Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican
Vitola: Churchill (7 ½ x 50)
Purchase Link: AVO Improvisation 2021 LE
AVO 2021 LE REVIEW – CALIFORNIA
Summary: I checked the clock to measure how long it’ll take me to smoke this monolith. Starting with grain cereal and Sumatran sweetness (shooting my shot). Three inches in and dude, the ash abides. FOUR inches now! I didn’t see the ash fall; I heard it and felt the tremors when it hit earth.
Chamomile at the halfway point. Cocoa. The flavors have dropped off, but it’s to be expected with how long this cigar is. Smoke billows from the last bit while cedar and leather appear to be the final team on the court. Putting it down at the three-hour mark.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Extra innings.
Pairing Suggestion: Multiple cups of coffee.
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: 5-pack.
AVO 2021 LE REVIEW – WISCONSIN
Summary: Today, we have a tale of two cigars. The first inch or so was one cigar, and it was glorious. The last many inches were another cigar, and it had muddled, linear flavor that just. kept. going.
It started with caramel, cream, pecan, a light amount of pepper, oak, cinnamon, and a lot of sweetness. That first inch reminded me of a snickerdoodle cookie. The rest of the cigar after that was notes of wood, cream, and nuts. That wood, cream, and nut profile didn't have standout notes; the word 'muddled' is the best descriptor I have for what I got from most of the length of this cigar. It didn't have any additional transitions or notes to keep my attention. In a shorter format, I would be more forgiving. But after giving me something so good for an inch, the remaining many inches were disappointing.
Burn and draw were both right on point, no issues. The wrapper on this cigar was delicate, so be careful with it.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Elementary school, because it was full of snickerdoodle cookies and disappointment.
Pairing Suggestion: Brandy.
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: Single.
AVO 2021 LE REVIEW – OREGON
Summary: Sometimes you grab a cigar and sometimes you grab a commitment.
This is the latter. This week’s cigar has a milk chocolate colored wrapper that is relatively smooth and the cold draw is offering little in the way of flavors. I taste some mild tobacco and maybe just a little bit of fresh bread.
Crossing the start line with mild tobacco, saltine cracker and a smooth leather and cocoa finish. The cocoa is barely discernible. Further in, richer tobacco notes flourished with a leather and citrus mix. It’s sounds odd, but the combo is really smooth. The mouthfeel is becoming smooth and mellow as well.
Middle section is a salty, but smooth mix of leather, wood and nuts with some cereal grain flavor as well. Not digging the mineral note. The retro hale is nicer, dropping the mineral, keeping the rest of the tasting notes and adding in a hint of citrus.
Final section stepping up a notch! Nice mellow wood notes with a black tea and pepper finish. The retro hale is super smooth and carries heavy wood and leather notes along with cereal and dark toast. I like it.
If You Like That, You Might Like This: Scoring big at the local garage sale.
Pairing Suggestion: Guinness.
Purchase Recommendation to a Friend: 5-pack.
Participants in this blind review were completely unaware of the cigar they were evaluating until all submissions were received and processed. Each participant was asked to answer a summary paragraph, an if/than statement, a pairing suggestion, and a purchase suggestion. Cigars were provided by Small Batch with only the expectations of candid responses. All pictures, information, and formatting were completed by a Coordinator outside of the reviewing process.
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