Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Avowed New Dawn Toro isn’t going to win any beauty contests as it is dark tan with knotty raised veins and some wrinkles. The seams are pretty smooth and the caps are decently applied as the top as some raised edges/ There are two bands, both in a blue, gold and white color combination. The primary carries the brands logo, while the secondary denotes the line. The aroma from the wrapper is a musty mix of dusty earth and cedar. The foot brings a very nice stewed fruit and cedar combination. The pre-light draw is a lighter version of the same stewed fruit and cedar mix from the foot aroma, and there is a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: The Avowed New Dawn Toro is lovely in appearance with colored bands that pop off the light Colorado wrapper. The coloring is that of faded caramel and has gingerbread quality. The wrapper has a fine texture with a touch of grit, and there are small veins present throughout. It is firm throughout, and the wrapper has a salty, leather, cedar, earth and sweet tobacco aroma. The foot has aromas of earth, raisins, tobacco and sweet baking spices.
John: The Avowed New Dawn Toro comes in cellophane and it has a UPC sticker with the cigar information and an integrated tear space, so the cellophane remains intact. The cigar is double banded with an Avowed logo as the primary band and New Dawn as the secondary band. I weighed the cigar at 14.4 grams and measured the humidity at 58.8% with the CigarMedics HumidiMeter Pro. For aromas, the wrapper had bread, sweet wood and tobacco. From the foot, I was getting hay, wood and faint tobacco.
Jiunn: The Avowed New Dawn Toro has an even Colorado Claro shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and the head is well wrapped and capped. Pre-light aromas provide barnyard, jasmine tea and cedar.

Avowed New Dawn Toro

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with creamy cedar and earth with some mild spice. At a quarter inch in, the cedar becomes toasted. At a half inch in, the creaminess has departed. The retrohale is lightly toasted cedar and some earth. At an inch and a half in, a very mild creaminess rejoins and the toasted cedar becomes really detailed. As the third comes to a close, the detailed toasted cedar is up front, with earth in the middle and some light spice and creaminess in the background. The strength was mild-medium.
Seth: The first third of the cigar opens with some cedar and hay notes. There is some dry earth qualities present along with some baking spices, and the finish has a buttery quality with some soft mocha and sweet tobacco notes. I would classify the cigar as medium in strength and body.
John: The first third opens with creamy herbal notes and a mild earth combining with wood on the finish, with dry wood defining the post draw. I find the retrohale is leading with creamy wood and an herbal center as mild tannic wood finishes. Some sweet tobacco notes are present at the front of the profile as the first third settles in. Mild chocolate is joining the retrohale as the cigar reaches the halfway point of the first third.
Jiunn: The first third provides a balanced approach of spicy cedar, hay, fruit candy sweetness and mixed nuts. Retrohaling accentuates both the spicy and mixed nuts. The finish shows plenty of softness in easy going breadiness. Strength and body is medium.

Avowed New Dawn Toro

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the earth picks up a bit. At a half inch in, a light chalkiness joins the profile. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, earth and mild creaminess. At an inch and a half in, the creaminess increases a bit. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is a bit in front of the earth with some creaminess in the middle and light amounts of spice and chalkiness in the background. The strength remains mild-medium.
Seth: The second third is fairly in line with the first. Cedar and dry earth notes present along with some baking spices. Hay and tobacco notes are present with sweet tobacco and that mocha and butter-like quality. Like before, the cigar is medium in strength and body.
John: Going into the second third, the flavor profile leads off with creamy herbal notes and a medium toasted earth to finish, which lingers on the palate through the post draw. As the second third progresses towards the halfway point, wood is leading the profile at medium-minus strength with tannic wood on the finish at the same strength level. Mild baking spices are joining the middle of the profile through the bottom half and lingering into the finish as they move up to light-plus strength.
Jiunn: The second third reduces to mainly a cedar and mixed nuts combination. There’s also a hint of dry bitterness to the profile, which requires more sips of water to keep the palate hydrated. Strength and body remains medium.

Avowed New Dawn Toro

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the creaminess is now right behind the earth. At a half inch in, the creaminess departs. At an inch in, the toast level increases a bit. The retrohale is now dry toasted cedar and some earth. At an inch and a quarter, the earth is now right behind the toasted cedar. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with some spice and chalkiness in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly below medium.
Seth: The final third delivers a flavor profile of baking spices, cedar, tobacco and hay. There are some earth and mocha notes present, and it has a finish of buttered popcorn and leather. It is smoking at the same level that it has throughout, medium in strength and body.
John: For the final third, creamy wood leads off as clean wood finishes. As the last third settles in, tannic wood returns to the finish and lingers into the post draw at medium-minus strength. Bitterness joins the finish through the bottom half of the final third.
Jiunn: The final third shows the same character as the second third. Based off cedar and mixed nuts with a dryness and bitterness to the mouthfeel. Strength and body finish the same medium.

Avowed New Dawn Toro

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy at times and I had to do a single touch-up when half of the wrapper didn’t want to burn in the second third. The ash held on in inch and three quarter increments.
Seth: Fantastic burn from start to finish.
John: There was a straight burn in the first third, but the cigar struggled for the remainder of the review. It went out in the second third, requiring a re-light and continued to be wavy until it went out again, requiring another re-light. The burn was wavy through the last third.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect. Even burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

Avowed New Dawn Toro

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Perfect draw from beginning to end.
John: The draw measured at 29 inches of water with the CigarMedics draw machine. I found it to be 1-1/2 to 2 notches towards the open spectrum.
Jiunn: The draw was also perfect, striking the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with creamy cedar and earth with some mild spice. The cedar became toasted pretty quickly and the creaminess departed a bit later just to rejoin an inch later. The second third saw the earth increase a bit and a light chalkiness join in. The creaminess also increased a bit. The final third saw the creaminess increase and then quickly depart and the earth picked up a bit. The Avowed New Dawn Toro had a nice start, with a mellow, flavorful profile. It dropped a level in the second third as the balance changed and maintained that level the rest of the way. The flavor delivery was a bit unique compared to most other cigars I’ve smoked, which was a nice experience, but it wasn’t enough to really elevate the profile. I’m excited for this brand and this factory, and while I’m not sure I’d come back to this cigar, I’m looking forward to each of their other offerings on the market.
Seth: The Avowed New Dawn Toro was a terrific cigar from beginning to end. The flavor profile was on point, and it started out great out of the gates. The burn and draw were amazing, and you can’t ask for any more with a cigar. The strength and body were perfect throughout, and matched well with the flavors. The mocha and butter-like notes were fantastic!
John: The Avowed New Dawn Toro offered some interesting flavor components in the first third, centered around herbal notes and sweet tobacco and became more centered around wood flavors as it continued through the second and final thirds. The draw was slightly into the open spectrum, and the burn was wavy with two re-lights required during the review. Overall, the price point is above the market average, but I wouldn’t say it was expensive. I didn’t find that the profile left me with a distinct impression and it isn’t something I would likely seek out in the future. I’d be interested in trying other offerings from Avowed. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Jiunn: The flavor profile started off pleasant but the majority of the experience had an average taste profile of cedar and mixed nuts with an unpleasant mouthfeel in dryness and bitterness. I still believe in Klaas’ blending capabilities, but this Avowed New Dawn Toro just isn’t for me.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.90

Cost/Point

$2.88

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$2.37

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$3.01

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.79

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Team Cigar Review: Avowed New Dawn Toro