AVO Unexpected Moment Review

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Up for review today is another release from AVO’s Unexpected Series which was released, well, unexpectedly earlier this year. I recently reviewed the Unexpected Tradition (it’s amazing), and so I was very excited to review the Unexpected Moment. We’ll be reviewing all four in the series so stay tuned, but here is the review of the Unexpected Moment.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: AVO Unexpected Moment
  • Wrapper: Ecuador
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size:  6 x 54

Appearance & Construction

The outer Ecuadorian wrapper on the AVO Unexpected Moment is a rich, dark brown with a few major veins and a velvety feel in the hand. It’s a stout cigar, packed full and with just a little bit of springiness when squeezed.

The aromas off of the foot of the AVO Unexpected Moment are complex, soft and seem to betray that at least some of the tobacco in the cigar as extra aged. Aromas include dusty cedar, mulch, sweet grass, some spiciness that tickles the nose and some light cocoa. The draw is a bit restrictive, about an 8/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness, and the pre light draw features spice that tingles my lips and some granola and maltiness. Let’s light up.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Leather is the big flavor coming out of the gate for the Unexpected Moment, followed by deep espresso, dusty wood, and traces of cream. It’s very much an AVO profile, but I’ve got to say it’s almost all bitter on the flavor spectrum, so I’m hoping for a bit of balance soon. The retrohale is similarly bitter, with bitter oak and white pepper as the main ingredients.  Strength wise, it’s a solid medium. Smoke production is decent, but the tight draw is definitely bringing it down a bit.

It takes about an inch of the cigar for new flavors to develop, specifically a brownie note that hits the palate and the aroma. It’s quite nice, but doesn’t fully offset the overall bitterness of the flavor profile. The ash that’s developed is solid white and the burn is almost completely straight, which is great. As the cigar progresses closer to the second third, some mushroom and vegetal notes develop, adding some nice complexity. Still, a mostly one sided smoke so far.

At the halfway mark, the AVO Unexpected Moment finally begins to show some balance, with the cream note turning a bit sweeter and the wood note losing some of its bitterness. The cocoa note which was very much in the background of the aroma also builds, augmenting the smoke even more. The retrohale is mostly gentle woodiness, with some black pepper matching it in strength. Construction problems are nonexistent, and the smoke production which was a bit low in the first half of the cigar starts inching up.

The final third of the AVO Unexpected Moment is for the most part more of the same. The strength and body do start to inch up, making it to well past medium. Black pepper makes a big entrance on the palate, giving the cigar a bit of complexity but mostly dominating the other notes on the palate.

Conclusion

I only smoked one AVO Unexpected Moment for this review, so I’m open to the possibility that the issues with overly dominant bitterness are not representative of this blend as a whole. That said, I don’t plan on smoking more of this blend given that AVO has so many other great blends like the recently reviewed AVO Unexpected Tradition.

If you’re a fan of bitter cigars, or like pairing cigars with sweeter drinks like rum or sherry-finished scotches, this could be a winner. On its own, it has some nice flavors but overall falls short.

Final Rating: 84

AVO Regional East Edition Review

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Up for review today is a new release from AVO Cigars. The brand has been on a roll in 2019, releasing a ton of new blends, at least seven that I can think of off the top of my head: Improvisation Series 2019, Unexpected Tradition, Unexpected Passion, Unexpected Moment, Unexpected Celebration, AVO Regional West and, the cigar up for review today, the AVO Regional East Edition.

I’ve been a massive fan of AVO cigars since basically getting addicted to their Classic Covers Series, particularly Classic Covers Vol. 2, Vol. 3, and Vol. 4. So I was very excited to give this new release a spin. Read on to see what I found.

Appearance & Construction

The most striking aspect of the AVO Regional East Edition’s appearance is the orange bands and the silver compass signet that sits in the middle of the secondary band. It’s a nice look. Shape-wise, the Regional East has a more elegant silhouette, with a long perfecto shape that’s also more slender than the West’s 56 ring gauge belicoso size.  As always with AVO, the cigar is presented with style.

