A special test: Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour Petit Panetela - comparison of the 2020 and 2024 vintages. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Zigarren.Zone, I was surprised by one of our loyal readers Jörg. He gave me a tin of the Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour Petit Panetela from 2020 - a gift that really touched me. Jörg found my report on the 2024 edition so exciting (I gave the cigar a proud 94 points) that he wanted to know whether I would notice a difference when savouring the two vintages. So I took up the challenge and did a „blind test“.

The first five minutes

Unfortunately, I failed to capture the details in the photos - but that in no way detracts from the experience! The excitement grew as I smoked both cigars one after the other, not knowing which was the 2020 and which was the 2024 edition.

Right from the start, I noticed that the 2024 edition tasted much creamier in the first five minutes. This creamy entry was velvety smooth and pampered the palate in a particularly luxurious way. The 2020, on the other hand, needed a little more time to unfold its full potential, but then really stepped up its game.

The difference in size is deceptive. The 2020 edition on the left and the 2024 edition on the right (it's just a little closer to the camera, so it appears larger).

Afterwards: the true dance of flavours

After these five minutes, the true dance of flavours began: wood, pepper, cream, a slightly sweet note and slightly bitter cocoa alternated almost rhythmically in both cigars. It was almost as if the two vintages were competing with each other for the favour of my taste buds - but without a clear winner.

I light the two cigars with the S.T. Dupont from Davidoff. The cigar lies on the Davidoff Sliding Ashtray with cigar stand.

Marvellous!

In the end, I couldn't say for sure which cigar was older. Both vintages were outstanding in their own way, and each was a pleasure in its own right. Whether it was the hint of maturity of the 2020 or the freshness of the 2024: Both cigars offered me a unique experience.

I was already a big fan of the 2020 edition and also of the 2024 edition!

A big thank you to Jörg for this great gift and the chance to savour these two fantastic cigars in direct comparison. Another highlight of my cigar journey - here's to the next ten years!