Tasting: AVO Expresivo — The new sub-premium cigar embodying the revival of AVO
AVO Expresivo
Formats: Churchill, Toro & Robusto (parejo)
Just a century ago, a family of musicians in Beirut,
Lebanon, welcomed a boy named Avo. Very quickly, the child followed in his
parents' footsteps and became a renowned pianist. His growing reputation led
him to perform across the entire Middle East, from Iraq to Iran, where he
became the official pianist for the Shah. It was the Shah who would facilitate
Avo's departure for the United States, where he landed in 1947.
However, the Korean War soon broke out, and the young man
was drafted into the U.S. Infantry. Once again, his artistic talents saved the
day: during his military training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, officers noticed his
musicality and his fluency in several languages. They had him transferred to
the First Army Band, keeping him from being sent to the front lines. Discharged
in 1952, Avo temporarily set the piano aside to work in the jewelry business
alongside his father-in-law. But the call of music was not long in returning.
During a business trip to Puerto Rico, he landed a contract as a pianist in a
local hotel: music would never leave him again.
Meeting Sinatra In the early 1960s, Avo crossed paths
with Frank Sinatra. According to legend, in 1966 Avo presented him with one of
his compositions titled Broken Guitar. The rest is music history:
Sinatra loved the melody but rejected the title as well as the lyrics written
by a friend of Avo. At the same time, Avo had passed the same melody to his
German friend Bert Kaempfert for feedback or to get the track published. At
that time, Avo was primarily a passionate performer and musician: his misplaced
trust and the lack of formal copyright registration played a cruel trick on
him, leaving a wound that marked him deeply. Author's Note: This anecdote is
reported as Avo told it during his lifetime. Legally speaking, there is no
formal proof to substantiate these facts.
A New Life & Cigars Author's Note: Here again,
accounts differ depending on the source, but I have chosen to keep the most
widespread version. In 1974, Avo was performing at the bar of the Palmas
del Mar resort in Puerto Rico.
He made a habit of buying a few cigars there and placing
them on his piano to offer to his guests. American vacationers particularly
appreciated this gesture and began asking him for cigars regularly. Seizing the
opportunity, Avo decided to commercialize a few, while feeling that these
cigars were sorely lacking in quality. Since nothing happens by chance, a
friend advised him to go to the Dominican Republic to craft his own vitolas —
or at least find the person capable of making them according to his standards.
After two years of research and networking, he met the great master blender of
the Dominican Republic: Mr. Hendrik "Henke" Kelner. Discussions
began, test blendings followed, and the first cigars were born under the name
Bolero.
Chronological Milestones: The AVO Saga
- 1987:
Production of the first cigars by Hendrik Kelner and initial sales under
the Bolero brand.
- 1987–1988:
Presentation and sale of the cigars reimagined under the name AVO,
exclusively at the Davidoff shop in New York.
- 1988:
Official launch of the AVO brand in the United States and beginning of the
distribution partnership with Davidoff.
- 1995:
Davidoff officially acquires all global distribution rights for the AVO
brand.
What is a "Sub-Premium" Cigar? To celebrate
this anniversary, Davidoff is launching a cigar positioned in the Sub-Premium
segment. A clarification is in order: what exactly do we mean by
"sub-premium"? It is simply a premium cigar (entirely handmade with
whole-leaf tobacco) offered at a significantly more accessible price point. To
keep the cost down, there is no question of cutting corners on the quality of
the blend or construction — otherwise, the cigar would lose its premium
designation. So, where are the adjustments made? Several levers make it
possible to reduce costs without sacrificing tasting pleasure:
- Tobacco
selection: using very fine tobacco leaves, but without resorting to
rare, experimental, or exceptional harvests.
- Aging
time: a slightly shorter aging period for the leaves.
- Packaging
and presentation: moving away from ornate, precious wood boxes in
favor of cleaner packaging, or even elegant yet cost-effective cardboard
boxes.
