Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 4.75 x 50 “Robusto”
Body: Mild/Medium
Price: $8.80

Today, I felt like takin’ a walk on the mild side..and the colored girls go do da do do do do da do…R.I.P. Lou Reed.

This is the first AVO maduro that was released in 2000. So, I’m only 14 years late in reviewing it.

The stats are interesting… The Maduro wrapper is aged for 3 years and then fermented for 3 months. According to people smarter than me, this produces a nice dark color in the wrapper. The fillers, which are Premium San Vicente and Olor, are matured for 4 years…making it a desirable smoke that even your wife will allow you to smoke in the house. Ha.

Surprisingly, there are but a few reviews on this cigar. I don’t know if it’s because they got so old, they fell off of Google, or what.

Construction is very nice. It is a solid cigar with the right amount of give. The color of the wrapper reminds of the finest coffee beans. Seams are not impeccable; but close. There are veins galore. As in Pussy Galore…Kohn, Katman Kohn.

I love the cigar band. It is classy galore. The ultra-dark brown base with chrome trim, and a light brown lettering combo. Very nice.

The triple cap is flawless.

I clip the cap and find aromas of dark, bittersweet cocoa, spice, baking spices, and the shaft of the cigar smells like a sweet jam of some sort. I always smell the clipped cap first as it gives off the freshest of aromas possible. Then the foot which just about goes up my nose….and then the shaft which may add a lot of possibilities to the aroma profile.
Time to light up.

Marco Lebron asked me to show the cigar awls I use to clear a cigar. I’ve had them forever and they are never 100% effective and I must use them very carefully. And remember, never just push the awl into the cigar, turn it like a screw driver and then do the same when removing it:

There is a huge plug in the top first third. I can’t draw on it to save my life so I use my cigar awl and get about 2” in when I hear a crackling noise…and stop. I rewind it back out and the plug is gone. I think I feel another plug at the bottom about 1-1/2” from the foot. I’m still having trouble drawing on it. So I ram the awl, all 4” of it, up through the foot and then once more from the cap and the problem is finally solved without cracking the wrapper. Damn. I hate when this shit happens.

OK. Flavors are nice. The red pepper is exuberant. There is a lovely sweetness. And a light cocoa and coffee combo. Still within the first 3/8”, creaminess appears. I do believe a flavor bomb is in my future.

The draw is right on the money now. The char line is dead nuts. Smoke fills the room and the rare sunshine through the dining room window is so blinding, I have to wear a ball cap so I can see the screen. Makes me feel like a real sports reporter at the game.

There is a slight bitterness. I’m sure it occurred because of the awl incident. Although, I clean the awl after I finish using it, but still, it is steel…and might leave an aftertaste. I’m not sure. Or it could be the cigar. Hopefully, I will burn past it soon.

The second third begins and all is well. The bitterness only lasted a few minutes and now the flavor profile has hit the sweet spot. Flavors are: Sweetness, creaminess, cocoa, red pepper, coffee, floral notes, cedar, almonds, and dried fruit.
I expected the strength to be much milder than it is. It started off a bit mild but quickly turned to classic medium. Wally, are ya’ listening?

All that poking and prodding did do some damage to the wrapper. A cracked point near the cap and the seams became a bit loose.
A nice surprise of black licorice and freeze dried strawberries. You know that intense flavor that dried, or freeze dried, fruit tastes like? Right on the money. The Dominican leaves give a totally different profile than the ever popular Nicaraguan. Very nice for a change. While the flavors are similar, they have a unique and nuanced effect.

I am at the halfway point. Flavors are just explosive. The cocoa and creaminess make me grab for a Diet Coke for my NYC egg cream experience. But that fruity strawberry flavor and the black licorice makes it a horse of another color…so to speak.
This ain’t a cheap cigar. And I expected to be impressed with this price point. The price seems to be fixed and everyone is selling these sticks at almost the identical price.

Due to the uniqueness of the character of the cigar, I see where the money went and therefore, won’t quibble with the price. It is a cigar you treat yourself with.

The last third begins without change. The smoke pouring from the foot is blinding.

The flavor profile makes no change in either the content or order of appearance. So now, it’s just cruising. If I were forced to comment on any change, I would have to say that the flavors are on an upward spiral of becoming more intense.
And the body is at a nice medium. Not an inkling of nicotine.

This was a nice surprise and shame on me for not trying one sooner. I remove the cigar band easily and now see the damage from the cigar awl. The wrapper has cracked from the cap to the foot but only on one side.

I recommend this cigar for its richness, perfect flavor profile and character. It’s not a very complex cigar but the intensity of the flavors distracts you from thinking about complexity. The only significant change at the end is that the spiciness increases.

But I do have a criticism about the construction of this one. It is the last of three I smoked and while the other two had no such problems, this one did…meaning that 33% of the cigars I smoked had severe plug issues. Virtually, ruining the cigar experience; especially at the last inch or so. A cigar with this pedigree and price should never have this kind of problem. Yes, I know that this is a natural product and things happen. But still, I expect more from a $9 stick.

My advice is to look for specials and grab some when you can.
I’d like to thank Jason Harding at BestCigarPrices.com for the samples.

And now for something completely different:
1983

I was in the midst of doing the PR shit with Butch Patrick for our hit single: “Whatever Happened to Eddie?” Yes, it was sort of a hit. We sold over 200,000 units before the F.B.I swooped in and shut Rochsire Records down. And before I got my check for $50K.

The record company made me go along with Butch all across the country promoting the single. Back then, Butch had a real drinking and substance abuse problem. Of course, back in the early 80’s, everyone was living on the Beverly Hills diet of champagne and cocaine.

I brought enough coke with me to make sure I greased the wheels for anything we might encounter.

We were in Minneapolis. It was Halloween. If forget the guy’s name but he was a huge hit in that area for his TV show that was along the same format as all the horror movie shows. He dressed up like Beetlejuice and made a total ass of himself all the way to the bank.

Butch did the show and we were invited to his house for the biggest Halloween party in Minneapolis.

No kidding. His home looked like the one from “Psycho.” A gazillion people there drinking and doing drugs. The TV guy had a special room that was kept locked from the inside. He took us and a few other people there and I saw the biggest amount of cocaine splayed across a table. They were doing paramedic quantities up their noses. I did a courteous amount and watched as Butch tried to do the whole thing at once.

I told Butch we had to leave and meet me in the car. I waited and waited. Finally, he came out and said he wanted to stay. I told him no. We had to fly to NYC in the morning and do a syndicated NBC show.

He finally showed up to the hotel around 4am. Woke me up because he brought 20 people back with him. I said to him we have to get up at 6am. Get some sleep. His eyes had no white in them. Totally black.

I got up and found him unconscious on the hotel room floor. And there were maybe 8-10 people left, all asleep on the floor. Some of the girls were naked.

I couldn’t get him up.He pleaded with me to cancel the show that morning. I was furious. I threw water on him. Nothing.

I called NBC and made my excuses that Butch was sick. Could we please do it tomorrow? Begrudgingly, they said yes.

I threw a $20 bill on Butch’s chest along with his plane ticket and told him to get his ass to NYC today. And then I packed my shit and left for home.

More to come….

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: avo maduro cigar review, cigar review, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars