Review: Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection

Today, we review the 2023 release of the Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection. The Davidoff Aniversario line can be traced back to 1986, when it was created to honor Zino Davidoff’s 80th birthday. It was originally made with Cuban tobacco, but the Aniversario line was reblended when Davidoff shifted production to the Dominican Republic. The No 1 is a massive 48 x 8 5/8 parejo that was a regular production offering in the line. Seven years ago, the Aniversario No 1 was discontinued. Last year, the Aniversario No 1 made a return – this time as a limited release under the banner “Limited Edition Collection”.

If you have followed Davidoff over the past few years, you know the company as a whole has been re-releasing some of its classic limited editions. Last year, the company unveiled a Davidoff Cigar History Re-Rolled series, in which they released a special limited edition iteration from each of its four brands under the White Label pillar. With the exception of the Gran Cru, all of the releases are vitolas that have been released before. The following are the four installments of the Davidoff Cigar History Re-Rolled series.

Let’s take a closer look at the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition and see what this cigar offers.

Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection (2023) – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

This is a slightly different blend than the core Davidoff Aniversario line. Ecuadorian tobaccos for both the wrapper and binder highlight it.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican (Piloto visus, San Vicente visus, San Vicente Mejorado visus)
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Cigars Davidoff

Vitolas Offered

The 2023 edition of the Davidoff Aniversario No. 1 is offered in one size—a 48 x 8 5/8 Double Corona. It comes in ten-count boxes and 20,800 boxes were produced for worldwide distribution. One of the ten cigars in the ten-count boxes is housed in a thick wooden tube.

Special bonus wooden tube for the Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection

Note: For this assessment, the cigars smoked were not in the wooden tube, but we will be separately assessing the Aniversario No 1 in the wooden tube.

The following are the other regular production sizes of the Davidoff Aniversario line:

Entreacto: 43 x 3 1/2 (25-count boxes)
Short Perfecto: 52 x 4 7/8 (25-count boxes)
Special <<R>>: 50: x 4 7/8 (25-count boxes)
No 3: 50 x 6 (20-count boxes)
Special <<T>>: 52 x 6 (Torpedo – 20-count boxes)
Double <<R>>: 50 x 7 1/2 (25-count boxes)

Appearance (*)

The Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper of the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition was light brown. Depending on how the light hits it, it may exhibit a slight rosado tint. The surface of the wrapper did not have much in the way of oil. There were some prominently visible veins and some visible wrapper seams.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to remove the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition cap. Once the cap was removed, it was time for the pre-light draw experience. The cold draw was pretty much predictable for a Connecticut Shade wrapper. The cigar delivered a mix of cream, wood, and earth notes. Overall, this was a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to toast up the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition and see what the smoking experience would have in store.

Tasting Notes

The Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition opened with more notes of cream, wood, and earth, as well as cedar and natural tobacco. Early on, the wood and natural tobacco notes became primary, while the cream, cedar, and earth notes settled into the background. Meanwhile, an additional layer of black pepper was present on the retro-hale.

The second third of the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition saw the cedar notes join the natural tobacco in the forefront. The wood settled into the background with the cream and earth notes. In addition, some black pepper slowly emerged on the tongue. By the second half, there was an increase in the black pepper notes. In addition, during the second half, the natural tobacco notes morphed into a hay note. The cream notes slowly diminished in the background, and by the time the cigar reached the end of the second third, they had dissipated.

The final third saw the hay and cedar notes in the forefront. The cedar notes seemed to have a slight edge. The pepper notes were the most prominent, with the wood and earth notes also contributing. This is how the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition came to a close. The cigar finished with a nub that was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The burn scored quite well on the Aniversario No 1. This cigar maintained a straight burn path and burn line for the long smoking experience and did not require frequent touch-ups throughout. The resulting ash was silver-gray and firm. The burn temperature was ideal. The burn seemed a little fast. The average smoking time was two hours, seven minutes per cigar. There were no adverse effects from the faster burn.

Burn of the Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection

Draw

Overall, the Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition had an outstanding draw. The draw had a touch of resistance, which I like. Despite the length of the cigar, this was still a low-maintenance cigar from which to derive flavor. For a cigar that is 8 1/2 long, this cigar puffed surprisingly well throughout the smoking experience.

Strength and Body

The Aniversario No 1 started out with mild to medium strength and mild to medium-bodied notes. There was a gradual increase, and midway through the second third, both attributes progressed to medium. During the remainder of the smoking experience, there was a slight increase in strength and body. Throughout the smoking experience, the body had the edge. This gap grew in the second half.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

The Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition features the iconic white and gold Davidoff band as the primary band. The secondary band indicates that the cigar is the Aniversario No 1. The cigar is presented in a wooden box. As mentioned earlier, one of the ten Aniversario No 1 cigars is packaged in a wooden tube. The tube is quite heavy, but it also makes for a nice presentation.

Packaging for the Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection (Photo Credit: Oettinger Davidoff AG)

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The Davidoff Aniversario No 1 Limited Edition Collection delivered a pleasant smoking experience. The first two-thirds is where this cigar is going to shine from a flavor standpoint. The last third had more in the way of pepper and cedar, which slightly threw off the flavor profile. I thought from its massive 8 5/8 inch length it would require three hours, but I was surprised it came in at an average smoking time of a little over two hours. Remember that everyone smokes at a different rate, so that number could change.

The Anniversario No 1 delivered a respectable 89 points. However, it’s not an inexpensive cigar, as it costs $64.00. As a result, I’d recommend trying this cigar first before deciding to make an investment.

Summary

Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Cream, Wood, Earth, Cedar, Hay, Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium to High
Strength: Mild to Medium (Start), Medium (Remainder)
Body: Mild to Medium (Start), Medium (Remainder)
Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Try a Sample
Score: 89

The Smoking Syndicate Review

Ben Lee of the Smoking Syndicate assessed this cigar on January 26, 2024. He gave this cigar a 92. Note: Due to age restrictions, you will need to click “Watch on YouTube.”