Dalay Limited Edition 2019

[Don Fernando]

You probably haven’t heard of Dalay because it’s not a worldwide available cigar brand. It’s the brand of the German retailer Salih Dalay and his team of Dalay Zigarren. The shop was founded in 1998 and over the last few years the company has released a few limited editions and a few regular production cigars under the Dalay name. The cigars are only available in Germany, at a limited number of retailers.



Now, this Dalay Limited Edition 2019 Robusto Extra has a beautiful story, on which we wrote an article earlier this year. This limited edition uses tobacco seeds that haven’t been crossbred with other tobaccos to make more sturdy crops, no modern fertilizer or pesticides have been used. Even the boxes are unlacquered. Everything has been done to mimic ancient cigars and to come as close to the original flavor of cigars as possible.

Name: Dalay Limited Edition 2019
Country: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera Altragrazia
Size: 5 ½ x54
Vitola: Robusto Extra
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: € 15,00 (Germany)
Cutter: Xikar X2
Lighter: single flame
Smoke conditions: indoors with ventilator
Smoke time: Two hours
Sponsored by Dalay Zigarren

The wrapper is oily, medium dark, with thin veins. The construction feels good and the cigar has a beautiful cap. The ring is simple yet gorgeous, brushed black with golden letters. It’s simple yet classy. The aroma os the cigar is strong. The smell is like a smoldering campfire in the early morning after a late night of cigar smoking with friends at the fire pit.



The cold draw is a little loose, yet spicy with a distinct tobacco flavor. Straight from the start, the cigar tastes sweet with nutmeg, toast and a dash of pepper. The flavor profile is very interesting, unique and very different from the classic coffee, soil, and leather that is found at the beginning of so many other cigars. After two centimeters the mouthfeel is creamy and buttery. The flavors are still nutmeg, toast, and sweetness but now accompanied by grass and hazelnuts. After a third, the flavors change to cedar with nutmeg, some vanilla, and some pepper. Halfway some musk shows up too with the wood, pepper, and spices. The final third starts with slight vanilla and the nutmeg, leather, and pepper. The cigar clearly gains more strength. In the end, the flavors are green herbs with leather, wood and a strong pepper and coffee.



After one correction, the burn was good. The draw is good. The light-colored ash is flaky and course. The smoke is fine, a little ticker would have been nice. The cigar is unique and a must try for any serious cigar aficionado out there. This cigar is medium-full bodied, full flavored with a lot of evolution during its two hours of smoke time.


Strength: medium-full

Flavor: full

For the final score with a scientific diagram, a video and pictures, go to: https://ministryofcigars.com/dalay-l...robusto-extra/