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Luxurious Smoke
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Zino Platinum Crown Series
Michael Herklots
03/01/2005
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We all remember the days of the cigar boom. Mediocre cigars with astronomical
prices from fly-by-night companies packed the shelves of retailers across the
country. Thankfully, those days are gone, and we’re fortunate enough to have
countless options of premium cigars to choose from when we walk into our
favorite tobacconist. Cigar smokers are now more educated and sophisticated than
ever before, challenging manufacturers to be creative with their blending
techniques in order to deliver unique products that meet the demands of today’s
discerning consumer.
It is not uncommon to see cigars now that look like
barber poles or baseball bats or that have ridiculous ring gauges—any design to
make them stand out. Unfortunately, a gimmick can never compensate for quality,
flavor, and experience. Perhaps the most innovative and exciting product
launched since the boom days is Davidoff’s Zino Platinum Crown Series. These are
not just premium cigars. They are luxury cigars. One can’t help but be drawn to
the oversized platinum, matchbox-style three-packs. With matches included and a
striker along the side, the pack is the perfect companion for a night out.
More importantly, the blend of tobaccos is as innovative as the packaging.
The filler tobaccos are a combination of ligeros (leaves from the top portion of
the plant) from the Dominican Republic and Peru. Aged for five years, this
unlikely combination provides strength and body to the smoke. The binder is
four-year-old Connecticut shade, which lends a creamy note to the flavor and
rounds out the impact of the filler. The cigar is finished with a gorgeous
two-year-old wrapper grown in Ecuador from a Connecticut seed. Once the cigars
are rolled, they are further aged, allowing the blend to fully marry. The final
result is a full-bodied character that is smooth and balanced.
Although the blend is fundamentally the same, each size smokes unique. The
Chubby Especial (57¼8 x 61, $102), a large perfecto that tapers on both sides,
smokes nice and mellow in the beginning. Because the cigar is thinner at the
foot, the ratio of filler, binder, and wrapper is more balanced, allowing the
expression of the wrapper and binder to dominate the flavor. As the shape flares
open to its 61-ring gauge, the filler increases its influence on the overall
flavor.
The Double Grande (71¼4 x 50, $87) is a
classic double corona. It smokes perfectly medium bodied, from start to finish.
It is ideal for Sunday brunch with the newspaper, or paired with your favorite
cognac to finish off a big meal.
The Barrel (6 x 60, $78) is a massive cigar
boasting an enormous ring gauge. This particular shape obviously gives the
filler center stage. It has a full body with an incredibly cool smoke.
Freud-sensitive smokers beware.
Finally, the Stretch (81¼4 x 50, $117) is the
trophy cigar. Slightly tapered at the foot, it is rich and complex. With each
puff, the cigar builds in intensity and strength, keeping you engaged as you
anticipate all its changes. Make sure you don’t have any major plans—it’s a time
commitment.
Smoking cigars is, of course, an unnecessary luxury. It is an
intimate and individual experience that should never be rushed or forced. It has
always been Davidoff’s belief that one should smoke less, but only the best. The
Zino Platinum Crown Series undoubtedly embraces this ideal. Though only
available at a small number of appointed merchants, take the time to experience
these phenomenal luxury smokes. You won’t be disappointed.
www.davidoff.com
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