Davidoff Diadema Fina 100th Anniversary 2006 (BGRW)

[5thStarChicago]

Down to my last dozen or so of these, so no time like the present!

These were wildly successful when they hit back in '06 and I think the best L.E. Davidoff ever made.  10 ct boxes, no cello or label and simple boxes with a pic of Zino Davidoff on the box, the cigars did all the talking.  The 2018 redo was also great with a little more body, but not quite the original.

Silky smooth from the get go.  It took a few cuts to get low enough for the draw to be where I like it, with a little resistance but not laborious and not a wind tunnel.  Definitely has that "Davidoff" flavor but there's a non-typical sweetness that mixes in and really makes this stand out compared to other Davidoffs. 

It still has plenty of flavor in it and is smooth and balanced, although the strength has faded a bit.  Flavor stayed full, smooth and balanced throughout the cigar.  Smoked it with a 2013 Sevens Bench Vineyard Carneros Chard that went great with the cigar.  Figured wine was an appropriate pairing on Zombie Jesus Day!

 

Scoring is 9 out of 10, one of the classic NC's of all time IMHO.

Cheers everyone!

 

[saintsmokealot]

Nice review. I adored this cigar and only have one left. The robusto was good but the diademas was legendary. Wish I could find more

[5thStarChicago]

5 hours ago, saintsmokealot said:

Nice review. I adored this cigar and only have one left. The robusto was good but the diademas was legendary. Wish I could find more

Agreed on the Diadema beating out the robo. Did you try the redo of the Diadema, with the 50th band that came in the jars?

[saintsmokealot]

3 minutes ago, 5thStarChicago said:

Agreed on the Diadema beating out the robo. Did you try the redo of the Diadema, with the 50th band that came in the jars?

I did and for my taste it didn't come close to the original just like the redo of the Especial 7 hasn't either

[Sorrowful]

This was the cigar that really got me into cigars. 

I was a junior going into senior year at UCLA and spent the summer doing a research fellowship at Yale.  I had smoked a few cigars to that point like Rocky Patel 90, some MC #2, etc and had enjoyed them, but nothing that made me want to continue on a regular basis or invest in a box.  One day I stopped in to the Owl Shop since I was stressed out and wanted a smoke and a drink.  The owner recommended the Davidoff 100 diadema and it was really expensive (at the time especially) at $35 a pop, but I got that and a Macallan 12. 

What an experience it was! Nuts, cream, salt, earthy mushroom, cedar and some citrus.  Amazing levels of smoke production. It was like heavy cream coating your palate.  Every time I had free income, I would spend it on the Davidoff Diademas Finas and every one was as good as that first.

I have since graduated, got a doctorate and make way more money.  I am tens of thousands of dollars into the hobby (maybe more) and have filled a massive Aristocrat cabinet with a pretty decent collection, but haven't found something I enjoyed anywhere near as much, other than one Montecristo A from 1979.  I bought 5 boxes of the re-release in jars, but its just not the same.  I'm still looking for boxes of the original, but can't find anywhere that has them.