Cuban Davidoff's are almost mythological, & carry a significant value, only beaten by Dunhill, of a similar era, presumably because they are even rarer? Having never had the pleasure of trying a Dunhill I cannot comment whether they are actually better smokes but if you have, feel free to add to the thread (that's why I put them both in the title).
Zino Davidoff was born in Ukraine (Russia at the time), where his father had a tobacco business in Kiev, they moved to Geneva, in 1911. in 1924, Zino travelled to Argentina, Brazil & Cuba learning the Cigar trade, two yrs later returning to Geneva to run the business. In 1968 hi company was approached by the Cuban state monopoly Cubatobacco & Davidoff subsequently was allowed to import Cuban cigars with his name on them., rolled at el Laguito - the factory now producing Cohiba. He had in fact been producing cigar under the name of french vineyards since 1946 Chateau Latour, This would later lead to law suits from the french producers. & is credited with the Hoyo line being in Cabinets, as he felt his Swiss customers would appreciate this presentation. Despite having a good relationship with Castro, it came to a bitter end in 1991. Davidoff wanted to control the whole of the cigar making process & the tobacco that was going into his cigars but Castro said, we are a collective, we will give you the collective tobacco. So Davidoff pulled out & moved to the Dominican Republic, where they have been made ever since.
Zino's book The Conoisseur's book of the cigar is a good read, setting cigar smoking etiquette, that is still considered a good guide today. There is a biography by Dieter H. Wirtz, that's well worth reading too.
Chat Margaux x2 & Chat Haut Brion
Davidoff.2016.03.16.IMG_1040.jpg
Chat Haut Brion, Chat Latour, No2, 3000, Chat Haut Brion
Davidoff.2016.08.22.IMG_2117.jpg
3000 Nifas 33 x 7" Slide lid box x 25 & 5 cardboard pack 70's release, discontinued '91.
My personal favourite, amazing flav considering its age & noting many 80's Davidoff's are now very mild. I smoked this one in the History Bar, Nacional Hotel, with a fellow American BOLT.
Davidoff.3000.2017.01.11.15.IMG_0045.a.jpg
Davidoff.3000.15940745_1269802956376446_5955221164068422795_n.jpg
Chat Haut Brion 40 x 4" Perlas Slide lid box of 25 & 50 & Cardboard box of 5. '69 release '89 discontinued.
Davidoff Offhsore? Seem a little excessive? Well it was our 25th!
Davidoff.HB.206.08.24.IMG_2376.jpg
Celebrating our 25th Anniversary onboard the Curlew.
Davidoff.HB.2016.08.16.IMG_2386.jpg
Nubbed, Cuban style!
Davidoff.HB.2016.08.24.IMG_2406.jpg
New Year's Day 20017.
Davidoff.HB.2017.01.01.IMG_3619.jpg
Davidoff.HB.2017.01.01.IMG_3629.jpg
Davidoff.HB.2017.01.01.IMG_3628a.jpg adding pics
Zino Davidoff was born in Ukraine (Russia at the time), where his father had a tobacco business in Kiev, they moved to Geneva, in 1911. in 1924, Zino travelled to Argentina, Brazil & Cuba learning the Cigar trade, two yrs later returning to Geneva to run the business. In 1968 hi company was approached by the Cuban state monopoly Cubatobacco & Davidoff subsequently was allowed to import Cuban cigars with his name on them., rolled at el Laguito - the factory now producing Cohiba. He had in fact been producing cigar under the name of french vineyards since 1946 Chateau Latour, This would later lead to law suits from the french producers. & is credited with the Hoyo line being in Cabinets, as he felt his Swiss customers would appreciate this presentation. Despite having a good relationship with Castro, it came to a bitter end in 1991. Davidoff wanted to control the whole of the cigar making process & the tobacco that was going into his cigars but Castro said, we are a collective, we will give you the collective tobacco. So Davidoff pulled out & moved to the Dominican Republic, where they have been made ever since.
Zino's book The Conoisseur's book of the cigar is a good read, setting cigar smoking etiquette, that is still considered a good guide today. There is a biography by Dieter H. Wirtz, that's well worth reading too.
Chat Margaux x2 & Chat Haut Brion
Davidoff.2016.03.16.IMG_1040.jpg
Chat Haut Brion, Chat Latour, No2, 3000, Chat Haut Brion
Davidoff.2016.08.22.IMG_2117.jpg
3000 Nifas 33 x 7" Slide lid box x 25 & 5 cardboard pack 70's release, discontinued '91.
My personal favourite, amazing flav considering its age & noting many 80's Davidoff's are now very mild. I smoked this one in the History Bar, Nacional Hotel, with a fellow American BOLT.
Davidoff.3000.2017.01.11.15.IMG_0045.a.jpg
Davidoff.3000.15940745_1269802956376446_5955221164068422795_n.jpg
Chat Haut Brion 40 x 4" Perlas Slide lid box of 25 & 50 & Cardboard box of 5. '69 release '89 discontinued.
Davidoff Offhsore? Seem a little excessive? Well it was our 25th!
Davidoff.HB.206.08.24.IMG_2376.jpg
Celebrating our 25th Anniversary onboard the Curlew.
Davidoff.HB.2016.08.16.IMG_2386.jpg
Nubbed, Cuban style!
Davidoff.HB.2016.08.24.IMG_2406.jpg
New Year's Day 20017.
Davidoff.HB.2017.01.01.IMG_3619.jpg
Davidoff.HB.2017.01.01.IMG_3629.jpg
Davidoff.HB.2017.01.01.IMG_3628a.jpg adding pics