
Released in 2021, Davidoff’s Dominicana features vintage tobaccos from 2014. Originally intended as an addition to the regular white label portfolio, the line has only been available in limited quantities thus far.
In this article, you will discover the Davidoff Dominicana Robusto as we review it according to the following considerations:
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Watch The Video Review
Overview
- Brand: Davidoff Cigars
- Range: Dominicana
- Reviewed Vitolas: 5 1/8 x 52 Robusto
- Wrapper: Dominican hybrid 257
- Binder: Ecuadorian hybrid 151
- Filler: Dominican Republic San Vicente visus, San Vicente mejorado seco, Piloto visus, Corojo 99 seco, Yamasa visus
- Factory: Tabadom, Dominican Republic
- Handmade: Yes
- Body: Medium – Full
- Estimated Smoking Time: 140 Minutes
- Pricing: $21 / Single [Buy Now]
With Dominicana Oettinger Davidoff offers a smoking experience based on elaborately aged vintage tobaccos from the Dominican Republic. It offers a taste journey that plays to the essence of the vibrant Dominican lifestyle and culture, all the whilst enhancing the traditional white label portfolio we’ve all come to love over the decades.

Davidoff Dominicana Robusto Look & Feel
- Wrapper Hue: Chocolate oil
- Rolling Consistency: Even
- Spring: Firm
- Aromas: Funky leather, damp earth, mushroom
The aromas coming off of the wrapper and the foot make for an interesting combination of typical Davidoff muskiness, sweetness and leather. I would describe it as dried Shiitake mushrooms, a funky, umami leather quality with hints of barnyard, and a mellow, creamy cacao sweetness.
While the cigar feels firmly packed in my hand, giving me hardly any soft spots or bumps, my attention is drawn to the rich texture of the wrapper. The dark and glossy leaf seems to be brimming with oils, making for a glossy sheen and a very inviting overall look.
Davidoff Dominicana Robusto Review
For this review, I smoked three Robustos over the course of a few weeks. They’ve all been meticulously monitored whilst resting in my coolidor with 69% Boveda packs for ideal humidity control.
Pre-Lighting Experience
- Draw: Ideal
- Aromas: Pretzel dough, leather, bitter cacao
Despite the super oily and rather toothy exterior, the cigar feels very comfortable in my hands, further enhanced by an ideal draw that didn’t offer too much resistance.
Furthermore, the pre-light offered a very alluring bouquet of pretzel, bitter nuances and sweetness, lingering on my palate.
1st Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Milk chocolate, leather, creamed mushroom, retrohale: cinnamon
The first third starts with an intriguing combination of mellow creamy milk chocolate, a little bit of the leather that I already detected on the cold draw, and a damp earthy sensation.
This is somehow intermingled with wet leather and mushroom confit, almost like a rich, velvety cream sauce, forming an accord of umami, spice and bittersweet deliciousness.
There’s hardly any sugar sweetness to the experience though, leaving a rather dry feeling on my palate. The mouthfeel thus becomes quite crisp and deliberate, with more of a dry and salty minerality to it. As a matter of fact, the initial puffs leave a slightly sandy aftertaste, which is both interesting and challenging at the same time.
2nd Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Pink berry, leather, dark chocolate, retrohale: Szechuan pepper
Approaching the second third, we are moving more towards a character leather and spice profile. There is stark chocolate, there is pepper spice, particularly on the retrohale, and also a pink berry, intermingled with a citrusy freshness that elevates the entire experience.
The creaminess from the beginning is just a mere afterthought now, providing a complex, dry mouthfeel, underlined by dense and rich whiffs of tingling smoke.
Final Third Smoking Experience
- Notes: Dried mushrooms, charred cedar, black sea salt, retrohale: pepper
The final third of the cigar primarily offers dried mushroom notes and a distinct, spicy richness.
The typical Davidoff signature, highlighting the Dominican Republic’s tobaccos so prominently featured in the company’s blends, reveals damp earth and the muskiness I described at the beginning.
There is a hint of charred cedar and black sea salt towards the end, crescendoing into a salty minerality that refreshes the palate. Retrohales in particular have that intriguing combination of pepper spice and freshness, leaving a faint idea of pink berries as well as black pepper lavishly ground on top of peak-ripe strawberries.
Overall Burn
- Ash Backbone: Firm
- Burn Angle: Mostly straight with a few touch-ups needed
- Temperature: Cool
- Draw: Ideal
- Final Smoking Time: 140 Minutes
Each of the cigars smoked offered a very firm ash backbone.
Similarly, they generally offered a consistent burn however I had to adjust all the samples with minor touch-ups. Most importantly though, the smoke was cool and pleasant with a nice resistance of the draw.
Finally, the overall smoking time came to around 140 minutes for the Robusto, keeping in mind though, that I’m a fairly slow smoker in general.
Overall Experience
Given that this is a limited edition run for now, even though it was intended as an extension of the traditional white label collection, this feels more like an occasional cigar.
Dominicana is offered in three different vitolas, featuring a 4 x 50 Short Robusto and a 6 x 54 Toro to accompany the Robusto I chose for this review. They all come in wooden boxes of 10, proudly showcasing a vintage plaque on top, as yet another reference to the peculiar tobaccos of the blend.
I was detecting quite a bit of strength with all three samples, resulting in a medium-full experience in terms of nicotine strength, whilst the body can only be described as full, mellow, and rich.
This would make for a perfect cigar after lunch, suitable for a sunny summer afternoon, yet even after-dinner occasions.
Needless to say, the white and golden color scheme of the company elegantly ornates this rich, oily, and dark-looking cigar.
Pairing Recommendations With A Davidoff Dominicana Robusto Cigar
My first pairing choice was a coconut-meringue with layers of bitter chocolate underneath. It is a perfect sweet treat to go along with the Dominicana since it underlines both the bitter cocoa, as well as the every so slight creamy coconut note.
If you’d prefer a more savory and contrasting accompaniment, try this cigar with a peppered steak, a rich red wine sauce and some freshly ground black pepper on top.
Needless to say, what grows together goes together, hence a few pieces of dark chocolate from the Dominican Republic offer a heavenly overall experience with this smoke.
As for the beverage pairings, I am a big fan of creamy, velvety, and rather yeasty champagnes to enjoy with the Dominicana. Furthermore, a Colheita Port or a well-matured Tawny perfectly highlights the combination of age, character and complexity, all whilst lending a subtle sweetness to the combination.
If you decide to pick a non-alcoholic drink, try the Dominicana with aloe vera, which gives you a bit of freshness to stimulate the palate.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, this is a very interesting new interpretation of Davidoff’s traditional portfolio, since it offers some nuances and flavor notes that you wouldn’t expect from the classic white labels. Everything is turned up a notch: the cigars feel more intense, richer, with earthy spice, dry wood and lots of character.
Yes, the cigar has a substantial price tag to it, but given the overall experience, this is definitely worth your time and money.
"A dry and rich smoke offering a new interpretation of Davidoff's Dominican heritage."
Further Reading
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