Vitola: Robusto Gordo- 5.75” x 52 ring gauge
- MSRP $35
- Purchased from Burns Tobacconist
Background
A couple years back, Davidoff re-released the 2011 White Edition as part of their Vault program; the latest release from the Vault is a redux of the 2012 White Edition. Despite sharing a name, the blends seem to be as different as the sizes. The 2011 was a Belicoso Supremo using Dominican San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Ligero, and San Vicente Visus fillers, a Peruvian binder, and a Dominican Criollo wrapper.
The 2012 White Edition is a “Robusto Gordo”…which I look at more as a short Toro (seriously, it’s the same ring gauge as a standard Davidoff Toro and a quarter of an inch shorter) and is a Dominican puro, featuring Piloto Ligero, Yamasa Visus, Hybrid 254 Visus, San Vicente Mejorado Seco, and San Vicente Seco fillers; a Piloto Seco binder; and an unspecified wrapper. It’s said the blend features tobaccos aged for seven years.
I bought two of these cigars at Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga. This review is based on the second one I smoked.
Prelight
What more is there to say about Davidoff’s banding? Simple. Elegant. Period. The Vault series keeps coming in brown paper packaging of 10 cigars, which is a little cheap-looking, but does keep up with the theme of it being older cigars they pull from a secret aging facility and ship as quickly as possible…even if that’s not the way it really happens.
The wrapper leaf of the cigar was a medium brown with a nice oily sheen to it. It also felt oily under my fingers and smelled of earth, copper, and hay. The foot of the cigar had more hay and bread, with just a little touch of earthiness.
Once clipped, the cold draw was very good and had notes of berries, hay, bread, and earth.
Flavor
The White Series 2012 started up quickly and easily; it was soon producing ample smoke carrying flavors of tea, citrus, hay, and white pepper. As I smoked through the first third I got some light chocolate notes on the palate, as well. The retrohale had notes of roasted nuts and citrus.
The second third continued with the slightly sweet chocolate notes followed up with citrus and hay. Pepper spice pretty much diminished to nothing. There was some Davidoff funk, but not nearly as much as the 2011 White Edition.
The final third of the White Series 2012 had a little more funk mixed with sweet chocolate and citrus notes. Hay was a minor note and there was some return of pepper spice.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line, and solid ash.
Value
Very good cigar, but…unlike many of the Davidoff Vault cigars I have had, I didn’t feel like this one really justified the $35 price tag. Probably closer to a $25 experience would be fair to say.
Conclusions
The Davidoff White Series 2012 was a very good cigar, but for me it fell short of the super-super-premium price tag in terms of overall flavor and complexity. There have been many worthwhile entries in the Vault series, but this was just one of the lesser ones. Your mileage may vary, but I can’t see me buying a pack of these to age.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8.5/10
