Blind Review: AVO Regional Edition South

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As a brand, AVO cigars carries many lines meant to appeal to different tastes and preferences. Despite the differences, the blends all adhere to one principle: quality.  Their limited edition regional blends in particular attempt to represent a theme or homage to specific region. The AVO Regional Edition South is a prime example of the company showcasing the flavor profiles that epitomize a region. Whether we agree or not, the company always seems to pride itself in the quality of the tobaccos and construction.

Because I reviewed this blind, the brand theme is of no significance. But visually the cigar looked great and ready to be smoked.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: AVO Regional South LE
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
  • Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut
  • Filler: Dominican, Peruvian, Honduran
  • Size 7”x52 (Torpedo)

Appearance & Construction

This smoke has an attractive Colorado claro wrapper with few veins. It’s long and slim with a tapered head and appears very well constructed. With a squeeze I can feel that its firmly packed with tobacco. As I smell the foot of the cigar I’m picking up must, earth and black pepper in my nose.

Flavor & Smoking Characteristics

Considering the tapered head, I think that my Palio cutter will clip this nicely. I take a quick cut and the top comes off effortlessly.  With a cold draw I’m getting some mustiness, earth with a slight sourness. I’ve decided my Xikar Executive lighter will do the trick and as I’m toasting the cigar the draw seems a bit airy. My first puff brings a drying sensation to my mouth as well as notes of tanned leather. As I take a retrohale I’m getting sweetness and cedar coming through. Another puff brings mushroom and earth to the forefront with a tea like finish. The cigar appears medium bodied at present and is delivering some tasty flavors.

As I reach the middle of this smoke I see the burn line is a bit wavy.  So far it’s not affecting the flavors at all as I’m picking up cashew, vanilla and a creamy finish. With another retrohale there’s a lot of roasted nuts and cream through the nose.  The gray ash from this stick is solid and at present doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. As I take another puff there’s an earthiness followed by black pepper that tingles the lips.  There’s a noticeable turn around from medium to full bodied at the moment.

The smoke wafts a bit as I’m into the last third and the burn line that wavered initially seems to be straightening out.  The cigar is developing savory notes of clotted cream along with that prevalent nutty characteristic. As I take another puff I’m greeted with a bit of mushroom, earth and wood.  A retrohale delivers more of that sweetness with toasted oak along with truffles. Mushroom and pencil shavings intertwine as the smoke burns rather steadily. Taking a last puff, this cigar finishes with earth, toast and nuts.  A satisfying smoke.

Conclusion

This cigar was all about balance.  It began with leather, mushroom and earth followed but nuttiness and a creamy finish.  The toasty notes throughout along with the black pepper midway amped the cigar up a bit into the fuller range. Towards the end , the cigar finished with mushroom, truffles and earth which brought it to a satisfyingly medium bodied end.

When I learned this was the AVO Regional Edition South I wasn’t surprised. The construction and flavors were spot on for what the brand delivers. I would recommend trying the Regional Edition South or potentially even a box purchase.

Final Rating: 91

Blind Review: Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Hooligan 2020

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Barber poles for me have always been cigars that are more about visual oddities than a quality smoke. The contrast of a light and dark striped wrapper is drawing to the eye, but most of the time the blend and tobacco lends itself to a basic if not off putting smoking experience. One exception that comes to mind is the Fuente Hemingway Between The Lines perfectos that are consistently of excellent quality. Other than that, barber pole cigars have been favored as more fun than premium smokes.  

A few years back Alec Bradley created their Black Market Filthy Hooligan cigars to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. The cigars received praise as a choice hybrid cigar. Still, I dismissed them as more of a gimmick and never ventured to try one. When I saw a cigar that was striped for this blind review, my expectations were low. Despite this I always leave a chance to be surprised when I’m about to try something new so here it goes…

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Hooligan 2020
  • Wrapper: Honduran candela and Nicaraguan
  • Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
  • Filler: Honduran and Panamanian
  • Size: 6”x50 (Barber Pole, Toro)

