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Avowed Cigar Co. The Vow | Cigar Reviews by the Katman

By Cigar Reviews by the Katman on March 2, 2025 • ( 2 )

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Piloto Cubano, Criollo 98, Corojo 99, San Vicente
Size: 6 x 48 Corona Gorda
Strength: Medium
Price: $17.00
Regular Production
Factory: Kelner Cigars, S.A.S. Dominican Republic

Klaas Kelner is the son of Hendrik ‘Henke’ Kelner. Hendrik ran the operations at Davidoff for over 30 years. Klaas worked at Davidoff until 2021.

My cigars received one month of naked humidor time.

BACKGROUND:
From Small Batch Cigar:
“The Avowed Team was on the ground within days of the Kelner Cigars, S.A.S. factory opening with the intent to create a truly gourmet cigar experience that exceeds expectations in every way. Each vitola was given their full attention and blended separately. The vitola name marks the date that it was approved and commissioned with their vow to take it into the world and see it prosper.

“To make The Vow extraordinary, each size was extensively aged for at least 18 months after production. And only one pair of rollers were tasked with bringing each size to life, ensuring a more consistent experience.

“Presented in a timeless Corona Gorda format, 7.05 carefully threads the needle between strength and sophistication. This expression of The Vow begins with a spicy introduction before sweet and savory sensations take over alongside a creamy core for an exceptionally well-balanced experience.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The elephant in the room…these people are my friends. So, what do I do if I don’t like their new blends? The first thing that comes to mind is to make excuses every time I’m asked whether I plan on reviewing the cigars. When that plays out, I’d pretend to be dead…worked once. Simply, I wouldn’t review the cigar. I’d sooner they were mad at me for not liking their stuff rather than be ostracized for slamming their efforts in writing. People don’t remember praise, but everyone remembers an insult. Would I make shit up to make the cigar seem better? I can’t fake it. I can fake an orgasm. I can’t fake a review.

The following is a straightforward and candid assessment of their new cigar blends…starting with The Vow.

Aromas from the wrapper are a mix of mild barnyard that is overstepped by floral notes, baking spices, milk chocolate mousse, strong caramel, and peanut shells.

The draw is just fine. I smash my PerfecDraw beneath my jackboots. The last words from my PD tool’s mouth: ‘The family won’t like this.’

Flavorful cold draw. Red hot cinnamon, freshly baked sourdough bread, smashed peanut shells, café au lait, a scoche of black pepper, and caramel.

Avowed Cigar Co. proclaims you will taste the following: Cereal Grain, Red Pepper, Brown Sugar, Oak, Peanuts, Pumpernickel, Savory Spices, Cappuccino. Nice lineup.

A fat start. Notes of Cereal Grain, Red Pepper, Brown Sugar, Oak, Peanuts, Pumpernickel, Savory Spices, Cappuccino. Kidding.

I taste richly appointed notes of strawberry, malt, rye bread, brown sugar, raw cashew butter, cumin, and coffee.

Sips of water accent those flavors nicely. Every picture tells a story, doughnut.

The 18 months of aging shows. The blend tastes of aged tobacco. Much more so than a year and a half. Creamy, foamy, and lush. There is a joke there but…

Carnival pretzels invade Sudetenland. It gives up and asks for serenity now. A Festivus Pole is erected.

The blend is on the cusp of becoming complex. The mouth feel is delicate but all encompassing. I can feel the smoke underneath my upper lip which is something new. I might have a tumor. ‘It’s not a tooo-muh!’ …Governor Schwarzenegger

Super smooth. This blend is very much a great representation of the Kelner legacy. I love this sophisticated approach to cigar making. If you’re into Fuente, Casdagli, and Davidoff, boy do I have a line of cigars for you.

Palates evolve. You can’t stop it. There was time not long ago that I craved all things AJ. Mostly because the subtle complex blends were in small supply. I couldn’t afford Davidoff. And I couldn’t muster the confidence in offshore retailers to get real Cubans. The Vow tastes like a fine Habano blend. Take that to the bank. I’ve worked on my Katman blend with IGM Cigars and damn…The Vow is exactly what I’d like to put my name on. Damn.

I get a sudden head rush. Is it the strength? Nah, it’s Metamucil kicking in.

The thing that makes this cigar a blue-plate special is that it doesn’t need extended humidor time. I really dug this cigar two days after receipt. And now a month into its invited home invasion, it sings like the famed Chipmunks in three-part harmony.

