With the price of many cigars going up…and the price of my beloved Davidoff blends going through the roof (of the highest skyscraper in the city)…I have felt the need to explore blends that maybe aren’t quite so expensive. That brought me back around to the Avo Maduro…or as it’s known these days, the Avo Classic Maduro. This blend was a mainstay in the line for years before they discontinued it, perhaps because Connecticut Broadleaf was getting too dear, perhaps because people just weren’t buying it in enough numbers. Fast forward to 2018 and they brought it back for the 30th anniversary of the Avo brand…but only as a limited edition. Fast forward a little more and they brought it back as a permanent addition…is it the same blend? I don’t think they’ve ever said that for sure…this iteration has Dominican fillers and binder, along with a U.S. Broadleaf (they don’t specify Connecticut on the website, but I think it is).
I’m always struck by the appearance of Broadleaf Maduro. It’s dark brown, usually with some lighter mottling on it. There are usually large veins and an abundance of oils. It’s sort of ugly…but in a beautiful way because you know how good the cigar is going to be. This one had all that going for it, plus a ripe earthy aroma. The foot was sweeter with notes of cocoa powder and coffee mixed with the earthiness.
I found the Avo Classic Maduro to be medium-plus in body with a nice mix of spicy and sweet notes, overlaying bready and grassy notes from the Dominican leaf in the middle. This is a really good Broadleaf blend to break up the super-spicy, full-bodied Nicaraguan blends that I normally enjoy and definitely one that I will be revisiting.
