As legend has it, 15 years ago Davidoff’s master blenders were tasked by Zino to concoct a cigar experience that was as smooth and invigorating as it was sensorially complex. The product of this experiment became the stuff of legend; Davidoff’s limited-edition cigar of 2005, the Robusto Intenso. The recipe that would exceed Zino’s expectations in hitting notes on opposing sides of the spectrum from sweetness, spice, to intensity, consisted of 6 tobaccos aged up to 7 years. Well sought after upon its initial release, aficionados have compared to L.E to the brand’s classics such as the Anniversario Special R. Proving that lightning doesn’t strike twice, Davidoff have chosen this year to return to their vintage tobacco stocks and recreate the Robusto Intenso.
An ode to the brand’s own blending history, 2020’s Robusto Intenso (52 X130mm) revisits the same 5 Domincan regions used for filler, and Ecuadorian wrapper used for the original. Six stars adorn the 10-count box of this latest addition to Davidoff’s Vintage blend series. Six equally important ingredients to be kept in perfect balance with one another for the optimum smoking experience. Each star corresponds to the tobaccos used. The 702 Habano Ecuador wrapper imparts a spice that is mitigated with a creaminess indicative a double fermentation process. Dominican wrapper and filler tobaccos are aged to 7 years, allowing the leaves to reach their maximum potency of flavour, intensity and aroma. Havana Criollo seed filler accounts for the heavy spice notes, while the San Vincente adds complexity. Filler from the Jicome region stimulates sweet and sour nodes on the tongue. Yaque valley Piloto filler lends a depth to the aroma that the handler of the cigar immediately picks up on. Just like an impeccably conducted orchestra, this year’s Robusto Intenso is an olfactory oeuvre, where each leaf of the cigar performs an essential sensorial function, each note in harmony with one another. Intense notes of nuts, pepper, and chocolate lend themselves well to accompaniment in the form of a bourbon where oak and vanilla notes would only add to the luxurious experience.