The cigar is light. Heat plumps it. Construction is spot on. The char contour is the Siegried Line.

OK, the flavors at 1” burned (15 minutes): Cereal Grain, Red Pepper, Brown Sugar, Oak, Peanuts, Pumpernickel, Savory Spices, Cappuccino. Kidding.

The real flavors: caramel, peanuts, real Jewish rye bread, salty pretzel, black and red pepper, Mexican sugar cocina, malted milk balls, milk chocolate, strawberries with cream, and nougaty marzipan.

Corona Gorda is my favorite size. Right behind is the Corona. For an experience that is intense and bold, these are the vitolas. Exceptions? Sure, but these two sizes find the quickest path to the finish line without the year needed of humi time a Gordo needs.

The blend is so charming and silky, I forget to imbibe in my sips of water. Not sure of the biology, but I need lots of water when I smoke. Not so much with The Vow. Still, a brief cleanse brings out the most refined flavors to the surface. This is where the complexity finds its soul. The domesticity of the richness shouldn’t be audacious. It should be delicate and unassuming…like your Uncle Nate at the Passover table declaring that your girlfriend is hot. Naturally, he is wearing Bermuda shorts with black knee socks.

Strength began at medium and did not morph during the first half. This is a beautiful morning cigar on a lazy Sunday. But so is New Dawn. Awakening is the blend that is a man maker or breaker.

A belly full will clip the corners of the subtleties of this blend. Pretty, pretty good but the clean palate provides a warm reception for any good cigar. Especially a sophisticated one.

As the second half begins (1 hour), things shift: Honey, warm bread, mocha java, butter brickle, black plum, mild red pepper, aged oak, and peanut butter. This is so nice.

When I was young, I told anyone that listened that I had arthritis from all the broken fingers a boy endures. Ha. Now that I’m in my 70’s the rule book has changed. Sitting for two hours is akin to cruel and unusual punishment. I sense nodding of the decaying heads of my older readers. I need to walk it off. I’ll be back after I wash my ferret skins.

I’m back. Did you miss me?

It was our first gig as Stark Naked and the Car Thieves. The gig was a short two hour drive up the M1 to Nottingham. My buddy Skip needed dough, so I got him the job of being a roadie. Skip thought lugging gear wouldn’t be too taxing. But you should have seen his face when he was told he must drive the lorry. Imagine being in a far-off land where everyone drives on the wrong side of the road. The steering wheel is on the wrong side. And you gotta maneuver the manual shift with your left hand. Imagine you’ve never driven a shift before. According to the other roadie, Skip screamed like a little girl the entire trip. I never heard the end of it until Skip’s untimely death in 2020 from a bizarre gardening accident.
Skip took this photo:

The first half was Act 1 and Act 2. The highlights were about nuance and convolution. Flavors ran amok but not in the class of a flavor bomb. The depth of field was a subdued boldness that had me by the narglies from the first puffs.

The second half is all about intense moderation. I hate this term, but ‘journey’ explains a much more than pleasant experience. Strength just barely eeks out hints of medium/full. A slow roll that keeps my interest at high alert.

The density is through the roof as inch 4 is burned in effigy. Tongue darting is out of control. My head bobs with incredulity the way yours will move when a cop is explaining that you were driving 50 in a 45.

Buttery creaminess, caramel nougat, café au lait, chocolate covered malted milk balls (I once explained this as a symptom to the lady who makes appointments for my urologist. I had to call back.), honey slathered on toasted rye bread, cumquat jam (the perfect hint of tart citrus with sweetness.), white pepper, oak, almond butter, and strawberries.
And yet, not a flavor bomb. I might have to look this up. Sometimes my palate can pick up the most discerning flavor points. Other times, it is a canal lock.

Often, flavor suggestions are merely a starting point. They will point you in the right direction but once the flame ignites foot, all bets are off.

There is a laundry list of cigars in this price range. Most fail. The Vow is a winner. Thank goodness that it is a regular production stick. I have a series of go-to cigars I depend on for a good time. The Vow decimated most.

The last two inches are smoother than my tushy on a sunny day in a Mexican jail. The progress has been gentle. Moreover, the experience has not. I’m in love.

This is a great cigar. For such high class, the price point is reasonable. There are cigars at twice and three times as much that can’t touch this cigar’s hemline. The boys at SBC did good.

You can purchase Avowed Cigar Co. The Vow from sponsor Small Batch Cigar. No promo codes can be applied.

RATING: 97