Building on this concept, Davidoff offers the AVO Expresivo
line in the Luxembourgish and French markets, available in three classic
vitolas: Churchill, Toro, and Robusto in parejo format. Before sharing my
impressions, a word of caution is necessary — especially for long-time
enthusiasts of the brand: for this release, Davidoff chose to leave Dominican
soil to blend tobaccos from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. Expect a strength
and an aromatic palette at least a step above the traditional smoothness signature
to AVO.
To the eye, the wrapper exhibits fine elasticity under
pressure. It offers a silky touch, superb sheen, and perfectly refined,
well-flattened veins.
The vitola is adorned with two bands dominated by red and
gold. The primary band, positioned near the head, features the iconic AVO logo
at its center. The secondary band indicates the name of the line as well as the
vitola format — a very rare detail worth highlighting for this manufacturer.
The rest of the design incorporates a spark motif, which is also featured on
the box, as an invitation to "Burn Brighter." For decades, the image
of AVO cigars remained intimately tied to their founder's identity as a musician.
Today, the brand explores another side of his personality: Avo Uvezian was a
charismatic man who captivated the room the moment he walked in. He embodied
strong values: passion, a sense of sharing, and deep authenticity. That is the
entire spirit of these new AVO lines: an invitation to live more intensely,
love more deeply, and "Burn Brighter." After a final moment of
contemplation, I slice the cap off my cigar cleanly with a swift gesture.
The Tasting: Cold Draw and Lighting On the cold draw,
the airflow is ideal — smooth without feeling like an empty pipe. Cold aromas
reveal notes of black pepper and a touch of cinnamon, giving a clear impression
that the vitola has plenty under the hood. The AVO match ignites and meets the
foot of the cigar, which, under patient heating, catches fire. Two or three
control puffs, a light blow on the foot to perfect the ignition, and I am ready
to indulge in the pleasures of a tasting that promised to be — and confirmed
itself as — a perfect moment of enjoyment.
Then, about 7 cm after lighting, a remarkable transition
occurs: the arrival of a beautiful creaminess. It tempers the fiery pepper from
the start with a brioche-like smoothness. Unlike the rest of the AVO range
where the signature creaminess accompanies the tasting from start to finish,
here it makes a notable entrance mid-course. The palette then takes a radical
turn: cinnamon settles in, the white pepper becomes more discreet, making way
for notes of fern, nutmeg, and, to complete the picture, a vast field of spring
flowers. Finally comes that dreaded moment, when there is no choice left but to
let it die in the ashtray, as fingers warm up and the "mustache
warning" lights turn red.
Churchill, Toro, Robusto: Which Format to Choose?
Generally, I do not distinguish between different vitolas within the same line
in my articles, as I find the variations too subtle to dwell on. But this time
is different:
- The
Robusto: This is the most concentrated interpretation of the blend,
and the one most AVO regulars will reflexively turn to.
- The
Churchill: It tells the same story, but at a slower pace. A longer
burn time allows each aroma time to fully express itself.
- The
Toro: It offers the perfect compromise: a large format, a faster burn
than the Churchill, while maintaining that same concentrated character a
notch up.
Technical Data & Tasting Details To conduct this
review, tastings were performed across a panel consisting of 2 Toros, 1
Churchill, and 1 Robusto:
- Robusto:
12.7 cm (5 inches) — Ring Gauge 52
- Toro:
15.2 cm (6 inches) — Ring Gauge 54
- Churchill:
17.8 cm (7 inches) — Ring Gauge 48
Blend Composition:
- Wrapper:
Ecuador
- Binder:
Jamastran (Honduras)
- Filler:
Jalapa & Condega (Nicaragua), Jamastran (Honduras)
In Conclusion The AVO Expresivo stands out as a
remarkable Sub-Premium cigar. It delivers an aromatic palette that is rich,
varied, and impeccably balanced, carried by a strength evolving from medium to
medium-full body, all at a particularly reasonable price. It is a vitola to
take your time with, beautifully paving the way for the second chapter of AVO
cigars. To my Belgian readers and friends: just a little more patience, they
will be arriving in your tobacconists very soon!
Pricing: In Luxembourg:
- Robusto:
€15.80
- Toro:
€17.50
- Churchill:
€17.10
In France:
- Robusto:
€16.00
- Toro:
€17.50
- Churchill:
€17.00