The outer Ecuadorian wrapper is a lighter brown with some mustard hues to it, and has some notable knots. When squeezed, the AVO Regional East Edition has a fair amount of give, but seems packed consistently the entire length of the cigar. There isn’t much to the cold draw, just some spiciness and a bit of AVO woodiness. The draw is about a 6.5/10 in terms of restrictiveness, so that should open up a bit once the cigar burns past the initial tapering.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: AVO Regional East Edition
  • Wrapper: Ecuador
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaragua
  • Perfecto: 6 x 53

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The AVO regional east explodes out of the gate, with a very dominant cedar note that is followed up by touches of vanilla, cream and spicy mustard that hits the retrohale and the tip of the tongue and is very present in the aroma. The body of the smoke is medium, with medium plus flavor strength. It’s not at all what I was expecting but I’m not complaining. I tend to find the AVO blends I’m disappointed with are the ones where I’m looking for a bit more oomph (I’m looking at you AVO 30 Year).

By an inch in, the spicy mustard flavor is dominant, with dry cedar and leather in the background. There’s a tiny hint of sweet creaminess at times, but otherwise the main flavor categories are bitter, spicy, and sour. Construction wise, the cigar performs decently well, with a very straight burn and good smoke production, but the cigar doesn’t seem to want to stay lit longer than a minute or so.

By the end of the first third, my overall assessment is that the AVO regional east is enjoyable but generally out of balance. The spicy mustard note dominates the other flavors, not leaving a lot of room for exploration.

In the second third, the strength settles down to about medium. The flavors are mostly the same, though some white pepper does sneak in on the retrohale which thankfully tones down a bit. Still though, lacking in balance and in complexity.

Unfortunately, there’s virtually no change to the cigar from here. Mostly out of balance, very much lacking in complexity, and overall a frustrating smoke up until the end.

Conclusion

Despite its elegant look and feel, the regional east is probably one of the least elegant smokes from AVO. Although it presents an interesting profile of spicy mustard, cedar and leather, the cigar rarely finds the kind of balance that would make such a profile work, instead being dominated by either mustard or dry cedar.

Save your wallet on this one and pick up any of AVO’s other 2019 releases.

Final Rating: 78

Tatuaje Mexican Experiment II Review

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Up for review today is the Tatuaje Mexican Experiment II or ME II. I’ve written before that I’m not usually a huge fan of Tatuaje cigars even though I can admit that they are both extremely popular and very well crafted cigars. Still, when a reputable company releases a cigar featuring a Mexican San Andres wrapper, my ears are going to perk up, hence today’s review.

Let’s get to it.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Tatuaje Mexican Experiment ME II
  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 5 x 54

Appearance & Construction

The ME II comes wrapped in a gorgeous and nearly flawless Mexican San Andres wrapper that has a very velvety feel to it. The semi box-pressed cigar has a bit of give when squeezed (good) and also seems to be packed consistently the entire length of the cigar.

Taking a whiff off of the foot I pick up earthy notes of granola, some pepper, and light cocoa. Testing the draw after a straight cut reveals a fairly restrictive draw, about an 8/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The first few puffs of the Tatuaje ME II summon a medium bodied smoke that is assertive and pronounced but also fairly nuanced. The first impression is on the tongue, with quite a bit of cayenne pepper and hot spices. There’s also some earthy wood notes alongside a sweeter cocoa note. It all comes together to create something a bit like spicy Mexican chocolate. The retrohale is quite nice as well, mirroring the flavors on the palate. The cigar produces more than enough smoke despite the tighter draw, and though the burn does begin to stray after only a half inch or so, a couple of purges bring it back into line.

After a short ebb in the spiciness, it comes surging back around the end of the first inch, firmly in command of the overall profile. The texture of the smoke becomes quite a bit drier, making me really wish I could pour a glass of scotch or rum to complement the experience.  The aroma of the smoke is interesting, with some definitive fruit notes interlaced between cocoa, spice and pepper. Construction wise, the cigar continues to produce excellent amounts of smoke and the burn is as straight as I’ve seen in a long time and still holding strong.

The Mexican Experiment II continues along in roughly the same way well into the second third, unfortunately not displaying a lot of complexity along the way. From there, it develops a tartness that turns the Mexican chocolate note into something more akin to mustard. On top of that are heaps of black pepper that push the strength of the smoke well past medium and toward the full end of the spectrum. Interesting, but not compelling.

The final third continues this trend, and it gets hard at times to determine if the smoke itself is getting hotter or if the spiciness is just increasing. Either way, the smoke becomes a bit lopsided, with only earth and spice in the spotlight. Not a terrible way to end the cigar, but the first half was definitely more enjoyable.

