Blind Review: Avo Improvisation LE 2020
For those who are unfamilar with the man, Avo Uvezian was a brillant Jazz pianist and cigar lover. Through a partnership with Davidoff and Henke Kelner making the blends, Avo had several lines of cigars of different tastes, sizes and profiles. In addition, Avo would release a special cigar on his birthday which would be celebrated with a party and a performance from the man. Sadly in 2017 Avo passed away and although the music and cigar world lost a treasure, the brand itself continues to honor him with a birthday blend.
This Avo Improvisation 2020 is a toro sized smoke that was blended by Henke Kelner and Eladio Diaz using aged tobaccos and is said to be in the medium to full bodied range. I was pleased to find out what the cigar was after I smoked it as I believe he would have enjoyed the results.
Blend Specifics
- Cigar Reviewed: Avo Improvisation LE 2020
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
- Binder: Semilla 151 Seco
- Filler: Dominican and Peruvian
- Size: 6 1/2 x 50 Toro
Appearance & Construction
The Avo LE’s claro wrapper has minimal veins and is spongy to the touch. The roll itself is even although I notice a bit of a touch up with the cap. Finding out this was an Avo cigar by Davidoff, I was surprised as the company’s construction above all is usually spot on. The smell on the foot is all wood and hay with a slight note of pepper in the nostrils.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
Using my Palió cutter I clip a strait cut and take a few dry puffs. The Avo emits dry wood and leather in the mouth. I light the cigar with a cedar strip and the drying sensation hits the sides of my cheeks with a backlash of leather on the tongue. On the retrohale, the musty characteristic comes into play like an old wine cellar. As the smoke starts billowing, mushroom and earth emerge on the forefront, with leather hitting the back end.
The core of the Ave Improvisation delivers an earthy tone with leather clinging to the tongue with an underlying mustiness. Another retrohale on this cigar and more mushroom, followed by oak freely accenting the earth and leather. The white/gray ash is razor sharp, demonstrating that the tobacco inside is well crafted in this blend. As I puff away, I am greeted by a creaminess which adds a layer of complexity that is quite refined.
The final third is where the creaminess really comes through for me. Every puff finishes with it and the leather from earlier is replaced with more of the wood as the secondary flavor. The smoke from the Avo is quite pleasing and the smell of cedar wafts through nicey. Some mushroom and earth return, followed by a nuttiness and some spice that goes by as fast as I pick it up. As I take my last few puffs of the Avo LE 2020 it becomes toasty and woody with a rather short finish. A pleasing medium plus cigar.
Conclusion
I had the privilege of meeting Avo Uvezian many years ago and he was a dynamic yet humble person. Even with his passing Avo’s legacy continues to live on in his music and cigars. The Avo Improvisation LE 2020 is a fine homage to the man with wood, leather, mushroom and mustiness that these unique tobaccos yield. Much like with music, you need to pick up this cigar, sit down and take in what it has to offer.