Davidoff Millennium Blend Petit Corona Review

[punch]

This is a repost of an earlier review deleted during the server crash.

This is a cigar that you have to prepare for! I have to say that I was not prepared when I tried the first one, and that resulted in a bad experience. I came at my second attempt with a bit more caution and reaped a lot more enjoyment. I’ll discuss this below:

I have always wanted to try the famed Davidoff cigar, but I have to say that I have been so put off by hype and the resulting disappointment with other cigars that I was very hesitant to put down the money for one of these. Nothing about the Davidoff is cheap! However, since I am working on a scrapbook with reviews of different cigars, I could not leave these out, so I picked up a five pack of petit coronas from Holts. I am partial to this size, and the larger corona, because I believe that they give me the best burn, smoking time, and flavor of the various sizes. There are many brands where I did not like the larger sizes like the robusto and toro, but found the corona and petit corona quite acceptable.

This particular cigar measures in at 4.5 X 41 and contains a blend of tobacco from the Dominican Republic surrounded by a wrapper from Ecuador. The cigars were very well packaged and included literature from Davidoff that I found interesting, but at the same time a bit pretentious. As to the cigars themselves, they were well made, very well made, with smooth wrappers and an excellently constructed cap. The double band is classy and understated, and I like that. No gaudy monstrosities here! I figured by the packaging that I was dealing with a refined and sophisticated, if somewhat snooty product. I should have known better since I am old enough to know not to judge a book by its cover!

My first attempt at smoking these cigars ended a disaster. I came at the situation with a poor attitude, and I was rewarded accordingly. This little stick totally overpowered the Beaujolais that I was drinking, as well as everything that I have eaten before. Burn and smoke were excellent, but this had to be one of the strongest and harshest sticks that I have ever smoked! There was absolutely nothing refined or subtle about this cigar. I put the cigar out just before then band and chalked this up to more cigar snob hype at first, but something bothered me. So much apparent quality had been put in to this stick, and the burn and ash backed this up, that I believed this cigar deserved another try. I figured that I would put 24 hours, and a couple of milder cigars, between this and the next attempt and try it again.

The next day, after a fairly heavy brunch, I poured a glass of Booker’s bourbon and ice and prepared myself for battle. As I drew another stick from the humidor, the little “petit” corona seemed to taunt me at my previous failure to enjoy. Arrogant and pretentious to the end, it seemed. I lit the cigar and took a drink of Booker’s. As I took my first draw, I could tell that this would be a totally different experience. I actually tasted the cigar! Smoke was harsh as before, but flavor was certainly not lacking. I am attributing the harshness of this cigar to its freshness and intend to let these sit before I try any more of them.

Flavor was strong and complex throughout the smoke. This is one of the few cigars that I have tried that can hold its own against a 121 proof bourbon. And it held its own quite well. Burn was absolutely perfect, as straight as a cigarette. You can light these and then put your lighter away. These cigars must not subscribe to the English philosophy of removing the band before smoking. In fact, the band defied any attempts at removal until the ash was right up next to it. And speaking of ash; what a nice dark marble colored ash! It stayed with the cigar right up to the first band, and then when it fell off, there was no loss of flavor or increase in harshness (above what was already there). Smoke volume was high, and there was absolutely no need to “double draw” this stick. Draw was perfect. The smoke never got hot, even passed the band.

I finished the cigar totally mellowed out and stunned by the effects of the nicotine and the bourbon. I can’t wait to see what happens if these things do mellow with age! I rated this cigar a B++, and only refused it an A due to the harshness. With time, I believe that this can become an A+ smoke.

[rumballs]

Very nice review.
I just had one of these last night and liked it pretty well

[vudu9]

Nice review. I always give any cigar the benefit of the doubt by smoking one or two more, just to be certain. Good choice on the bourbon compliment.