Conclusion

I mostly enjoyed the Tatuaje Mexican Experiment II. It had a very interesting start and the balance of flavors shifts nicely throughout the first half. That said, the second half failed to continue developing the flavors, instead becoming lopsided and too spicy to be as enjoyable as it could be.

Final Rating: 86

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My Father La Promesa Review

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It’s September, and that means we’re continuing to work through 2019 new releases. Personally, I’ve smoked a number of releases that seemed to be duds, but the cigar we’re reviewing today thankfully breaks that mold. La Promesa (“The Promise”) from My Father Cigars is dressed like so many other MF releases, but the story behind the cigar is unique. According to Cigar Aficionado, “the promise” refers to the promise that José “Pepín” García made to his family when he left Cuba in 2001 to be successful in the cigar industry and make his family proud.

The cigar is produced in five sizes:

  • My Father La Promesa Robusto Grande (5 1/2 x 54)
  • My Father La Promesa Toro (6 x 52)
  • My Father La Promesa Lancero (7 1/2 x 38)
  • My Father La Promesa Petite (4 1/2 x 50)
  • My Father La Promesa Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 48)

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: My Father La Promesa
  • Wrapper:  Ecuador Habano rosado oscuro
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5 1/2 x 54 (Robusto Grande)

Appearance & Construction

My Father cigars almost always feature extremely expensive bands, and this is no exception. Both of the double bands are highly ornate, with high def printing, debossed lettering and framing, gradient coloration (which can be particularly expensive because of the number of colors) are just a few of the features of the band.

The outer wrapper has a few veins and a very visible layer of oil coating the entire cigar. A whiff off of the foot brings forward aromas of old barn, tree bark, coffee, and some light baking spices. The pre-light draw on the other hand is bright, with some lemongrass, cooking spices, and light cocoa.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

A couple of things of note come to mind when I light up the La Promesa from My Father Cigars. First is the texture. The mouthfeel of the smoke is great. Silky smooth but with tinges of spice and some textured cedar that help the cigar make a distinctive entrance. Second is the aroma: the cigar is extremely aromatic with a combination of cedar, grass, floral, cafe au lait and cocoa. Puffing the cigar generates billows of cool, smooth smoke, and the retrohale is nicely balanced between toasted bread, paprika, and baking spices. Strength-wise, the cigar is somewhere in between mild and medium in both strength and body.

So far, a great entrance, and lacking the blast of spice that is so characteristic with My Father blends.

As the La Promesa burns through the first third and into the second, the ash holds steady and the burn stays straight. Strength and body don’t budget at all, continuing to hold halfway through mild and medium. There’s some change to the flavors, but the cigar mostly retains its initial texture (i.e. very smooth, with almost no spice). On the palate, some almond develops alongside baking spices, powdered sugar and cake dough. It’s an enjoyable, mostly sweet profile.

Thankfully, at halfway the La Promesa starts to pick up a bit more oomph, with some spice re-entering and the smoke taking on a toastier texture. The trend continues well into the second third, with some distinctive cedar entering the mix and bringing the overall profile away from sweetness and more toward a more bitter profile. Great development and a nice added complexity.

By the final third, the transformation of the flavor profile is complete, with a wood-forward character that also has a decent amount of spice and black pepper mixed in. Still, it’s very balanced, and the sweeter flavors haven’t totally disappeared. The only negative is that near the end the heat of the smoke picks up a bit, prompting me to smoke a bit slower.

Conclusion

La Promesa is an excellent addition to the My Father product lineup. It’s a lot more subtle than other offerings, and features a velvety smooth smoke full of elegantly sweet flavors of toasted bread, cake dough, powdered sugar, cedar, floral and cafe au lait.

This cigar would pair very well with a mild rum which could bring out a bit more spice and wood early on.

Final Rating: 91

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On the “Certified Cigar Sommelier” Controversy

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photo courtesy John DeMato

Earlier this week, the cigar blog Ministry of Cigars (MC) posted an article titled “Certified Cigar Sommelier Scam”. In it, the author calls out The International Association of Cigar Sommeliers for essentially selling sommelier diplomas to anyone with $850 and a day and a half free in their schedule. MC writes:

For a few hundred American dollars and a few hours of your time you can call yourself a certified international cigar sommelier. And it’s appalling. An insult to every single expert in the world. A degradation of the world sommelier and a slap in the face to everyone in the cigar industry. A few hours of your time and a few hundred dollars doesn’t make you an expert, a sommelier. It makes you a gullible victim of a scammer. Nothing more and nothing less. A naive victim of a scam.

