Avo Classic Maduro
Sr. Brand Manager Oettinger Davidoff AG: Eddy Guerra
When Davidoff announced that the company was releasing the Avo Classic Maduro, I did a double take. After re-reading the release I swore up and down that this was not a new line and our team of youngsters at Cigar Snob HQ looked at me like a senile old man.
Well you can rest assured that you are definitely not senile, in fact the Avo Classic Maduro was one of the earliest blends in the Avo line and it was actually one of the first that Avo had a hand in blending. In 2014 the brand was discontinued and then re-released in 2018 as a limited edition to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the Avo brand. There were so many people who loved it and asked about it that we put it in the plan to release it now as a full-production line.
During this time when smokers are not exactly venturing out of their comfort zone to try new blends, why should someone who has never had the Classic Maduro go out and seek this blend?
The reason why I would suggest that someone smoke it is because the rest of the Avo core line is made up of the Classic, XO, Heritage, and Domaine and while they are all phenomenal cigars, they are either Connecticut wrapper or Habano wrapper. The Avo Classic Maduro is the only core Avo that has a Maduro wrapper on it, giving it that little extra depth of flavor that none of the others can offer. But it gives you that depth of flavor while still giving you that signature Avo balance and clean finish.
While smoking the samples that were sent by Davidoff, I couldn’t help but wonder how good this blend would be in a corona or petite corona, but it was only released in three 50-ring gauge sizes. Are there any plans to produce something with a smaller ring gauge?
First off, I agree that this blend would probably be delicious in a petite corona, but there is only so much space in a retailer’s humidor. We had to select the three most popular sizes and I think that with the three that we chose, most people will find something they love. And while some us may really be into petite coronas, lanceros, and panatelas, those sizes just don’t sell enough volume to warrant a full production. That’s not to say we can’t produce a limited edition in a special size but there are no plans to do that at the moment.
One of the most striking things about this cigar from a flavor perspective is that in spite of the rich, broadleaf wrapper that covers it, you get very little to no spice on the palate. Can you speak to how the factory was able to achieve this?
It starts with how much time and energy our company puts into the tobacco. This wrapper has been aged an extra three years to achieve this profile. You’ve been to the factory; you know how meticulous our master blender is. He works on the blend and continues to age the tobacco until it produces maximum flavor with a super clean finish.
Avo cigars have always been known for elegance and class. How do you think the Avo Classic Maduro fits into this legacy?
I think it’s interesting that 32 years ago Mr. Uvezian had the vision for this cigar and when they finished it, it was one of his favorite cigars in his favorite size, the No. 2 format. He loved this cigar and as we know he passed away in 2017. So it’s exciting that here we are today in 2020 bringing it back and so far it seems like it’s going to be a hit. Everyone loved it two years ago as a limited edition and people are liking it again now so I think that having that connection to the early days of Avo is extremely exciting.
