A Few Thoughts on the Avo 2nd Movement

Vitola: Churchill
Size: 6.25” x 47 ring gauge
Price ~$12
Purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Background

It’s usually around the middle to end of July that things start to just get unbearably crazy. I’m talking about the Tweet-Up. And for those who don’t get the shorthand, that’s the Chattanooga Tweet-Up and Cigar Festival, now in its fourth year at Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga, TN. I was the one who suggested this multi-vendor, multi-day cigar event to the manager years ago, and every year he’s given me more responsibility for it. Which wouldn’t be a problem if it were my full-time job…but it’s not. I have another one of those and I just have to say that the last 2 or 3 weeks has made me want to pull my beard hair out.

So it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that as I write this, the Saturday before the Tweet-Up starts, I just don’t feel like doing the “full cigar review experience.” Too much work, not enough rest, and I simply lack the attention right now to give a cigar a fair shake. But I need to get some writing done…so I’m going to give talk a bit about this Avo 2nd Movement as I unwind after quite a few hours put in working on Tweet-Up stuff on a Saturday.

This Avo continues the tradition that the Davidoff company started a couple years ago with producing many, many Limited Edition cigars for nearly every brand they own. Davidoff itself has had a dozen or more in the last year or so. Avo had the 1st Movement, LE13, 25th Anniversary, LE14 and now this 2nd Movement. The “Movement” cigars have been exclusive to stores that are part of the Tobacconist Association of American (TAA).

I smoked one of the 1st Movement and while it was okay, I didn’t find it enough to my taste to smoke it again. I expected mostly the same from the 2nd Movement…but I was shocked. After the first one, I had to consider the possibility of buying a whole box. This cigar uses Dominican filler and binder with an Ecuadorian wrapper.

Experience

Removing the 2nd Movement from the cellophane, I encountered a oily, light brown wrapper that smelled of funky earthy compost. The foot had a milder grassy aroma. The prelight draw was excellent, which you kind of come to expect from Davidoff products. The cold flavor was a familiar one to Avo and Davidoff fans: grassy, with some musty earthiness…that “Davidoff funk.”

The tobacco seemed extra wet as it was quite resistant to ignition, but I eventually got it burning and was greeted by a strong wet earthiness and a bit of grass. The retrohale was full of roasted nuts laced with red pepper. The body started off at the low end of the “full” range, which is quite unusual for an Avo, though certainly not unprecedented after the LE10.

Speaking of the LE10, I had one customer (an Avo aficionado) tell me that this 2nd Movement was the 2nd best Avo cigar after the LE10. I’m not 100% sure I agree (I do love the Heritage), but it’s definitely in the top 3 or 4 for me.

As I smoked on I noticed a large pepper presence on the palate as well. If there’s one problem with this cigar it’s that it might just be a little unbalanced with the pepper. While I like a pepper-bomb from time to time, this one tended to be a little harsh at times.

By the halfway mark the pepper eased off, though, becoming more of a dull burn, allowing other flavors of earth, grass, and wood to come through more clearly in a creamy smoke.

So, yes, this is a very good smoke and definitely in my top 5 Avos ever, but I still have to give the LE10 and Heritage a nod for balance and overall flavor.