My Weekend Cigar: May 7, 2018 – AVO Syncro Nicaragua Toro

MY WEEKEND CIGAR: AVO Syncro Nicaragua Cigar Review

By Gary Korb

Why I Can’t Help Gushing Over This Cigar

There are luxury cigars, and then there are luxurious cigars, and the Avo Syncro Nicaragua Toro is all that and more. In recent years, Avo has moved into more exotic territory; more specifically, Nicaragua, taking the line to even more complex heights of flavor, and the Syncro Nicaragua Toro is a brilliant example of what you can do when all of the right tobaccos come together.

AVO SYNCRO NICARAGUA TORO

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 6″ x 54, box pressed
Strength: Full
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Peru
Binder: Dominican Republic

My Experience: What encouraged me to fire-up this luscious selection was a recent discussion we had in the office with a visiting cigar blender about Ometepe tobacco. This is the ultra-rich-tasting leaf grown in the volcanic soil on the Nicaraguan isle of Ometepe. It’s been used in a lot of blends for added octane and flavor, but in the case of the Avo Syncro Nicaragua selection, you have to take into account what else is in this blend: Unique Dominican-grown fillers like San Vicente Mejorado and a hybrid Olor/Piloto, plus some Peruvian Olancho. Pressed inside a flawless, dark Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper that looks good enough to eat, the result is one ultra-creamy, full-bodied adventure that beams with complexity from top to bottom.

I lit-up during the afternoon at Leaf Cigar Bar and paired my Syncro Nicaragua Toro with coffee. (Had it been later in the day, I would’ve opted for a fine Port or dark aged rum.) Needless to say, the first few puffs issued some attention getting spice and pepper, rounding out to notes of cedar, allspice, and coffee bean. And we were just getting warmed-up. . .

The Ometepe is what gives this cigar its spicy edge and some added sweetness, but it never gets to the point of pushing everything else out of the way; if anything, it complements all of the other flavors that enter the fray, so the smoke always remains full-flavored, complex, and perfectly balanced. You may even pick up a few sublime floral notes along the way.

Suffice it to say. . . if you’ve grown fond of the better “Nicaraguan blends” on the market, adjust your radar to zero-in on the Avo Syncro Nicaragua Toro. Few luxury-class cigars deliver such a virtual banquet of pitch-perfect flavors and aromas, and even fewer are worth their retail price. (I recommend going for the 5-pack.) And lastly, tasting is believing, so make sure you put aside plenty of time to smoke it, or you’re likely to miss something wonderful.

If you’ve had an experience with this cigar, please share it by leaving a comment.