AVO

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

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

Notable first for his legendary skill as a jazz pianist and composer, Avo Uvezian was also known for AVO Cigars, his personal cigar brand. It was 1987 when he crossed paths with Davidoff’s Hendrik Kelner and started the conversation that would culminate in the creation of AVO Cigars. One of the first blends, AVO Classic, utilized an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. In 2000, Avo produced a Maduro version of the same blend using Connecticut broadleaf, but the blend was discontinued in 2015.

Fast forward to 2020: AVO and Davidoff rereleased the classic Maduro. 

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: AVO Classic Maduro (2020 Release)
• Wrapper: American – Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Size: Toro (6″ x 50)

Appearance & Construction

Off the bat, the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper feels super smooth. Two minor veins run down the side, which doesn’t take away from the smoking experience. The cigar is packed proportionally and feels sturdy from head to foot. 

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

There is a captivating vanilla scent coming off the wrapper. As my nose travel down to the foot, there is a pleasant fragrance of sweet and sour plum and white pepper. To my surprise, the cold draw is very similar to the scent from the foot; sour plum and cranberries with a hint of white pepper on the tip of my tongue. At this point, I want to chew on the cigar.

As I toast the foot, the smell of a fruitful incense emerges from the smoke and instantly transports me back to the time where I was visiting a Buddhist temple in China.

Unfortunately, the smoking experience isn’t as delightful. 

While drawing on the first puff, the aftertaste of the smoke is distinctly sour, like someone is squirting a bottle of lime juice into my mouth. After fighting through some of the acidity, I’m able to identify dark cocoa and leather. On retrohale, white pepper spice and leather dominate my nostrils, accompanied by more citrus.

Just when I am about to give up on this cigar, the sourness transforms into a fruity sweetness. I can’t help but compare the cigar to Sour Patch Kids. The construction is impeccable and the ash holds sturdy while the ember approaches the second third. The flavors shift to sweet dark cocoa and black pepper spice. The tart and fruity notes are almost non-existent at this point. 

The one experience I take away from the AVO Classic Maduro is to never get too comfortable. During the final third, the sourness from the first third reemerges, though not as intense as before. Thankfully, these flavors are embraced by the taste of sweet cocoa, dark leather, and a hint of spice. I take my last puff and bid farewell to what I will later discover is the AVO Classic Maduro.

Conclusion

Receiving the Avo Classic Maduro 2020 release on a blind review throws out any preconceived expectations, which is important. Overall, this was a good smoke. However, the intense sourness from the first third threw off my palate, which negatively affected the rest of my smoking experience. 

Final Rating: 84

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.

FINAL RATING: 91

When AVO announced the next blend in its  annual Improvisation Series, I was excited. AVO has been one of my favorite brands ever since I went nuts for each blend in the (sadly discontinued) “Classic Covers Series.” Thankfully, 2019 has been a special year for AVO, with the brand releasing at least five new blends, including four very good blends in its “Unexpected Series” (reviewed: Tradition, Moment, Passion).

Will the AVO LE 2019 meet the high standard of blends that have come before? Let’s find out.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: AVO Improvisation Series 2019 (LE 2019)
• Wrapper: Ecuador
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic / Peru
• Size: 6 x 52 box press toro

Appearance and Construction

The AVO LE 2019 is stunningly branded as ever. White, black and rose gold all come together to give an impression of luxury and sophistication. The outer wrapper itself is without blemish save for a few visible veins.

Once cut, I test the draw and it’s a tad loose, about a 5.5/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. The cold draw summons notes of almonds, fresh bread and some light spices that tickle my lips. Off of the foot I pick up aromas of wood, grilled meat, grilling spices and light cocoa powder.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Once lit, the AVO Improvisation Series 2019 generates copious amounts of relatively mild, toasty, spicy smoke. There’s also a dusty, mushroom-like note that reminds me very much of the AVO XO Intermezzo. By an inch in, oak, tangy fruit, toasted bread and bitter almond enter the mix. Good complexity, but not entirely outside the AVO wheelhouse. Construction is very good, with a straight burn and cool / plentiful smoke production.

Overall, it’s a beginning that is mostly familiar and I’m left feeling like I want more out of it.

The AVO Improvisation Series 2019 continues along mostly the same until the second third, where the tangy fruit note ramps up quite a bit. A few puffs later the bitter almond note is back, with a bit more spice along with it. Thankfully the strength of the cigar also picks up though it still doesn’t break medium. The retrohale is another story, full of pepper and toasted bread. The ash that develops in the second third and past the halfway mark isn’t quite as perfect as the first two inches, but it doesn’t require any relights.

In the final third, the smoke becomes much more toasty and finally arrives (a bit late) at medium body. Otherwise, more of the same. Thankfully construction remains excellent, and the smoke remains cool all the way to the end.

Conclusion

The AVO Improvisation Series 2019 is a good cigar. It showcases lots of enjoyable notes and stays in balance all the way through. Still, I always found myself always wanting more.

So, good? Yes. Just not a dynamite cigar like so many other AVO blends.  Worthy to buy for fans of AVO, but I don’t think I’ll be purchasing it again.

Final Rating: 87