The 4th cigar I will be smoking as part of my cigar challenge is from the Avo family. I will be trying the Syncro Nicaragua Toro Tubos.
The stats:
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Strength: Medium – Full
Cost: £18.99
Upon a little research, I was fascinated reading about Avo Uvezian, the guy behind the cigar brand.
Avo who passed away in 2017 was an Armenian-American musician who claimed to have written the melody for Frank Sinatra’s ‘Strangers of the Night’. I am not familiar with Sinatra’s back catalogue, well apart from obviously New York New York. (I know… I should be ashamed…).
An article in the New York Times explains how Avo got into creating his own cigar brand, which made me chuckle… ‘he was introduced to good cigars on the occasion of his daughter’s christening. A friend ordered him one, and Avo could not believe what it cost when the bill came.’. There have been times when I’ve felt like this upon receiving a bill for a cigar 🙂
Avo saw an opportunity that would lead to a flourishing second career. He travelled to the Dominican Republic and visited a cigar manufacturer.’ It was there he sampled a selection of cigars, and identified his favorite. This went on to become the Avo Classic.
I can’t seem to find an official website for Avo, but did stumble across the Avo Cigars You Tube channel. Here you can watch a video about Avo’s life story…
Update: Since posting this, I have been informed that Davidoff own the Avo brand and more details about that can be found at https://us.davidoffgeneva.com/avo (Thanks Roy Summer!)
My experience:
The packaging that this cigar came in was absolutely delightful, inside a long rectangular looking tubed tin. This packaging made me really intrigued to smoke it.
I have been trying to work out the exact connection between the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua (as mentioned on the tubes tin’.). According to the CGars website who describe it in their tasting notes ‘capturing sweet and spicy flavours from the rich, volcanic soil of Nicaragua and blending them with the soft, creamy notes of the finest Dominican leaves.’ suggests that the tobacco is from one place, and the leaves are from another.
Update: I have since been informed that it uses Nicaraguan tobacco in the filler.
As you can see the cigar is box pressed, more rectangluar than square. The wrapper is dark.
After approx 70 minutes I must say this is an absolutely tremendous smoke. A great cigar. One of my favourites so far (I know it’s still early days). For the first time ever I think I could taste some flavour, it felt a bit spicy at the beginning of the Syncro Nicaragua Toro Tubos. Overall a really relaxing experience and it feels like there’s a new area I want to explore… around trying more box pressed cigars.
My rating: 8 out of 10. I really want to try out some other cigars from this brand now
Next up… a Bances cigar.
London Cigar Smoker 