Avo Classic Covers Volume II

According to the local rep in an interview at IPCPR the Avo Classic Covers Volume II is based on the Avo Heritage blend. The cigars come in boxes that look like records that are held closed by magnets making them not retailer friendly but collectible for the end-user.

The inaugural release aka Volume 1 sold out in record time and scored a 91 back in April. Today we look at Volume 2.

Cigar Review: Avo Classic Covers
Size: 6 x 54 (Volume II/Toro)
Wrapper: Ecuador 702
Binder: San Andres (Mexico)
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full

The Look: Featuring a reddish-brown wrapper that is rolled to perfection and utilizes a dual band system. The primary band is the newly designed AVO band that has been synonymous with the brand while a secondary band denotes 2015 Classic Covers Volume 2. In the hand the cigar feels gritty like fine sandpaper and is firm with a well packed foot.

The Notes: The cold draw of the cigar serves up that classic Henke Kelner profile of barnyard like notes. There is hay, and earth with a subtle sweetness lingering in the background and some spice on the lips. The nose off the foot of the cigar has some continued earth and a hint of cinnamon.

Once the cigar is lit it feels a bit stronger than Volume 1, perhaps because the larger ring gauge sees the addition of some more ligero leaves. There is some spice from Nicaragua that masks the classic flavor profile of the San Vincente tobacco. The notes are an enjoyable pepper, nuts and a very faint hay.

The second third of the Avo Classic Covers 2 continues to serve up notes of nuts and toast, but there is the coffee present as well. The pepper is evident on the retrohale which also is reminiscent of the crisp edges of a barbecued steak.

The last third sees coffee become the dominant flavor profile with some dark toast present as well. The pepper is dominant on the retrohale and gives the cigar a Nicaraguan flair with a short to moderate finish.

The Burn: Sometimes the burn of the Avo Classic Covers was downright ugly with a burst of one section of leaf that raced ahead only to be self corrected relatively fast. Despite the ugly nature of the burn I never needed to touch up the cigar though at times it looked like it could get out hand fast. The draw of the cigar was perfect and the ash was flaky and relatively weak.

The Finish: As a person that likes a stronger cigar; Volume 2 of the Avo Classic Covers was right in my wheel house and it gave the cigar a more modern feel to it instead of the classic feel that Avo normally has. It’s a shame that this smoke is a limited edition because it is something I would smoke on a regular basis within my rotation of 5 cigars a day or 30 per week as I usually don’t smoke on Sundays.

Score: 92
Price: $16.19 / $230.99