Cigar Info – AVO Regional North Edition
In 2019, Davidoff released the first AVO regional editions, East and West. Then, in 2020, the second in this series gave us the North and South regions. The Avo Regional North Edition uses a wrapper leaf grown in the Dominican Republic specifically for the purpose of highlighting the special Perfecto format, a Hybrid Olor/Piloto Seco double binder, and a combination of San Vicente and Piloto fillers from multiple regions.
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 AVO Regional North Edition is a perfecto measuring 6 5/8 x 50. Each cigar costs $14.00 and only 2,250 boxes of the Regional Edition North and 2,100 boxes of the Regional Edition South were made.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Perfecto
Length: 6 5/8″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic (Hybrid Olor / Piloto Seco)
Filler: Peru (Seco), Honduras (Jamastran Seco), Dominican Republic (San Vicente Seco & Visus)
Factory: TABADOM
Blender: Hendrik Kelner
Number of reviewers: 5 – Ryan H. (Ryan H.) Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard) Randy B. (randobush) Lauren S. (Lauren S.) Quinn (quinnpins269)
Price: $14.00
Age: 4 Months
Release Date: October 2020
Contributed by: Davidoff Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 90
“This 6-7/8”x52 Perfecto looks stunning.. Medium brown, tight and oily wrapper, minimal veins, and nearly invisible seams. Up to 1” above the bottom of the foot, appears to be a shade darker than the rest of the cigar. Triple cap up top rounds out this perfecto vitola.” –Randy B. (randobush)
Aroma: 90
“The pre-light aroma was an interesting combination of sweet hay with a little bit of a mineral note.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
First Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Heavy earth and dirt flavor on the first few puffs, similar to fresh-picked mushrooms. It’s a bit off-putting but settles about a half-inch in. The dirt fades and just earthiness and mineral notes remain through the first third.” –Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
“Hints of caramel, cedar, mineral and a spice that hits the roof of your mouth and back of the throat.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
Second Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Going into the 2nd third, this cigar seems to have found its identity. Flavors have blended together to provide tasty, creamy, baking spicy, light cocoa powder, & citrus pepper zest, now having a medium finish. Super satisfying plumes of smoke bellow out with each puff. “-Randy B. (randobush)
“The second third starts out with a surprise of graham cracker and chocolate. The white pepper stuck around but moved into the background. The smoke started to become slightly creamy and the output started to pick up also.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
Final Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The final third is pretty much more of the same. Not a lot of complexity but just solid earth, mineral, and occasional dirt flavor. The honey sweetness still shows up every few puffs and the cayenne on the retro seems to just get strong the closer to the nub I get.” –Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
“The graham cracker and chocolate profiles have disappeared into the final third. The white pepper had started to be replaced by black pepper and a small amount of salty bitterness. The last few puffs of the cigar started to produce some tar on the cap. At this point, I set the cigar down in the ashtray to conclude the review.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
Overall Impressions – AVO Regional North Edition
Draw: 94
“The very first few puffs of the perfecto were snug, but once past those, the draw was great. It was the right amount of resistance to help keep the cigar cool and not burning too quickly.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
Burn: 94
“Even burn, no touch-ups or relights needed.” –Randy B. (randobush)
Construction: 95
“Construction was stellar. No cracking or unraveling. Though not the most attractive wrapper the ash was tight and held on for a couple of inches at a time, and likely would have held long were I not afraid I was going to end up wearing it.” –Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
AVO Regional North Edition – Experience Overall: 93
“I would like to see this cigar sans bitterness but a good enjoyable smoke.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
“It was an ok smoke, I enjoyed it but it did have its issues. Uneven burn, touchups after ashing, the odd bitterness towards the end.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
“This cigar started out rough for me, but after 1.5” in, I began to really appreciate the transitions, and how the flavors came together and evolved. By the end of the cigar, I was still wanting more of it.” –Randy B. (randobush)
“This is a blend for those who enjoy the deep earthy flavors that you usually find with Honduran or Cuban tobacco. Strong cayenne on the retrohale and just a slight sweetness on top of the earth gives the cigar a slight variation from the solid dirt and minerals that star in this stick. ” –Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
“The cigar was a pleasant experience. The sweet hay aroma of the smoke mixed with the white pepper chocolate graham cracker profile made for a nice well-balanced cigar.” –Quinn (quinnpins269)
| Reviewer | Appear. | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall Experience |
| Ryan H. | 90 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 88 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 92 |
| Joseph S. | 88 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 85 | 88 | 88 |
| Randy B. | 95 | 92 | 88 | 92 | 92 | 97 | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| Lauren S. | 92 | 95 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 95 | 97 | 97 | 92 |
| Quinn | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 93 | 90 | 95 | 90 |
Smoking Time (in minutes): 93
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.