According to AVO Cigars, “The AVO 22 30 Years release is a devoted collector’s dream come true coming as the third release in the AVO 30 Years Collection. Avo Uvezian’s personal blend, AVO 22, is a notoriously complex cigar encased in a modern take on the original cylindrical packaging, bringing a contemporary look and feel to an unprecedented fan favorite. Just like the original release from 2002, each unit features a unique production tag containing special information on the blend, roller and production details.”
Cigar Review: AVO 22
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 5 7/8
Ring Gauge: 50
Size: Perfecto
The Look: Packaged in a wooden cylinder that features a tag that denotes the blend, roller and production details. It’s a throwback to the original packaging back in 2002. Inside the cigar has a perfectly rolled shade grown wrapper from Ecuador. There is a dual band system in place with the primary showcasing the AVO logo and a secondary band denoting 30 Years. In the hand the cigar is firm with no softs spots and a fairly hefty weight.
The Notes: The cold draw of the AVO has that quintessential AVO taste. It’s creamy, with touches of earth and hay. The aroma off the foot has a touch of cedar and a nose that reminds me of barley. Once the cigar is lit the first notes remind me of the aroma of morning dew while sitting on the deck out in the country.
Moving on to the first third of the cigar, its obvious that there is San Vicente tobacco present in the blend giving the cigar a musty flavor component. There are also notes of hay, and earth with a touch of cedar. The retrohale has a buttery richness to it, and the finish serves up a touch of citrus.
The second third of this limited edition from AVO cigars sees the citrus notes from the finish make its way front and center. However, by the time you reach the halfway point of the cigar they pull back considerably. The cigar holds on to its core notes of hay, earth and cedar throughout.
The last third sees the strength kick it up a notch moving the cigar just north of medium. The cedar notes becomes dominant and a touch of nuts is added to the mix. There is still some wheat and hay present, but they serve as more of an afterthought. The retrohale serves up some salty notes and a touch of wheat on a long finish.
The Finish: I smoked this at work with my co-worker Ed and David Garofalo and we all agreed that this tasted exactly like the original. It’s a smooth cigar with a nice amount of complexity that would pair perfectly with the morning coffee. It’s easy to see why this would be Avo Uvezian’s personal blend because it has style and class much like the icon himself.
Score: 92
Price: $15.19 / $256.99 (Box of 19)
AVO 22
AVO 22 Foot
AVO 22 Burn
