Davidoff Gran Cru #4 Review

[muziq]

Searched and searched and was a little surprised not to find a review of this little PC. So, here goes...

I've no smoked a NC Davidoff in ages; this little bugger had been sitting in my humi for at least a year, perhaps two, quietly waiting for...well...I don't know. I shouldn't anthropomorphize a cigar, should I? Back to the review...

Little bugger is at least a year, maybe two years old, and I'm not entirely sure whether I got it in a trade or picked it up somewhere along the way. Beautiful construction, that elegant cream/bone white band--Davidoff's make great if understated impressions. Pre-light draw was smooth and easy, just enough resistance, and no significant flavors came through.

Lit it and first few puffs were subtle, a nice, clean tobacco aroma with a slight cedar note to it. Into the first couple inches, this is mostly what I'm getting; it goes perfectly with my Americano and a couple chunks of Valhrona 70% bittersweet chocolate. The drink provides the nutiness; the chocolate some bitter and sugar sweetness; the cigar some excellent cedar aromas--all of them mixing so nicely together.

By the halfway point, the chocolate flavors are leaving my tongue and the Americano has settled into every corner of my mouth, with the cigar providing clean tobacco goodness, a little more nut and some cream to go along with the woody overtones. The profile reminds me of a really great CC Monte #4 mixed with a CC ERDM PC, albeit less intense--like someone turned the volume down to halfway and I'm just coasting with the great flavors. This stick is really impressing me.

Enter the last third, and the profile turns more earthen. A quick purge, and the suckers back on track to be a remarkable little smoke, more leathery with extra aromatic pungancy. The wind-down brings in a little more charry wood flavor, the finish remaining as it has been all along--short, bright but somehow subtle.

It's been a LONG time since I've been tempted to buy a NC box of anything...but this might be on deck soon. Fantastic mid-morning smoke, the second of my day. I think the only way I could cap this would be to round out my morning with a Party short. I might just do that...

[gvarsity]

Thanks for the review. Have not smoked a lot of davidoffs but the elegance has always intrigued me.

[JGIORD]

Nice review. Sounds Yummy.