A day later, the IACS responded with its own post on Facebook:

In the post, the association defends its courses, pointing to the credentials of its founder and notable figures who have taught at the courses. But the most interesting part of the post, to me, is this line:

We know the ideal cigar education should take months. However, in our best interest to spread the cigar culture around the world, we have developed a blended learning approach, including online learning and classroom training, and visits to farms and factories to complete more than 70 hours of education to certify our students as Master Cigar Sommeliers. Our program is intensive but comprehensive.

Here it seems that there’s a conflict of mission. Is the IACS in the business of rigorously training “Master Cigar Sommeliers” that are actually sommerliers? Or are they about spreading the cigar culture around the world, which sounds an awful lot like another way of saying “being as accessible to as many people as possible.” Those goals don’t seem in harmony.

Here’s my thought on the issue overall. I share MC’s concern, and the IACS’s post doesn’t address the core problem that we and others have with the program: it doesn’t matter who is teaching, one day does not a sommelier make. And that really is what the IACS is claiming. Here’s the description for the Los Angeles Cigar Sommelier Diploma course that was held September 7th and 8th:

Certainly, the IACS Cigar Sommelier Certificate is the most complete and recognized cigar education degree all over the world. In this course, the participants will acquire all the technical knowledge of tobacco. They will be able to perform complex organoleptic analysis and suggest extraordinary pairings. In adittion, they will be capable to provide advice on tobacco management. Therefore, the participan will become an expert and key opinión leader in the fascinating world of cigars.

Some thoughts. First, no one can “acquire all the technical knowledge of tobacco” in 48 hours. No one is that smart. Nor do the course’s teachers have all the knowledge in the first place. Second, the jargon. “Organoleptic analysis” is a fancy way of saying “tasting/smelling cigars.” Jargon aside, that certainly can’t be taught to the level of sommelier in one day. Developing a palate takes time. Lastly: the promise that “the participan will become an expert and key opinion leader in the world of cigars.”

No. You won’t.

These benefits simply can’t be delivered on, and they can’t be taken seriously. In the wine world, obtaining a master level sommelier diploma takes at minimum months, and often years.

So are IACS diplomas a scam? I wouldn’t go that far. But the website does monumentally oversell a program which seems more built for tourists than serious cigar aficionados willing to put in the time, research, and experience required to obtain a certification with the type of cachet that the word sommelier carries.

Now a big caveat. None of this is to say that IACS courses in general can’t be taken seriously. As the IACS wrote in their response to the MC post:

Premium cigar brands trust in our trainings. We’ve had people like Henke Kelner from Davidoff, Litto Gomez form LFD and Hirochi Robaina who have participated (either virtually or in classroom) as speakers in our trainings.

But the most important part of our credentials come from our students. Within our graduates and members, we have boutique brands owners, cigar factory managers, recognized sommeliers, Habano Sommeliers Champions and Habanos Academy graduates who use our trainings to complement their education. In some cases, they have even traveled from Cuba to receive them.

These facts are significant, and I imagine the classes with those figures really are excellent. I also believe that many well respected members of the cigar community—real cigar experts—have taken the courses at massive events like Procigar.  But once again, it doesn’t matter who is teaching the course. $850, some lectures, pairings, and two days doesn’t make anyone a cigar sommelier, and it does dilute the meaning of the term sommelier in a way that rightfully angers other members of the cigar community who have spent years or even decades learning the intricacies of tobacco.

I’ve been writing about cigars and teaching educational classes on tobacco for the better part of the last decade. I know a fair bit. But I also know enough about cigars to know that that, without a real, formal education, I could never with a straight face call myself a certified cigar sommelier.

At the end of the day, I suppose it is up to the individual to decide how much they value having a diploma earned after just a day or two. I’m sure the classes sell well, and I am genuinely grateful for any organization out there introducing people to cigars just like we’ve done at Fine Tobacco NYC for thousands of people from all over the country. But I do think that handing out diplomas that aren’t backed by arduous hard work is problematic and ultimately sells our industry short.

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