Zino Platinum Z Class

The Zino Platinum Z Class is the newest cigar from Zino Platinum, the first new line in 8 years under the Zino name. Z class just sounds fancy, doesn't it? This cigar was released at the beginning of May and features a Dominican wrapper, Peruvian binder and a filler composed of Jalapa Especial Ligero, Esteli Ligero, Cuban Seed Ligero and San Vicente Ligero. Most of the Zino's (and just about everything coming out of the Davidoff factory) is on the mild to medium bodied side, but this one is supposed to be medium to full bodied. With that many ligero's in the filler it better have a little more strength to it! This cigar comes in tins of 20. I am reviewing the "550R" which is a 4 7/8x50 robusto. 

This cigar has an even roll to it with a well applied rounded single cap on top. The wrapper has an oily sheen and a few smaller veins and a slightly mottled coloring. Overall this is a nice looking cigar. I really like the black and silver band as well, its really eye catching in an elegant kind of way. The aroma at the foot is of nice sweet hay. The predraw has the same hay flavor, not surprising being a Davidoff blend. Once lit this has a ton of the flavors I expect out of a Davidoff cigar. There is a ton of musty hay, cedar and a dankness i always find in Kelner's blends. There is a little bit of spice on the finish (and through the nose) with some sweetness to balance it out. The flavor profile is medium and the strength starting out is on the low side of medium as well. I was expecting a little more pop from a cigar with so many different ligero's blended into the filler. The Burn is starting off a little uneven, requiring a few small touch ups about half an inch in. The ash started to flower at this point so I knocked it off before it ended up all over my keyboard. Throughout the first third I've had to relight this cigar twice. It has been sitting in my humidor for over a week now at 64% humidity, so its not overly wet or anything, it just doesn't want to stay lit. The flavors are still pretty much the same, a lot of sweet hay, cedar and that dankness. This does have a little more strength than your typical Davidoff blend, sitting right at medium as I close in on the halfway point. The spice has disappeared, except on the retrohale. 

To be honest, I have never been a huge fan of Davidoff blended cigars. They are often too light for me and all have that signature hay/dank mushroomy musty flavor that I just don't love. I know they are very popular, but they just aren't for me. That being said, this Z Class has a little more flavor and body than your typical Davidoff, making it more along the lines of what I like. There is still a ton of that Davidoff flavor, but with a little more strength behind it. As I reach the end of this cigar the flavors have stayed consistent and pleasant, but the damn thing is having a hard time staying lit. Ive had to do a full relight 4 times. 

If you like the flavor of Davidoff/Zino Platinum blends but want a little more strength, then this new Z Class is one to try. The only downside to this cigar for me was having to relight it so many times. I only smoked one of these, so I don't know if that is a problem with the entire line or just this one cigar. Maybe the amount of ligeros blended in this cigar has something to do with the bad burn. Compared to the normal Zino Platinum/Davidoff line this is relatively affordable, coming in at $10 for the robusto.