Appearance and Construction

This barber pole stick looks well-constructed sporting a pretty even match of candela and dark wrapper leaf. The cap has a piece of candela sitting on top and is put together quite nicely. There are minimal veins although as I’m squeezing the cigar there are soft spots towards the middle. The foot is spongy and as I give it a whiff there’s lots of hay coming from it although not much else.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Having my trusty Xikar Wooly Mammoth cutter with me I clip the candela piece off the top of the cigar. The cold draw brings hay, pencil lead, must and burnt wood. Using a long match I catch flame to the stick and the first puff has some loose tobacco that I’m catching on my teeth. As I remove the tobacco pieces the flavors start off with perfume and grassy notes. The start is rather mild and with a retrohale there’s hay coming through the nostrils with a café au lait creaminess. As I get to the darker wrapper a bit of spice hits the tongue with some citrus. At this point I’m getting the contrast from green wrapper to dark which is a combo of earth, spice then hay and grass.

The cigar is burning fast as I’m getting midway into it and I’m tasting mint with a butterscotch sweetness.  The body is medium and the ash is white with a wavy burn line. With another puff there’s earth and citrus on the forefront with a coffee finish. I take another retrohale where fruits and nuts rush through as well as a grassiness coming out of my mouth. The ash is firm as I attempt to gently remove it for fear of having it falling off into my lap.  The burn also appears to be adjusting and is looking pretty even.

As I’m rounding the last third of the smoke, earth and those grassy notes really seem to be picking up. These flavors are starting to become overwhelming and creating a fuller profile than previously.  I’m tasting the contrasts from the green to dark wrapper throughout and now hay mixed with cedar coats my palate along with a creamy finish. With another puff I get red pepper flakes that quickly transition back to grass and the perfume from the beginning of the stick. The cigar ends in the medium bodied range as I put it down. Although not too complex of a smoke the flavors were pronounced.

Conclusion

While I’ve always seen barber pole cigars as a novelty (and I’ve tasted more awful ones than good), I was happily surprised with the Alec Bradley Filthy Hooligan 2020. The construction was solid and the combo from candela to dark wrapper was well crafted. The filler tobaccos were a bit soft as I gave it a squeeze, but this did not affect the burn or flavor of the cigar at all. Though the blend was not sophisticated, the hay, earth, grass and creaminess balanced the smoke out rather nicely.

When I found out this was an Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Hooligan the quality of the cigar certainly showed as I’ve enjoyed many lines in the Alec Bradley brand. So if you think this is a “novelty” smoke, it isn’t and I can easily recommend picking at least one up and giving it a try.

Final Rating: 88

Blind Review: AVO Regional Edition North

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Even with Avo Uvezian‘a passing in 2017 his legend continues to live on in smoke, especially in AVO’s annual limited edition blends. The latest release from AVO Cigars is a regional blend that picks up where last years regional’s East and West left off. The North and South regional editions were recently added to accent the areas they are named for. These days the AVO portfolio is extensive, some lines I’ve loved and others not as much. With this blind review I can only say it was a nice looking perfecto that needed to be smoked! 

Blends Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: AVO Regional Edition North Perfecto
  • Wrapper: Dominican
  • Binder: Dominican
  • Filler: Dominican, Honduran, Peruvian
  • Size: 6 5/8x 50 (Perfecto)

Appearance & Construction

Looking at the cigar, it is long and tapered on both ends and the construction is spot on.  As I touch the Colorado claro wrapper, it is silky with some veins along the sides. I give the smoke a squeeze and it seems packed with tobacco. The tapered foot doesn’t allow for much exposure to the filler tobaccos however as I give it a smell I’m getting some slight barnyard notes and must.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

I choose my Lamborghini guillotine cutter as I want a precise slice to this double tapered cigar. With a quick snap a small piece of the head comes off and I take a dry draw. The draw tastes of mushroom, must and cedar and I surmise this may be olor tobacco. I swipe a long Club Macanudo match and light the tapered end of the smoke. With a puff I’m getting maple, cedar and toast on my tongue as well as the sides of my mouth.  The cigar thus starts off with a medium profile and with that I’m getting mushroom and truffle with a sweet finish. I will say with the tapered ends, the draw on this smoke is great so far.  I take a retrohale and mushroom and earth waft through my nostrils with some secondary notes of pencil lead.

