2019 Cigar of the Year Countdown: #24: Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018

“…put them (the flavors) together and they perform like a symphony.”

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano Jalapa
Filler: Dominican (Yamasá Ligero, Piloto Visus, San Vicente Seco from the Dominican Republic), Estelí Visus from Nicaragua, Sun Grown Seco from Florida (USA)
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Cigars Davidoff
Belicoso: 6 x 52
Price: $29.95
Review: Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Brand): 7 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)

Coming in at #24 is the Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018. In 2018 Davidoff introduced a limited edition offering under its Discovery (Black Label) pillar of cigars. The Discovery Pillar is known for its innovation and with the Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018 this is demonstrated with the incorporation of Florida Sun Grown (FSG) Tobacco grown from Jeff Borysiewicz’s farm in Clermont, Florida. While Davidoff had done some store exclusives with FSG tobacco for Borysiewicz’s retail stores, this marked the first national release of such a product.

For the Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018, the Florida Sun Grown tobacco is used as a part of the filler combined with tobaccos from Nicaraguan and the Dominican Republic. The blend also uses a Habano binder from Nicaragua and is finished with an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper. The cigar itself was made available in one size – a 6 x 52 belicoso. Production was limited to 2,500 ten-count boxes.

With its placement on the 2019 Countdown, the Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018 gives Davidoff a record-setting seven consecutive years on a Cigar Coop Countdown. It’s also the first cigar to make the Countdown to feature tobacco grown in Florida.

The Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018 delivered a flavor profile with notes of cedar, lemon, black pepper, chocolate, and classic wood. In particular this cigar does a great job at how well the flavor notes complement each other. The flavors delivered started out medium-bodied before progressing to medium to full in the second half. The strength follows a similar path going from medium in the first half to medium to full in the second.

The Davidoff Florida Selection Limited Edition 2018 delivers a cigar as unique as the combination of tobaccos that make it up. It’s a cigar worthy of landing on the 2019 Countdown.