SWITZERLAND. The Oettinger Davidoff Group presented a range of cigar products at last month’s TFWA World Exhibition, including a special 25th anniversary limited edition from The Griffin’s and a new addition to the Winston Churchill line.
The Griffin’s Special XXV Edition
25 years ago Bernard Grobet, cigar aficionado and owner of The Griffin’s Club in Geneva, came up with the idea of having his own cigars made under the name of his club. Produced exclusively for him in the Dominican Republic and originally intended for his club, the cigars were apparently so well-received by guests that before long, they were being sold in all Swiss tobacconists and from 1989 in the US as well.
To handle the exports, Grobet initially engaged the Davidoff of Geneva organisation in Stamford, before selling the brand to the Oettinger Davidoff Group in Basel three years later. Since then, the Swiss tobacco company has distributed The Griffin’s worldwide and developed the brand through new models, lines and accessories.
This year, together with the TFWA, The Griffin’s celebrates its 25th anniversary and a limited edition product has been created to mark this milestone: the Special XXV Edition.
25 cigars are displayed in specially made white ceramic containers, each bearing the imprint of the brand’s trademark griffin. The cigars are individually packed in taste- and odour-free cellophane to keep the aromas at their best.
In line with The Griffin’s tradition, the Robusto cigars (14cm in length, 2.1cm diameter) are of medium strength, with a wealth of aromas that ensure a full-bodied smoking experience according to Oettinger Davidoff.
The Griffin’s Special XXV Edition is limited to 3,500 containers worldwide and is available from selected tobacconists.
Length: 14.0cm / 5.5 inches
Diameter: 2.1cm / 52 ring gauge
Wrapper leaf: Connecticut – Ecuador
Binder leaf: Piloto
Filler: San Vicente Seco, Piloto Ligero, Olor Ligero
For more information, visit www.griffinscigars.com
 |  |
(Left) The Griffin’s Special XXV Edition is limited to 3,500 containers worldwide; (Right) The 4-inch long Winston Churchill Spitfire was created in response to the rising demand for shorter cigars as a result of stricter smoking laws recently | |
Winston Churchill Spitfire
New to the Winston Churchill line is the Winston Churchill Spitfire, created in response to the rising demand for shorter cigars as a result of stricter smoking laws.
The Winston Churchill range was created when Sir Churchill’s grandson approached Davidoff to develop cigars to commemorate the noted statesman, who was frequently spotted with a cigar in hand, Oettinger Davidoff told The Moodie Report.
Although the 10.2cm Short Panetela format with a 38 ring gauge is small, the Spitfire packs a powerful flavour, said Oettinger Davidoff. It is targeted at consumers “who do not wish to forgo their Winston Churchill cigar for those briefer interludes of smoking pleasure”.
The Spitfire owes its intense aromas to a tobacco blend made up of a balanced composition of matured and specially fermented short filler tobaccos. It contains spicy flavour nuances and delicate hints of roasted coffee.
Packed in red tins of five cigars, the Winston Churchill Spitfire is available at selected tobacconists.
Length: 10.2 cm / 4 inches
Diameter: 1.5 cm / 38 ring gauge
Wrapper leaf: Ecuador Special Sun Grown
Binder leaf: Sumatra Mexico
Filler: Jalapa Especial Seco, Piloto Seco, San Vicente Ligero, Criollo Seco
For more information, visit www.winstonchurchillcigars.com
About Oettinger Davidoff
The Oettinger Davidoff Group is a globally operating family company established in Basel in 1875. Today, the group is a leading fully integrated production, international marketing and contract service company for manufacturers of tobacco and confectionery products in the world.
Its global brand portfolio includes Davidoff, Zino, Zino Platinum, AVO, Griffin’s, Private Stock, Winston Churchill, and the recently acquired Camacho and Cusano Cigar brands.
For more information, visit www.davidoff.com.
MORE STORIES ON DAVIDOFF
