He may be 84 this year, but Avo Uvezian is still full of surprises. First it was the uncharacteristically portly and potent LE 10 that hit the shops earlier this year. And then, a few months later at IPCPR, it’s the Heritage. In addition to being fuller-bodied than his regular lines, it also carries the smallest price tag of any AVO cigar brought to the market in some time. Also surprising was how it quickly became one of the most talked about cigars at the trade show. AVO is a well established brand with a loyal following, it’s not the little cutting edge boutique that ordinarily generates this kind of buzz.
The first shipments of the new AVO Heritage went out this week, so if your local shop doesn’t have them yet, they should very soon. And if they didn’t order them, you may be in for a roadtrip, because these smokes are a brick and mortar exclusive. When you do find them, you’ll have four choices: Churchill (6 3/4 x 48), Toro (6 x 50), Robusto (4 7/8 x 40) and Short Robusto (4 x 56). Now let’s see what all the buzz is about.
Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 x 50
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Sungrown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Smoking Time: 1 1/2 hours
Beverage: Water
The Pre-Smoke
The Heritage is a little more rustic than your average AVO. Its oily reddish brown wrapper is both veiny and has a good number of marks and darker-hued streaks. At the same time, the cigars were nearly defect-free. The only problem I found in my review set was a hole in the cap of one cigar. And if you’re going to have an issue, what better place to have it then the part of the cigar that gets clipped off? All told, they’re some pretty good looking smokes.
The cigars had the familiar Davidoff feel, firm but with little more give than average. The wrapper had an interesting floral compost aroma and the cold draw was musty and sweet.
The Burn
The AVO Heritage burned like a champ. It was even, produced sturdy light ashes and drew perfectly. The only thing out of the ordinary to note is that one cigar burned a little faster than normal for its size.
The Flavor
The AVO Heritage began with combination of creamy nougat, must and earthy cocoa that carried through about the first inch. At that point a spicy grassy element and a mouth-drying combination of savory nuts and cedar flavors began to emerge.
The grassy flavor that debuted in the first third was gone again in the second, but the spiciness that appeared with it remained. The profile continued to be slightly sweet, a tad musty, creamy and cocoa-y. A savory mouth-drying nutty wood flavor began to appear a little later in this third.
The final third was much the same as the latter half of its predecessor, only a little fuller and with more spice.