Cigar Info
Back in January, AVO Cigars announced that the Belicoso size in their AVO Classic line was returning. The Belicoso was last made in 2005 and comes back as a limited production of 2,000 boxes of 25 cigars being sold only in the United States.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
The blend uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut Sun Grown wrapper, and Dominican binder and fillers. It is described as mild-to-medium strength. The Classic Belicoso measures 6 x 48. Each cigar sells for $12.00.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Belicoso
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 48
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Sun Grown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Factory: TABADOM
Blender: Henke Kelner
Number of reviewers: 5 – Vance T. (Vance) Kevin A. (Kevin A.) Matt Cade (CadeTNCC) Sean F. (fullermaine) James H. (Keikan Jim)
Price: $12.00
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: Feb 2021
Contributed by: Davidoff Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 91
“This torpedo, belicoso, or whatever the manufacturer chooses to call it features a shiny wrapper that is super silky to the touch. It has a very sexy feel to it. The cap is beautiful and there’s just the right amount of give when squeezed between two fingers…” –Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
Aroma: 89
“Barnyard and cacao explode off of the wrapper with a touch of cinnamon on the foot. Smells very good.” –James H. (Keikan Jim)
First Third
Flavor: 86
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The pre-light cold draw reveals more of the milk chocolate note I picked up precut, though not much of the mustiness, so I light it up to see what’s going on here. The first quarter inch had a unique floral note that came through to me as “soapy”. I’ve experienced this in other cigars and it’s not my jam. Hoping it works itself out. As I progress through the first third the floral note remains but clarifies into something less soapy and more reminiscent of a rose petal. Sadly there isn’t much of that chocolate aroma I got pre-light. There’s also a subtle hit of white pepper that’s nowhere to be found up front but sneaks in at the very end on the finish. As I transition to the second third the cigar goes out and needs to be re-lit.” –Vance T. (Vance)
“Dry grass, cedar with a little bit of citrus starts the cigar off in the first few puffs. This is surprising to me and is a dramatic change from the pre-light notes. A few more puffs and sourdough bread emerges and quickly become the dominant note. The raisin from the pre-light also returns and it makes for a very balanced sweet and sour profile to start. Strength is light to medium, with the body near the bottom of the medium range. The draw is slightly more open than I would prefer, but it is not really detracting from the smoking experience. ” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Second Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“All of a sudden the Sumatran dry coffee component on the draw begins to completely overshadow whatever woodsiness was there in the first third. But there’s a touch of cream there as well and when it shows up (thank God) it makes this middle portion shine especially as the mineral continues to grow via the retrohale. Construction remains top-notch.” –Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
“The cigar settles in with the sourdough as the primary note. There is a very pronounced creaminess in the finish that makes the overall profile very pleasant and smooth. As the cigar moves farther along, the sourdough turns to more of a fresh bread note. There are also some cabinet spices emerging, and combined with the creaminess, are making for a very pleasurable experience. The draw is getting looser, and the cigar is starting to heat up a little bit at this point. The ash is pretty tightly packed as well and holding on firmly. ” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Final Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“One thing is certain, whether you like the specific profile here or not, it isn’t dynamic. There aren’t a lot of complex flavors and those present never really evolve into anything more as you move through the cigar. The final third is just more of the same, which, to me, knocks it down a few points because, even if you like the specific profile, the lack of evolvement makes for a boring smoking experience.” –Vance T. (Vance)
“The final third was very much the same as the second third with salted nut and earth. There was an additional syrupiness to the flavor profile as well. Burn has been excellent.” –James H. (Keikan Jim)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“While I had to take a couple of cuts off the cap more than I’m accustomed to, the cigar ended up drawing very good.” –Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
Burn: 90
“Combustion and burn were excellent throughout the smoking experience. A near razor-sharp burn line was the norm. ” –James H. (Keikan Jim)
Construction: 91
“This was a well-packed and tightly rolled cigar with no soft spots and excellent burn. Kinda says it all.” –James H. (Keikan Jim)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 88
“Flavor profile notwithstanding, this was a smooth and easy smoke. If you’re a fan of floral cigars, with a simple expression that you don’t have to think a lot about, this could make a nice Sunday morning cigar with a cup of tea and a good book. But it’s a miss for me.” –Vance T. (Vance)
“This cigar did not emerge as a superstar in any category, aside from enjoyment factor. This is a very good-tasting mild-mannered cigar, that is just plain fun to smoke, which is the most important part of any blend in my opinion. It can be enjoyed by anyone at any time of day. With the size, and relatively short smoking time, I could see this easily added to my pre-work coffee & cigar routine. ” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“This cigar had some nice transitions overall and it was a pleasant smoking experience from start to finish. Warm overwhelming mineral and pleasant coffee rule the day here for sure. So whether you’re drinking your morning ten cups of joe or chugging a bunch of spirits after dark to forget your daily worries – this cigar should be up to the task. ” –Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
“Not a cigar I’d want in my humidor, nor would I buy. The very bitter cigar from beginning to end. Few woody notes along with bitter tea notes make this a horrible cigar. The copper and incense notes make this a very odd cigar. Didn’t want to finish this stick due to the bitterness.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“I could have easily rated this cigar higher if it were not for the horrible mineral taste early in the first third. Once past this, it was an excellent cigar. ” –James H. (Keikan Jim)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 57
| Reviewer | Appear. | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall Experience |
| Vance T. | 92 | 90 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 92 | 85 | 90 | 85 |
| Kevin A. | 88 | 90 | 87 | 90 | 90 | 85 | 90 | 90 | 88 |
| Matt Cade | 92 | 88 | 87 | 90 | 92 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Sean F. | 90 | 88 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 90 | 90 | 100 | 78 |
| James H. | 90 | 90 | 85 | 90 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 90 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.