Probably the best AVO out right now

I know what you’re thinking; what an excellent name for a cigar! What a wholesome mouthful of syllables!
No? Well, I love the name and the cigar as well. Avo Syncro Ritmo is the perfect final release to the AVO Syncro line by Davidoff, Avo Uvezian, and Hendrik Kelner. The first two, Original Nicaragua Syncro and Syncro Fogata, garnered 90+ ratings from top cigar reviews.

Obviously, we expected great things from the Avo Syncro Ritmo.
And boy, did it deliver! Now, before we list Avo Syncro Ritmo’s mouth-watering blend of tobaccos, let’s lay a little background.

About the Avo Syncro Line

As earlier stated, the Avo Syncro line consists of three cigars; the Avo Syncro Nicaragua, Avo Syncro Fogata, and Avo Syncro Ritmo. Each of these cigars is an intense tapestry of multi-national blends with Avo Syncro Ritmo taking the mantle. Avo Syncro Nicaragua features tobacco blends from 5 countries while Avo Syncro Fogata consists of blends from 4 countries. Our star of the show, the Avo Syncro Ritmo, has multi-national blends from 7 countries! It is the most ambitious and diverse blend in the Avo Syncro line.

Additionally, the Avo Syncro line is the first box-pressed line to come out of Davidoff’s factory in the Dominican Republic. All the Syncro line cigars are made at the Davidoff Oettinger Kelner Cigar Factory in the Dominican Republic. Avo is named after the jazz legend, Avo Uvezian who passed away in March, 2017.

Avo Syncro Ritmo Blend of Tobacco

Avo Syncro Ritmo is a fairly new cigar having been released in 2017. This baby is meticulously blended with fillers from Nicaragua, Peru, Brazil, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. There is a bit of emphasis on the Brazilian Leaf in the filler with its sweet, creamy, and spicy notes.

Fillers are draped in a Mexican binder and then cloaked in an Ecuadorian wrapper. Right about now, you must be wondering how all these blends synchronize. Well, Ritmo is Spanish for rhythm, but we’ll get to that shortly.
The Avo Syncro Ritmo comes in 4 Vitolas: Robusto (5x50), Toro (6x54), Special Toro (6x60), and Torpedo Largo (7x54).

How Does It Smoke?

Admittedly, when I got my Syncro Ritmos, I couldn’t wait to get home to light one. But that is never a good idea. So, I stuck them in my humidor for a bit. I felt like a kid on Christmas eve with all the presents under the tree. Good things come to those who wait; I’m I right? I’ve smoked one or two after the review stogie.
For the review, I decided to go with the Torpedo Largo. It is a monster of a stogie with such an unusual box-press Figurado shape.

Appearance

The wrapper is a medium-light brown with dark mottling. There is a subtle reddish, orange hue to the wrapper. 
My baby was rocking faint veins, a slightly oily feel to the touch, and visible but well-done seams.
The box-press is very deliberate with an immaculately pasted triple cap. I see tiny wrinkles on the flat surfaces, but generally, this is a beautiful stogie.
Upon pressing the shaft, there is a supple, consistent give and absolutely no knots. I am pleasantly surprised given the sheer number of fillers in this thing.               

Prelight

My Ritmo smells of lightly composted hay and rich dark chocolate. Maybe there was a bit of leather in there, but I couldn’t say for sure. The cold draw is all dry grass, earth, and a tiny hint of citrus. I would have picked up more notes if I wasn’t flipping over how comfortably airy the draw is.
If you regularly smoke box-press cigars, you know the draw can be quite snug. Worse still if it’s a torpedo. But the draw on this cigar is nothing short of perfect.
                 

First Third

My stogie opened with lots of smoke output. Flavor notes included coffee, chocolate, orange zest, toasted nuts, and cedar. There is a lot of creaminess in the smoke but not really in the flavor.
The back of the palate is awash with creamy, oaky tang, delicate nondescript spices, and a touch of sweetness. Retrohale displays elegant dried fruit nuances with a tiny pepper zing.
Strength is a stable medium, and so is the body. As the first third comes to a close, I start to wonder if it was all just hype.

Mid Third

The mid-third is where it’s at!
Suddenly, it’s like spring, and all the flavors come alive!
There is an intense blast of sweet, creamy chocolate, cinnamon, and toasted nuts. The creamy notes transitioned from the smoke to the flavor.Peals of bright citrus and mixed fruit notes dance at the back of the palate. This is weird because bright citrus notes always shine in the front of the palate-but it works.

Retrohale carries subtle nuances of dark oak with sharp flashes of sweet cinnamon and pepper.
Towards the beginning of the final third, the citrus notes morph into a rich, creamy sweetness. There are dense bready flavors coupled with a dash of nutmeg. The chocolate savor lingers on the finish commingled with wood notes, honey, and pepper. At this point, the strength is a dense medium teetering on full. The body is a robust full and then some.

Final Third

In the final third, my stogie tightens the draw. It is not a bad thing either because it allowed it to burn cooler and slower. The flavors intensified with darker notes coming to the front of the palate. First, there is a creamy malt tang, backed by dark cocoa, caramel, cedar, dashes of citrus, and toasted almonds. Then, charred oak aromas and shifty toasted rye bread nuances recede to the back of the palate. Retrohale is a bit of pepper, coffee, spice, and luxurious leather notes. Kind of like the new car smell.

Towards the nub, nicotine kicks up to full strength. Crispy citrus notes, cedar, and dry hay re-surge with a vengeance. Toasted rye bread, subtle chocolate, charred oak, and pepper stay on the long finish.
My Avo Syncro Ritmo was nothing short of spectacular. It smoked beautifully without burn issues or flavor issues. Even the other non-torpedoes that I smoked after this one were just as consistent.

Who is the Avo Syncro Ritmo Good For?

As you can tell from the tasting notes above, this is a cigar for a true aficionado. It displays robust flavors and strength to the nub.
That being said, this stogie is so pleasant and gentle that even a beginner can smoke it. But maybe if you are a somewhat beginner with some semblance of a palate. Is that harsh?
I only say this because it would be a shame to smoke this beauty and not fully appreciate the intricate merging of exotic flavors.

Why You Should Try the Avo Syncro Ritmo

If not for anything else, get yourself a Syncro Ritmo to experience the surprise twists and turns of flavor transitions. This cigar is a treat and a flavor journey from start to end. Also, this might be the only box-press cigar with a perfect draw. I kid you not. The bunching is so well done; it’s unbelievable for such a complex blend. And finally, this cigar sells at between $11 and $14 depending on the size and where you buy it from. Its double digits, I know, but it’s worth it. Of all the Avo Syncro cigars, this is the one that should be on your must-have list. Try it and share your experience.