Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and has a few slightly raised veins. The seams are very smooth and nearly invisible and the head is finished off with a well applied double cap. There is a distinct rectangle press on the cigar. There are two bands with the first having the traditional AVO logo on it with a pastel aqua, blue and yellow and stating South America. The second band is a strip band in the pastel aqua color and it designates RITMO. The aroma from the wrapper is a lightly sweet hay while the foot brings a mix of subtle barnyard and white pepper. The pre-light draw is a mix of lightly sweet hay and cardboard with a mild spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Avo Syncro South America Ritmo Toro has a medium brown wrapper shade with a construction paper like texture. Veins are well pressed, seams tight and the head finished off with a well applied thick double cap. Nosing the wrapper gives cedar and barnyard. Nosing the foot tells white pepper, cedar and mixed nuts. Cold draw reveals namely cedar and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with a smooth mixture of wood and subtle baking spice. After a half dozen draws, the baking spice isn’t so subtle any more and slightly takes the lead over the wood note. At three quarters of an inch in, the wood increases a bit to even things out with the baking spice. At an inch in, the wood gains a smokiness to it as the baking spice eases up a bit. The retrohale is providing a slight creamy wood note. As the third comes to a close, the baking spice has dropped back considerably while the smoky wood note is the primary component. The strength in this third is right at medium.

First Third

The first third’s profile is smooth with mouth draw flavors of hay, cedar, coffee and a hint of tart stone fruits. Retrohaling gives elevated black pepper, tart stone fruits and rich nuttiness. The finish is medium in length and clean with dried nuts. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the smoky wood note continues as a bit of cream has joined the profile. There is still a bit of baking spice in the background. At a quarter inch in, the baking spice begins to pick up again. At an inch in, the smoky wood and baking spice notes are even. There is still a slight cream in the background. As the third comes to a close, the baking spice takes a bit of a lead over the wood note. The strength in this third is slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third is such a great smooth delivery of a laundry list of flavors; coffee, minerals, hay, bread, dried nuts, tart citrus and well mannered black pepper spice. Retrohaling gives deepness in black pepper, tart citrus and dried nuts. The finish is still medium in length and clean giving minerals, balanced black pepper and dried nuts. Strength and body continues to be medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the baking spice, wood and cream are creating a pretty nice mix of flavors. At a half inch in, the baking spices increase while some char joins the wood. At an inch in, the char continues to increase and take the lead while the baking spice is now in the background. The retrohale is also carrying the charred wood note. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third continued to increase to medium-full.

Final Third

Last third although still smooth and tasty, loses out on some of the characteristics of the second third. The profile is now namely minerals, balanced black pepper spice, hay and dried nuts. The strength does move slightly above medium while body is at a consistent medium.

Burn

The burn line was pretty straight through the first half and then got a bit wavy in the second half. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Burn

Burn performance was overall good with the only let downs being two touch-ups due to a very uneven burn most of the cigar.

Draw

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

Overall

The cigar started with a nice mellow wood and baking spice mix and then increased in the fullness of flavors. Other than the ratios of these flavors, there wasn’t much in the way of transitions, but that’s OK as the flavor was good. Construction was also very good and didn’t require any attention. This is a nice offering in the AVO line that is a bit darker and fuller in strength than some of the other offerings. If you’ve smoked some of the earlier lines and was hoping for something a bit stronger, than this may be what you’ve been looking for and I’d urge you to give it a try to see what you think. I’d gladly smoke more of these and see them as a good evening/after dinner smoke.

Draw

Perfect draw. So good I never had to think about it.

Overall

True to the AVO profile, the cigar delivered smoothness. But just a smooth cigar doesn’t mean much. A great smooth cigar has to have tasty flavors that work in conjunction with the smoothness, in which the Ritmo Toro format performed quite well in. Well worth buying and trying.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$1.81

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.32

Cost/Point

$1.63

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: AVO Syncro South America Ritmo Toro