There wasn’t a black tie gala, but that didn’t stop Davidoff from giving out its 2017 Golden Band Awards. This year, the awards were given out at a private ceremony held at the Davidoff booth at this year’s Trade Show. The awards program is meant to honor the company’s best Appointed Merchants that, according to Davidoff “truly embody the Davidoff Standard of Excellence”. In addition to the awards, the company provided details of the state of the business.
Davidoff CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard was not in attendance, but Davidoff North America Jim Young was the Master of Ceremonies. As in previous years, the company used the opportunity to provide a brief State of the Business Address. The company reported growth of its brands, including 14% by the Davidoff brand, 19% by the AVO brand, and 1% by the Camacho brand. Young pointed out that while Camacho had only 1% growth, he still felt “pretty good” on the state of the brand, as last year the brand had a huge 34% increase (due to the success of Camacho American Barrel Aged) and that was going to be tough to top.
Davidoff Chief Marketing Officer Charles Awad commented on the company’s Innovation Strategy. He highlighted several new product launches such Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour, Camacho Nicaraguan Barrel Aged, and Davidoff Master Selection. While he did acknowledge the FDA and European regulations are a challenge, he remarked that “strong brands will emerge stronger” and firmly put Davidoff in that category.
This year, the Awards were streamlined to seven categories. The Best New Appointed Merchant, Zino Davidoff Legacy, and Industry Service Award categories did not have awards given out.
The Awards
Best Merchandising
This honors the Appointed Merchant who best meets the Davidoff Brand merchandising expectations. This is the first Golden Band Award for The Cigar Shop of Biloxi.
Winner: The Cigar Shop of Biloxi (Biloxi, MS)
Other Nominees:
Bo’s Cigar Lounge (Bellflower, CA)
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
Franklin Cigar (Franklin, TN)
The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
Canadian Depositaire of the Year
This is the new award for Canadian retailers. It is the second year this award has been given.
Winner: Burlington on Whyte (Edmonton, Alberta)
Other Nominees:
Cigar Connoisseurs (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Nottingham Cigars & Pipes (Sherwood Park, Alberta)
The Humidor Cigar Company Ltd (Woodbridge, Ontario)
Zigarren – A Simple Pleasure (Calgary, Alberta)
Best Davidoff Performance (Single Location)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a single location that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases. Maxamar Ultimate Cigars took the award for the second year in a row.
Winner: Maxamar Ultimate Cigars (Orange, CA)
Other Nominees:
Blend Bar Cigar (Indianapolis, IN)
Hemingway’s (Palo Alto, CA)
Regency Cigar Emporium (Greenwich, RI)
Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Best Davidoff Performance (Multiple Locations)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with two or more locations that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases. Corona Cigar Company won the award for the third time in four years.
Winner: Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Other Nominees:
Ambassador Fine Cigars (Phoenix, AZ)
Anthony’s Cigar Emporium (Tucson, AZ),
Tinder Box (Charlotte, NC)
W. Curtis Draper (Washington, DC)
Davidoff Growth Award (Single Location)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a single location that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales. Cigars by Chivas took this year’s honors.
Winner: Cigars by Chivas (Pasadena, CA)
Other Nominees:
Belicoso Café Inc (Wyandotte, MI)
Coco Cigars (Miami, FL)
Hemingway’s (Palo Alto, CA)
Smoker’s Haven (Lincroft, NJ))
Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with two or more locations that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales.
Winner: Davidus Cigars (Frederick, Maryland)
Other Nominees:
Ambassador Fine Cigars (Phoenix, AZ)
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Two Guys Smoke Shop (Nashua, NH)
Appointed Merchant of the Year
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant who has grown and promoted the Davidoff portfolio. Ambassador Fine Cigars captures the 2017 honors for the first time.
Winner: Ambassador Fine Cigars (Phoenix, AZ)
Other Nominees:
Cigars by Chivas (Pasadena, CA)
Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Il Regalo Preferito (McAllex, TX)
Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Past Winners
For reference, here were the previous winners. These winners were given the opportunity to carry the ultra-limited Davidoff Golden Band cigar.
Best Merchandising
2012 Island Smoke Shop (Key Largo, FL)
2013 Prime Cigar & Wine Bar (Boca Raton, FL)
2014 Cup O’ Joes (Queensbury, NY)
2015 Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
2016 Franklin Cigar (Franklin, Tennessee)
2017 The Cigar Shop of Biloxi (Biloxi, MS)
Canadian Depositaire of the Year
2016 Zigareen – A Simple Pleasure (Calgary , AB)
2017 Burlington on Whyte (Edmonton, Alberta)
Best Davidoff Performance (Single Location)
2012 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2013 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2014 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2015 Blend Bar Cigar (Indianapolis, Indiana)
2016 Maxamar Ultimate Cigars (Orange, CA)
2017 Maxamar Ultimate Cigars (Orange, CA)
Best Davidoff Performance (Multiple Locations)
2012 Humidor Of Westmont (Westmont, IL)
2013 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
2014 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
2015 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
2016 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsale, AZ)
2017 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Single Location)
2012 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
2013 Angry Moon Cigars (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
2014 Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
2015 Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
2016 Hemingway’s (Palo Alto CA)
2017 Cigars by Chivas (Pasadena, CA)
Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations)
2012 Cigars by Chivas (Pasadena, CA)
2013 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
2014 Humidor of Westmont (Westmont, IL)
2015 Casa de Montecristo (Chicago, IL)
2016 Tinder Box Cigars (Charlotte, North Carolina)
2017 Davidus Cigars (Frederick, Maryland)
Industry Service Award
2012:
John Andersson, W. Curtis Draper (Washington, DC)
Craig Cass, Tinder Box of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
Jeff Borysiewicz, Corona Cigar (Orlando, FL)
Christian Hutson, Just for Him Cigars (Springfield, MO)
2013:
Finnie Helmuth, The Humidour Cigar Shoppe (Cockeysville, MD)
Curt Diebel, Diebel’s Sportsmens Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
Gary Pech, Old Virginia Tobacco (Woodbridge, VA)
2014:
David Garafolo, Two Guys Smoke Shop (New Hampshire)
Gary Kolesaire, Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
2015:
Jim Clark, Strauss Tobacconist (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Harris Saunders, Cigars and More (Birmingham, Alabama)
2016:
Ron Michelson, Briar Patch (Sacramento, California)
Terry Gallagher, Smoker Friendly (Boulder, Colorado)
Mike Copperman, Cigar Rights of America
2017:
No Award
Appointed Merchant of the Year
2012 Tinder Box Waldorf (Waldorf, MD)
2013 Maxamar Cigar (Orange, CA)
2014 Tinder Box of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
2015 Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2016 Blend Bar Cigar (Indianapolis, IN)
2017 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
Zino Davidoff Legacy Award
2012 Diana Silvius, UpDown Cigars (Chicago, IL)
2013 David Berkebile, Georgetown Tobacco
2014 Curt Diebel, Diebel’s Sportsmens Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
2015 Keith Rumbo, Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
2016 Gary Kolesaire, Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
2017 No Award
Best New Appointed Merchant
2015 Havana Phil’s Cigar Company (Greensboro, NC)
2016 Fogue & Bates (Tulsa, OK)
2017 No Award
