O-STA

Zino Davidoff: a legend turns 100

A very special event is coming up shortly: 11 March 2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Zino Davidoff ? the founder of the now world-renowned brand that stands for cigar pleasure of the highest order. Once a refugee from the Ukraine, Zino Davidoff has grown to become a byword for pleasure and lifestyle. He raised his conviction to a philosophy: ?The Good Life? ? that is the art of living and of experiencing the best moments in life with feeling and spirit. That is true lifestyle, that was ? and still is ? Davidoff.

Zino Davidoff, who was born on 11 March 1906 in the Ukrainian city of Kiev, was a man with a keen sense of the essential, who understood how to savour the moment. ?Smoke less, but better and longer ? make a cult of it, a philosophy!? was his credo. He made it his goal to enrich life through pleasure and never lost sight of this aim. In 1930, he expanded the family tobacco shop in Geneva by adding the first special cellar for optimum storage of cigars. Then, in 1946, he created his famous ?Ch?teau? line ? cigars which he named after great Bordeaux wines. 1970 saw him join forces with his long-standing friend Dr. Ernst Schneider and the acquisition of the Geneva shop by the old-established family business Oettinger from Basel. With this began the development of Davidoff into a sought-after brand that met with success across the globe.

Then as now, Davidoff cigars have always been an art in their own right and satisfy the most discerning customers. The tobaccos used are sourced in the Dominican Republic, yet each series of Davidoff cigars has its own special composition and its own individual character. The secret to the success of Davidoff products lies in the seamless intertwining of tradition, innovation and a sense of elegant functionality.

To mark this biographic milestone, cigar aficionado and renowned German author Dieter H. Wirtz has published a lively and knowledgeable biography recounting the life and philosophy of this world-renowned cigar connoisseur. The entertaining work bears the title ?Davidoff ? Legende, Mythos, Wirklichkeit? (Davidoff ? Legend, Myth, Reality). It is a piece of enthralling contemporary history that throws new light on many facets of Zino Davidoff?s life. The German version of the book is available from bookshops since 1 March 2006. The English version will be available from 1 June 2006.

Cross reference: picture is distributed via EPA (European Pressphoto Agency)

Press office Headquarter

Oettinger Davidoff Group

Corporate Communications

Tel.: ++41 61 279 36 36

E-mail: media@davidoff.com

www.davidoff.com

Press office for the United States

Davidoff of Geneva (CT) Inc.

Samuel Russell

Tel.: ++1 203 323 5811

E-mail: srussell@davidoffusa.com

Press office for Belgium

Zabia S.A.

John Vercammen

Tel.: ++32 2 478 17 16

E-mail: vercammen@davidoff.ch

Press office for Holland

W. Pronk Import B.V.

Han de Wit

Tel.: ++31 20 695 50 01

E-mail: hdewit@davidoff.ch