In the 1980s the two big soft drink manufactures went at it via ad campaigns and now two of the biggest players in the cigar industry are waging their own version of the cola wars. At the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans Padron released a round Connecticut named Damaso and now Avo which is part of Davidoff has released a box pressed Avo with Nicaraguan tobacco.
According to the Avo website, “Inspired by the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Avo Uvezian, our Master Blender has ventured to the untamed heart of Central America. Capturing sweet and spicy flavors from the rich, volcanic soil of Nicaragua and blending them with the soft, creamy notes of the finest Dominican leaves. Resulting in a smooth and balanced box-pressed cigar with unexpected depth and complexity.
As the first in our Syncro Series, AVO Nicaragua is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. One that begins on the remote island of Ometepe; a unique landscape where a rare and exceptional tobacco is grown. Known for its wild character and peppery notes, we carefully fuse this tobacco with earthy flavors from our estate in the Dominican Republic. The composition is an experience that is perfectly in sync with the moments worth sharing.”
Cigar Review: Avo Syncro
Size: 6 x 54 (Toro)
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua (Ometepe), Dominican Republic (Piloto, San Vincente and a hybrid Olor/Piloto), Peru (Olancho)
Strength: Medium
Source: Avo/Davidoff
The Look (9/10): The box pressed Avo Syncro features a flawlessly box pressed cigar with no seams. The wrapper has some thin veins and is silky smooth under the finger with minimal oils. The band utilizes colors of cream, purple, orange and silver with a wine stock like quality to. The cigar is well packed with no soft spots.
The Notes (33/35): The cold draw of the Avo Syncro Nicaragua reminds me of the gum included in Fleer Trading cards which was Double Bubble. The note is identical of when you first place the gum in your mouth and the powder coating dissolves. I was actually sitting here wishing I had a pack of Fleer baseball cards to open. The foot of the cigar is similar with an element of earth.
The first third of the cigar has some of the sweetness from the cold draw with an abundance of earth, cashews and a hint of chocolate. There is a subtle aroma that is familiar but I can’t quite put my fingers on it. The spice that one associates with Nicaragua isn’t present on the Syncro even on the clean retrohale.
The second third of the Avo Syncro continues to serve up notes of earth with cashews. The aroma that I couldn’t place in the first third of the cigar reminds me of a graham cracker as the cigar sits in my ashtray as the smoke wafts upward from my desk. The
The last third of the Avo Syncro continues to be earthy though less so than the first two-thirds of the cigar. The chocolate note experienced in the first third makes it way back into the mix with some pepper through the nose. The cigar has a short finish and the aroma is outstanding.
The Burn (32/35): While the Avo Syncro starts off with a little bit of a jagged and lopsided burn it corrected before the first inch of the cigar and I didn’t think once to pick up my lighter to touch it up. The combustion line is a bit misleading as the ash is dark at the line, but it lightens as the tobacco progresses. The ash could hold longer averaging less than an inch at a time with some flake. The draw of the cigar was a little loose for my personal preference but it was well within the realm of acceptability.
The Finish (18/20): While we have debated it on the show in the past and in a poll, I prefer a short finish on a cigar which has me in the minority as people voted they prefer long. The Avo Syncro has a short finish which leaves the palate clean. The flavors while straight forward with elements of earth from the first light offers up enough complexity to keep me interested with its secondary notes. Hands down the best Avo to date the Syncro is definitely box worthy and it belongs in heavy rotation.
Score: 92
Price: $10.99
Bullet Points
- Everyone asks how I get to the scores on the website and for a while I am going to break down the score of the cigar by each section. The look is worth the least because you can’t smoke the band, and looks can be deceiving. The Notes and Burn are the most important aspect of the cigar and make up the majority of the points. The Finish is intangibles and overall experience.
- When I first smoked the samples sent to me last week by Scott Kolsaire of Davidoff I was floored by this cigar and chose to smoke them this past weekend while relaxing at the lake. The cigar used for the official review stick was purchased from Two Guys Smoke Shop.
- The heavy stock band was easy to remove on 3 of the 4 cigars I smoked. The fourth saw the band tear but no tobacco came up with it which is a plus.
- I’ve smoked all four sizes and don’t have a clear cut favorite as they were all very similar and outstanding.
- I didn’t have a beverage with the cigar
- Smoke time for me was 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Avo Syncro
Avo Syncro Foot
Avo Syncro Burn