As I settle into the middle of this perfecto I see the dark grey ash is becoming a bit flaky. It does not appear to affect the flavor as I get toast, more mushroom and earth. With another retrohale, forest floor and nuts are coming out my sinus and through my mouth. I take a smooth draw and leather, cedar and coffee begin to develop. The body of this cigar continues to be in the medium range and quite enjoyable.

This smoke seems to be burning fast as I’m quickly into the last third where earth and spice are coming through. Surprisingly I now pick up maple mixed with truffle and mustiness. The construction on this cigar continues to be quite good as it’s reaching end. As I take a final puff more mushroom, and toasted oak is coming through with a truffle like finish. A pleasing end to this cigar. 

Conclusion

The AVO Regional Edition North is an expertly crafted cigar in appearance and smoking. The flavors were consistent throughout, with mushroom, truffle and cedar being the dominant flavors with secondary notes of forest floor, must and leather. When I found out this was an AVO I wasn’t surprised. These are the tastes I’ve come to know from these blends and tobacco. I would recommend a box purchase or at least a five pack, you’ll be pleased with the results.

Final Rating: 91

Blind Review: Archetype Curses

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Archetype by Ventura Cigar Co. is not a brand I cross paths with regularly. However, as a fantasy enthusiast, you can imagine my interest after learning about the cigar once the big reveal from my blind review. Archetype originates from the works of psychologist Dr. Carl Jung and mythographer Joseph Campbell. Throughout much of Campbell’s research, he has discovered that in the world myths, ‘Hero’s Journey’ is a common theme used to tell and retell stories in their infinite variations since the beginning of time. 

Using the ‘Hero’s Journey’ as a guideline, Archetype came out with their tale under their Fantasy Miniseries; Cloaks, Crystals, and Curses. Today I will be doing a blind review on Curses. As described on their website, “Curses represent the evil forces our hero is pitted against…”. Let’s see what kind of endeavor we would face smoking Curses.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Archetype Fantasy Miniseries Curses
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Nicaragua Habano
  • Filler: Nicaragua Habano
  • Size: Robusto (5″x50)

Appearance & Construction

Just like the name and the description suggested, Curses is true to its nature when it comes to its construction: A dry, toothy, Maduro wrapper a little bit on the rough side. The edge of the wrapper is visible; you can feel the separation, but it still gives off a sturdiness as a whole. 

The cigar is pack proportionally, and it is springy as I squeeze it between my fingers.  The wrapper gives off a strong smell of sweet and tart raisin, followed by light leather and espresso beans. Off the foot, I get apricot and dry hay. After shaving off the cap, and taking several puffs, I taste leather, sweet stone fruits, and bitter coffee.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

I take my first puff of the cigar after lighting and the foot shines like a miniature sun. Immediately, it feel like I get splashed in the face with a cup of dark roast coffee. As the initial flavor disburses, I taste oak, leather, earthy mineral with a hint of bitterness in the smoke, all while an undertone of pepper grows towards the back of my tongue. As I retrohale the next few puffs, the smoke comes through my nostrils with white pepper spice, roasted coffee beans, and almonds. As the first third comes to an end, the ash is still holding on and the burn line is even. The only complaint I have so far is the missing component—creaminess—which I believe would elevate the smoking experience and round up some of the roughness for this cigar.

The second third doesn’t change much, at least not until the halfway mark. Now I’m tasting medium roasted coffee, wheat, almond, and an earthy taste that reminds me of a wet log. On the retrohale, I get sweet black coffee, tree bark, and black pepper. The bitterness in the smoke is gone, replaced by a vegetal aftertaste. At this point, the cigar is enjoyable as it tones down in strength. But the flavors are still not balancing with one another.

In the final act of the Curses, the flavor profiles became even lighter with flavors of blond roasted coffee, sawdust, almonds, and cocoa dust. The retrohale is delightful as I get vanilla, oak, sweet hay, and white pepper. The smoke was so smooth and silky that I was able to retrohale the whole puff without any discomfort. 

As I’m arriving at the nub, about three inches left, the Curses decides to reshape the whole flavor profile and introduce a creamy element into the fray, ending my experience with flavors of mocha latte, sawdust, and oats. 

