For the seventh year in a row, Davidoff held its Golden Band Awards during the annual IPCPR Trade Show and Convention. The ceremony took place on July 15, 2018, at Davidoff Las Vegas right on the Las Vegas Strip.
Earlier in the day, many wondered if the Davidoff Golden Band Awards would even get off the ground because of an electrical fire that broke out at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the early morning hours. This caused delays in the entire IPCPR schedule, including delaying the start of the Golden Band Awards by one hour.
Like 2017, the awards weren’t a black tie dinner. Instead, attendees were asked to wear white – paying homage to the 50th anniversary of the Davidoff (White Label) brand.
Jeff Borysiewicz and Corona Cigar Company took home their sixth Golden Band Award – capturing the big award for Appointed Merchant of the Year.
Like last year, the Awards remained streamlined to seven categories.
The Awards
Best Merchandising
This honors the Appointed Merchant who best meets the Davidoff Brand merchandising expectations.
Winner: Club Humidor, San Antonio TX
Other Nominees:
Ambassador Fine Cigars, Phoenix, AZ
Franklin Cigar, Franklin, TN
Hemingway Cigars, Palo Alto, CA
The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood, Ridgewood, NJ
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 third year in a row.
Winner: Maxamar Ultimate Cigars, Orange, CA
Other Nominees:
Hemingway Cigars, Palo Alto, CA
Owl Shop, New Haven, CT
Regency Cigar Emporium, East 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.
Winner: Blend Bar, Indianapolis IN
Other Nominees:
Ambassador Fine Cigars, Phoenix, AZ
Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, Tucson, AZ
Corona Cigar Company, Orlando, FL
W. Curtis Draper Fine Tobacconist, 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.
Winner: Tobacco Grove, Maple Grove MN
Other Nominees:
Cigar Room, Fort Lee, NJ
Franklin Cigar, Franklin, TN
Up Down Cigar, Chicago, IL
Smoky’s Fine Cigars, Broomfield Hills, MI
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: Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, Tucson, AZ
Other Nominees:
Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, Tucson, AZ
Club Cubano Cigars, Countryside, IL
Diebel’s Sportmens Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Humidor of Westmont, Westmont, IL
Smoke Inn, Boynton Beach, FL
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: Corona Cigar Company, Orlando FL
Other Nominees:
Blend Bar Cigar, Indianapolis, IN
Cigar Room, Fort Lee, NJ
Cigar Time, Cerritos, CA
Tobacco Grove, Maple Grove, MN
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)
2018 Club Humidor (San Antonio TX)
Canadian Depositaire of the Year
2016 Zigareen – A Simple Pleasure (Calgary, AB)
2017 Burlington on Whyte (Edmonton, Alberta)
2018 Vasco Cigars (Montreal, Quebec)
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)
2018 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)
2018 Blend Bar (Indianapolis IN)
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)
2018 Tobacco Grove (Maple Grove, NN)
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)
2018 Anthony’s Cigar Emporium (Tucson, AZ)
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
2018:
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)
2018 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando FL)
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
2018 No Award
Best New Appointed Merchant
2015 Havana Phil’s Cigar Company (Greensboro, NC)
2016 Fogue & Bates (Tulsa, OK)
2017 No Award
2018 No Award
