AVO Seasons Limited Edition 2023 Fall

Last year, Davidoff of Geneva USA announced that its AVO brand would release a series of limited edition cigars meant to celebrate the four different seasons: fall, winter, spring and summer. The blends of the four cigars were different, but they were all rolled in the same 6 5/8 x 50 diadema vitola. In addition, each release had the same $18 per cigar and was limited to 4,000 boxes of 10 cigars.

In March 2023, Davidoff released the first entry in the series—the AVO Seasons Limited Edition Series 2023 Spring—which was followed by the AVO Seasons Limited Edition Series 2023 Summer in June 2023 and the AVO Seasons Fall Limited Edition 2023 Fall in September. The series wrapped up with the AVO Seasons Fall Limited Edition 2023 Winter that was shipped to stores in October 2023.

 

As mentioned above, the third release—and the subject of today’s review—is the AVO Seasons Limited Edition 2023 Fall, which is made with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper covering Dominican tobaccos that were used in both the binder and filler. In addition, Davidoff said that some of the tobaccos used in the filler were aged for 14 years before being rolled into the cigars.

“This special release has been carefully created by our Master Blenders who have worked with tobaccos across multi-faceted origins to craft the perfect seasonal blends. Tobaccos from each cigar can be found from diverse growing regions such as Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, with tobacco aged for up to 14 years,” said Edward Simon, CMO at Oettinger Davidoff, in a press release. “We encourage our aficionados to enjoy each cigar while experiencing a moment unique to each season: walking through a garden in spring, watching the setting sun on a summer evening, feeling the air turn crisp as autumn leaves fall, and sitting by a crackling fire in winter.”

All four blends were rolled at the O.K. Cigars factory located in the Dominican Republic.

• Cigar Reviewed: AVO Seasons Limited Edition 2023 Fall
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: O.K. Cigars
• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés Maduro)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Length: 6 5/8 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Vitola: Diadema
• MSRP: $18 (Box of 10, $180)
• Release Date: September 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: 4,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (40,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

From a visual standpoint, each of the three AVO Seasons Fall cigars is quite attractive, with a combination of relatively unique vitola covered in medium brown colored wrappers that are dry and rustic-feeling to the touch. Each of the cigars has numerous overt veins visible, and all three are nicely firm when squeezed. Aromas from the wrappers include generic nuttiness, sour earth, cedar, barnyard and dry cereal, along with a slight brown sugar sweetness. Notes from the feet are very similar to the wrapper—not a surprise, considering the extremely small opening—but I do pick up a bit more sweetness and slightly stronger cedar from two of the cigars, while the other is basically the same as the wrapper. Finally, after straight cuts, the cold draws are full of plain oatmeal, aged cedar, cinnamon, creamy nuttiness, sweet leather and dry earth.

Since these cigars are diademas, the feet of the cigars have small openings, so it is not exactly surprising when it takes a bit more effort to get lit correctly and that the draws are a bit tighter than normal until the burn lines progress a bit. On the first puff, I taste generic woodiness and a touch of spice, a combination that morphs into what become the main flavors of aged cedar and coffee beans. Secondary notes of leather tack, generic nuttiness, powdery cocoa nibs and more plain oatmeal flit in and out at various points, while a combination of white pepper and vanilla bean sweetness is present on the retrohale, neither of which seem to be changing much as the first third burns down. The flavor ends the first third at medium-plus, strength is at a solid medium, and the body is just a bit below the medium mark. Two of the cigars need minor burn corrections with my lighter, but there is plenty of dense smoke and the draws are fine.

There are some major changes during the second third of the cigar, starting with the main flavors that have shifted to a combination of mesquite wood and creamy cashews. The profile is also noticeably creamier, with secondary flavors that include cinnamon, salted potato chips, toasted bread, leather tack, earth and charred meat. In addition, the finishes of two of the three cigars feature a light musty note that reminds me of mushrooms, but it is not all that overpowering on either cigar. There is white pepper and sweetness on the retrohale compared to the first third, and the vanilla has morphed into a distinct strawberry note that is quite enjoyable. Flavor increases to full, while the body bumps up to a solid medium and the strength reaches medium-plus. In terms of construction, the draws are excellent and the smoke production is copious, but one cigar does need a burn correction to keep things from getting out of control.

While the mesquite note from the second third recedes to become a secondary note, the creamy cashew flavor remains at the top of the profile for the entire final third of the AVO. Additional flavors include the aforementioned mesquite, as well as dark chocolate, gritty earth, cedar, cinnamon, leather, coffee beans and a touch of mint. The amount of both white pepper and strawberry sweetness that is present on the retrohale remains about the same compared to the second third, but I do note some added spice on my lips. The strength and the flavor stay put where they were during the second third—medium-plus and full, respectively—but the body increases enough to land a point just over the medium mark by the end of the cigar. Thankfully, all three aspects of construction work in harmony for the first time on each cigar, and I have no issues whatsoever with the draws, smoke production or burns for any of them.

Final Notes

• In addition to the seasons, Davidoff released a series based on the four cardinal directions in 2020, somewhat predictably named AVO Regional North Edition, AVO Regional South Edition, AVO Regional East Edition and AVO Regional West Edition.
• Interestingly, Davidoff lists the name of this cigar as Avo Seasons Limited Edition III 2023 on its website, which seems like a surefire way for people to get very confused when trying to purchase whichever blend they are looking for.
• The same webpage lists the smoking time as 60 minutes, and while I am sure some people will smoke it that fast, I am not one of them.
• This is definitely one of those blends that will punish you severely if you puff too hard or too fast, or any combination of the two. My advice to get the best flavors as possible is to try and keep the puff rate slow and steady.
• The smoke that emanates from these cigars smells distinctly of nutmeg.
• The burn lines on all three cigars were rarely razor sharp, and each cigar did need a single correction to keep on track. Having said that, the draws were excellent and there was plenty of thick, gray smoke from all three cigars.
• Davidoff of Geneva USA advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time averaged one hour and 51 minutes for all three cigars.
• If you would like to purchase any of the AVO Seasons Limited Edition 2023 Fall cigars, site sponsor Corona Cigar Co. has it for sale on its website here.