Conclusion

Like a villain, the Curses teased my palate throughout the whole smoking experience. Unfortunately, each third felt incomplete as it was missing an element needed to balance out the flavor profiles. It wasn’t until the very end where the missing component makes an appearance and harmonized the flavors. But by that time, I had to put out the cigar as it began to burn my fingers. Perhaps the fantasy miniseries was meant to be smoked back to back in a specific order — like a hero tale, where the end of one leads to the beginning of another. 

Final Rating: 84

Blind Review: Yagua Toro by J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

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J.C. Newman is a long standing family company known for their innovations and for producing cigars for all tastes and budgets. The Yagua, released in 2020, represents a tradition of making cigars sans molds and rolling them with the palm leaf of the Yagua tree. The cigars are then bound together in bundles with said leaf and packed “wet” (as soon as they are rolled off the table). When ready to smoke you untie the bundle where the cigars have naturally formed individual shapes. This makes for a truly unique smoking experience while getting to sample a tradition of rolling mostly lost to the past. Smoking this blind, the unusual shape was evident as well as what appeared to be a “wet” wrapper.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Yagua
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 6″ x 54 (Toro)

Appearance & Construction 

The cigar is veiny and rustic in appearance with a triangular shape to it. The wrapper is smooth to the touch and as I give it a squeeze I’m feeling a lot of soft spots. I’m getting the impression the cigar is “wet’ despite sitting in my temperature controlled humidor for quite some time now. The foot smells of intense barnyard and hay. 

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Not having my Xikar cutter handy I opt for a double guillotine cutter that slices straight and clean.  I take a cold draw that delivers raisins and spice with a mustiness at the end. With my Lamborghini lighter in reach I toast this “wet” cigar and try to take a puff unsuccessfully as it’s giving me problems lighting. Giving it another go the wrapper ignites and I am getting some grittiness with earth and raisins. And just like that it’s out again and I’m pushing my Lambo torch to get flame back to this stick. Finally another light and fruits are coming forward with some chocolate and a musty finish. The cigar isn’t coming off as raw despite its wet character, but the relights are suggesting young tobacco leaf. The smoke has gone out once more and I am finding myself working on another relight. The ash is dark as my flame ignites the stick once again and earth and plum take shape. I take a retrohale and must/funk along with some pepper rush through my nose. 

The cigar appears to become spongier as I am smoking midway through.  Another puff and cocoa, earth with tropical fruit on the back end appear with a medium length finish. The body of this cigar as well seems to align itself to a medium body at least at this point. Unsurprisingly the cigar ceases to stay lit forcing me to grab my torch once again. A quick blast of flame and the cigar ignites with black pepper, fruits and a grittiness that resonates on my palate. Amazingly, the burn line isn’t too off even with all these relights. The flavors of fruit become more dominate with earth and traces of cumin hitting the tongue. I go for a second retrohale and the pepper and earth tingle my sinus while I blow out the smoke. The ash flakes off a bit and fortunately its managing to stay lit.   

Despite my reservations regarding this cigars repeated combustion issues, I take a measured puff where sweet cocoa comes together with cedar notes. Unfortunately I see the smoke petering out again which causes me to grab my lighter and work on a relight. Once again I torch the stick and immediately get earth and some coffee on the finish. As I take a retrohale there’s damp wood and spice coming through with a long finish coating the palate. I struggle to take a final draw on this smoke as it’s looking like it’s extinguishing.  I’m managing to get some more chocolate notes which makes for a pleasant end to this cigar.

Conclusion

This was a “wet” cigar for certain.  If any stick needed a “dry boxing” this one did. To be fair when I smoke a stick for a review I feel it needs to be gauged like any cigar I’d take from my cabinet and light up. Despite this concern, the filler tobaccos produced some wonderful flavors of earth, fruits, chocolate and cedar. The issue that really hurt the cigar were the constant relights from the wrapper which made for an inconsistent and frustrating experience. Finding out it was a Yagua from J.C. Newman now made sense as it’s packed “wet”. I would certainly try another knowing this and I would recommend anyone to try at least one as well.  I would suggest dry boxing first if your cigar is like the one I smoked.

Final Rating: 85

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