Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition has a nice medium Colorado red to it with a few raised veins. The seams are smooth and the tapered ends are finished pretty well. There are two bands, with the primary being the traditional design for this line and the secondary is silver and black, denoting the anniversary this is celebrating. The aroma from the wrapper is a musty mix of cedar and earth. The foot opening is too small for me to pick out anything other than the wrapper aromas. The pre-light draw brings lightly spicy cedar and some floral notes along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition is a lovely diadema that is pressed well and firm throughout. The cigar features a dark Colorado wrapper that has medium sized veins present throughout. The coloring is that of dark tobacco. It has this coffee bean color. It is silky in texture with some leather and faint grit. The wrapper has a nice aroma of barnyard, tobacco, spices, cocoa and earth, and there is a bit of spice present as well on the foot.
John: The AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition comes packaged in cellophane with a UPC sticker that contains the cigar information. It also features an integrated tear tab designed so the UPC sticker stays intact when opened. This boxed-pressed figurado carries two bands: a primary “Avo Nicaragua” band and a thin secondary 10th anniversary band. I weighed the cigar at 13.3 grams and measured humidity at 61.2% with the Cigar Medic Humidity Pro. For aromas from the wrapper, I could pick out mild barnyard, earth, wood and hay. Due to the cigars shape, no notable aromas were detected from the foot.
Jiunn: The AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition has an attractive, even, Colorado red wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped. Pre-light aromas consist of heavy barnyard and stanky cheese.

AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar and some earth. As the burn reaches the edge of the shoulder, some mushroom mustiness and light black pepper join in. The retrohale is toasted cedar and earth. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper increases a bit. At an inch and a half in, the mushroom mustiness picks up enough to be in front of the black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is a bit ahead of the earth, with mushroom mustiness in the middle of the profile and black pepper just a bit further back. The strength was slightly below medium.
Seth: The first third begins with soft barnyard notes that are paired with damp wood and earth. There is faint spice notes present along with some toasty and coffee notes. Bits of cream are present as well on the finish. I would classify the cigar as medium in strength and body.
John: The first third opens with sweet tobacco and an herbal center, which continues through the retrohale, joined by wood mixing with the leading sweet tobacco. Flavors and strength remain consistent through the entire first third with nothing else to remark on.
Jiunn: The first third has a mellow flavor profile. Flavors of aged cedar, leather, milk creaminess and mixed nuts. Retrohaling introduces spice into the mix via black pepper spice. The finish is long and lingering with a combination of leather and cedar. Strength and body is medium.

AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the mushroom component of the mustiness drops out. At half an inch in, the black pepper mellows a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and light mustiness. At an inch and a half in, the toast level of the cedar increases. At an inch and three quarters, the mustiness and black pepper both mellow a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is a bit ahead of the earth, with mustiness a bit behind the middle of the profile and the black pepper in the background. The strength bumped up to medium.
Seth: The second third is fairly in line with the first. There are some additional toast and roasted nuts present with the flavors, and it has that coffee and faint spice profile. Damp wood, earth and barnyard notes remain while still smoking at that medium level for strength and body. Finish of cream still present.
John: The second third begins with creamy wood and herbal notes, with the herbs blending into dry wood on the finish. The retrohale maintains the same profile, with some mild earth notes joining the center as the cigar approaches the halfway point. Mild tannins emerge on the post-draw through the bottom half.
Jiunn: The second third is leather dominant with aged cedar, milk creaminess and mixed nuts trailing relatively far behind. The leather weighs heavy on the palate, lathering my tongue. Strength and body remains medium.

AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth has bumped to be right behind the toasted cedar. At a half inch in, the toast level is now pretty heavy. The retrohale is now just toasted cedar and earth. As the cigar wraps up, the heavily toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with mustiness a bit behind the middle of the profile and the black pepper in the background. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The final third is between the first and second. Coffee, faint spice, damp wood, earth and barnyard notes present. Bits of toast and roasted nuts present as well with a creamy finish. Like before, medium in strength and body.
John: The last third opens with creamy wood, followed by sweet tobacco in the center. Light-plus tannic wood finishes the draw as herbal notes combine with tannic wood through the center of the retrohale. There are no other flavor notes to comment on for the remainder of the last third.
Jiunn: The final third is still primarily leather filled, but also combines a good amount of metallic minerals. The other flavors of aged cedar, milk creaminess and mixed nuts is that much further down the line. Strength and body finish the same medium.

AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: The burn was decent throughout.
John: The burn was consistently even through the entire review process.
Jiunn: Great burn performance, providing an even burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was perfect from start to finish.
John: I measured the draw with the CigarMedics draw machine to 49 inches of water. My subjective take on the draw is that it was 1-1/2 to 2 notches resistant. Once the burn reached the shoulder, the draw opened to 1/2 to 1 notch towards resistant which put it in the ideal range.
Jiunn: Great draw performance as well, providing the ideal air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar and some earth. Some mushroom mustiness and light black pepper joined in a bit later. The second third saw the mushroom part of the mustiness drop out and the toast level increased a bit. Later, the mustiness and black pepper mellowed. The final third saw the earth and toast levels increase. The construction was perfect. The AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition had a nice start with a good mix of flavors and balance. It took a step down in the second third as the mushroom note departed and the mustiness and pepper mellowed. It maintained that level the rest of the way. Overall, another cigar that couldn’t maintain an interesting profile past the first third. Even without the high price point, I wouldn’t see myself returning to this and just smoke the regular production offerings.
Seth: I have never been a huge fan of the AVO Syncro Nicaragua, and while it is not stated how similar the 10th Anniversary blend is to the original, I felt the AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition was still lacking in some ways as well. The second third of the cigar was good when the ring gauge expanded, but it did not grow past that experience. It delivered some of those classic AVO flavors while smoking at a medium level for strength and body. A pretty cigar, and a nice looking diadema, but not a great flavor profile.
John: The AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition offers a pleasant, albeit uncomplicated flavor profile highlighted by sweet tobacco, herbal notes and creamy wood. While the first third stands out with its balance and smoothness, the overall flavor delivery leans towards a more average experience with increasing tannins and earthiness as it continued. Excellent burn and draw make it an easy smoke. I would not return to this but it would be suitable for those who appreciate subtle herbal complexity and mild strength. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Jiunn: When an AVO is good, it has great balance and cohesiveness. When it’s not, it basically tastes like this. This in the sense that it’s too dominant in a couple flavors (leather and minerals) without enough of a remaining cast to support the main flavors. In other words, it’s off balance and the flavors don’t meld well together. The AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition is another anniversary marker that’s not worth my wallet.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$3.61

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$3.79

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$3.83

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$3.83

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: AVO Syncro 10th Anniversary Limited Edition