobacco, hay, maple, cedar, and mushroom. It was mild-to-medium in body at the outset.

The body slowly worked up into the solid medium category and through half the cigar I forgot to even take a sip of whiskey…the cigar was that good. Really, just amazingly smooth, refined, and elegant. It had earth and graham, mushroom and white pepper, cedar and natural tobacco, all worked into a blend that is much more complex than a Dominican puro has any business being…except my taste buds were saying this really could be all Dominican leaf.

The soft smoothness of the Maker’s Mark went exceptionally well with the Davidoff Tour Gastronomique, adding an extra measure of sweetness to the mix along with a tinge of extra spice on the back end.

The Tour Gastronomique was not a huge departure from what you expect from Davidoff…certainly not in the way that the Chef’s Edition was…but it was magnificent. It had subtle and complex flavors, enhanced and highlighted by the Bourbon I paired with it, and it’s definitely something I would like to smoke again…if I could find them.