Amongst all the colour and blast of New Year, the gentle and quiet Rabbit may at first go unnoticed. For the likeable Rabbit displays both charm and caution.
But do not be fooled, they are always, always alert. The merest scent of a fine cigar, for instance, will set their nose twitching. And then you will become aware of the Rabbit’s more dynamic virtues.
Speed of thought and action, a quick intelligence. For what the Rabbit lacks in the build they make up for in ingenuity.
You can be sure they will be at the centre of the celebrations as the Rabbit is never left behind. And once there, they can spread their legendary grace and generosity.
Unsurprisingly, they are highly thought of by others and often thought highly of by themselves.
So, while they appear to be mild to start with, there is much more intense complexity to them.
As it is with each cigar in this excellent limited edition. The experience starts softly but then imagination and elegance take over and you swiftly travel through the refined and subtle flavours from tobaccos of four origins. A journey of undiscovered pleasure after undiscovered pleasure. And one best taken in the company of the Rabbit.
An enchanting companion, a lively mind and the sharpest of senses when it comes to the more sophisticated things in life.
The Year of the Rabbit Limited Edition marks the eleventh execution of Davidoff's yearly celebration of a Chinese zodiac. This year's edition comes in a smart-looking box of ten perfecto cigars that once again redefines the standard of luxury packaging.
Like the Rabbit's personality, the box's lacquered exterior is elegantly calm and does not yet reveal the depth it holds inside. Its lid tastefully displays the Year of the Rabbit icon, and the Year of the Rabbit pattern, inspired by a rabbit's gentle and steady hops, is visibly raised across the lid.
Upon opening the box, aficionados will first see an inner wood panel in line with the box's design. Underneath the panel, the inside of the wooden box is reminiscent of a rabbit warren with interlinked sections for the ten perfecto cigars.
Davidoff chose a perfecto shape for the representation of this zodiac, as the format is reminiscent of a rabbit's ears, and the multi-layered blend reveals its depth slowly due to the cigar's tapered head and foot. Seven different tobaccos, amongst which are filler tobaccos with an average maturity of 4,5 years, come together and invite aficionados to discover the cigar's complexity layer per layer.
A bit shy in the beginning, the well-crafted perfecto delights with peppery notes, which are soon joined by those of leather. It is then that the cigar's true complexity unfolds. The intensity increases slightly towards the end, without ever overwhelming the palate. A cacao sweetness concludes this pleasant taste experience.
To enhance the Limited Edition and to offer givers as well as collectors a bigger selection of products to choose from, Davidoff releases several accessories in the Year of the Rabbit design.
The Year of the Rabbit Ashtray comes in a smart shape with two notches and offers a generous space for two cigars and ash. The 450 numbered pieces are crafted with premium porcelain in France.
The Year of the Rabbit Cutter ensures a precise cut due to its razor-sharp double blades. The serial number is neatly engraved on the palladium. The 370 available pieces are made in Germany.
For pipe aficionados, Davidoff releases an elegant pipe, which for the first time comes with a pouch in the Year of the Rabbit design. The high-quality briar wood and the eye-catching pouch make the pipe a discreetly sophisticated but nonetheless notably special accessory. Each of the 170 available pieces is handmade and numbered in Italy.
The Year of the Rabbit Pipe Tobacco delights with typically Asian notes and comes in a red-lacquered tin. The blend treats pipe aficionados to Virginia tobaccos from India and China, and Burley tobacco from Malawi, all of which create flavours of jasmine, lemon and vanilla. Limited to 5,400 tins worldwide.
The Davidoff Year of the Rabbit gran toro cigar marks the brand's first special "Year of" edition exclusively available in Davidoff of Geneva since 1911 flagship stores. The impressive box in the Year of the Rabbit design offers 24 cigars, which are otherwise only to be found in the Masterpiece humidor. The blend composition is similar to that of the Year of the Rabbit Limited Edition 2023 perfecto cigar; however, the format and especially the ring gauge create a slightly different revealing of taste and flavours. This edition is limited to 600 boxes worldwide.
The Year of the Rabbit Masterpiece Humidor is the epitome of elegance. The Rabbit’s likeable character traits are reflected in the humidor’s design details. The Year of the Rabbit icon is the main design feature of the piece and majestically displays one of the highest forms of craftsmanship: marquetry.
The eye-catching artwork is a combination of wood, tobacco leaves and golden leaves. The latter harmonise with the gold-plated handle of the humidor. A subtly engraved pattern on the humidor’s exterior imitates a rabbit’s gentle and steady hops. The overall sturdy structure and the calm, symmetric design of the elegant humidor reflect the Rabbit’s pleasant and quiet personality perfectly.
Rose Saneuil is a French artist who has mastered and enhanced the craft of marquetry. Unlike other artists, she carefully blends curated materials from several different sources and of different textures, depth and suppleness. The accurate and tasteful Year of the Rabbit Masterpiece marquetry reflects her profound knowledge and skill not only of the technical but also of the creative aspect of the challenging work.
The brown colour simply had to be constituted by tobacco leaves, as the use of tobacco in Rose’s marquetry has been a longstanding tradition of the collaboration between Rose and Davidoff.
For the stitching, she chose golden leaves to visually accentuate the icon. The prestigious red colour she thought best to be represented by coloured straw, as it captures light and provides a pleasant contrast within the icon itself.
Although the humidor’s exterior gives off the impression of calm symmetry, the work that went into it is actually quite complex. Several different materials with various grades of thickness and finish came together side by side.
A multi-layered character translated into multi-material marquetry.
Over 20 hours of Rose’s work went into each of the 25 pieces that are available worldwide.
Are you interested in purchasing a Davidoff Year of the Rabbit product? Please visit our online store.
