Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Avowed Awakening is dark tan and has some lightly raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. There are two bands, both in a red, gold and white color combination. The primary carries the brand logo and name, while the secondary denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is dusty earth and light hay, while the foot brings bread, spice and mild cedar. The pre-light draw brings dry cedar, bread, spice and anise, along with a mid-level spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with creamy, musty and chalky, toasted cedar along with some mild black pepper. At a half inch in, some light earth joins the profile and there are momentary hints of lemon during the draws. The retrohale is creamy, musty and chalky, toasted cedar with mild black pepper and earth. At an inch and a quarter, the pepper and earth both increase a bit. As the third comes to a close, the profile has the creamy, musty and chalky, toasted cedar up front, with black pepper and earth in the back half of the profile. The strength was mild-medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the creaminess departs from the profile. At half an inch in, the mustiness gains some dampness as it’s associated with the cedar. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, with some mustiness, chalkiness and earth. At an inch in, the earth increases. At an inch and a quarter, the dampness of the mustiness departs. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with mustiness and chalkiness supporting it, earth just in front of the middle of the profile and black pepper in the back half. The strength bumped up to slightly below medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the toast level and black pepper both increase a bit. The retrohale is now musty, toasted cedar, with some chalkiness and earth. At an inch in, a vegetal note joins the profile. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar is up front, with mustiness and chalkiness supporting it, earth just in front of the middle of the profile, black pepper in the middle and a vegetal note in the back half. The strength remained at slightly below medium.

Burn

The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in a little over two inch increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with creamy, musty and chalky, toasted cedar along with some mild black pepper. Some light earth joined in pretty quickly. Later, the earth and pepper both increased a bit. The second third saw the creaminess depart and the mustiness gained a dampness. Later, the earth increased a bit and the dampness departed. The final third saw the toast level and pepper increase a bit, and a vegetal note joined in. The Avowed Awakening had a nice start with a unique creamy, musty, chalky, toasted cedar. It took a step down in the second third as the creaminess departed and the mustiness gained a dampness and remained at the level the rest of the way. This was the initial line for the brand and felt a bit aggressive with such a high price point. I like how it started, but it just couldn’t build on that past the first third. I don’t believe these cigars exist anymore, so I’m not eager to try to track any down.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.95

Cost/Point

$5.04

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Avowed Awakening