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Stogie Reviews: Avo Limited Edition 2011 Diademas

3 May 2011

Over two decades ago, Avo Uvezian founded a cigar company. A Lebanese-born jazz pianist and a former jewelry designer, he was an unlikely addition to the world of cigars. But this Juilliard-trained talent, in partnership with Hendrik Kelner, would quickly make an impact on the industry, selling over 750,000 cigars in his company’s third year and inking a distribution deal with Davidoff.

More recently, Uvezian celebrated his 85th birthday with a new cigar. The release follows in the tradition he started ten years ago when he introduced a limited edition smoke to celebrate his 75th anniversary. This year, Uvezian has paired a sun-grown Dominican wrapper with a Peruvian binder and San Vicente and Piloto Cubano filler tobaccos.

The resulting Avo Limited Edition 2011 is available in only one size: Diademas (6.6 x 50). Its production is limited to 100,000 cigars worldwide, including 60,000 cigars for the U.S. market. Such exclusivity helps explain the hefty MSRP of $17.50.

Shipments of the Diademas started to hit tobacconists in late March. Those who were lucky enough to find and afford the cigar were rewarded with a stunning, double-banded perfecto that has minimal veins, a beautiful cap, and pre-light notes of hay and molasses—an aroma that’s very similar to the PG Symphony 20th, which is also crafted by Kelner.

The cold draw is surprisingly easy despite the cigar’s firm feel. Once lit, the rich, abundant tufts of smoke emit flavors of caramel, black coffee, roasted nuts, cream, and cedar spice. The aftertaste is characterized by a sharp bite on the middle of the tongue. I’d describe the profile as medium in body and moderate in strength.

Leather becomes a force into the midway point, adding bitter tones to the flavor and slightly increasing the Diademas’ overall intensity. To its credit, though, the cigar smokes more like an orchestral performance than a heavy metal rock show, displaying a fine balance from light to nub. And the combustion qualities of both of the samples I tested for this review were superb.

In the end, instead of being an example of an overpriced limited edition that’s more style than substance, the Avo Limited Edition 2011 emerges as a top performer. Sometimes you get what you pay for. In this case, that’s a good thing. So I have no qualms about echoing the chorus of praise this cigar has already received, and I’m awarding it a rare rating of five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five stogie-rated cigars can be found here.]

Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

6 Responses to “Stogie Reviews: Avo Limited Edition 2011 Diademas”

  1. Ed Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 10:17 am #

    What other cigars have you rated five out of five?

    Thanks.

  2. Steve Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 10:55 am #

    I hope I will get my hands one a few of this.

  3. George E Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 12:04 pm #

    I think the last time we rounded up the fivers was here: http://www.stogieguys.com/2010/03/03032010-stogie
    Might be time for another look.

  4. Louis Carabini Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 3:55 pm #

    .Perdomo2 Limited Edition cigars have been reintroduced by Tabacalera Perdomo. The cigars Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos are expertly box-pressed in your choice of genuine Cameroon or Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper leaves.

  5. Patrick A Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 4:51 pm #

    A complete list of cigars that have received a five-out-of-five ranking can be found here:

    http://www.stogieguys.com/cigar-reviews/five

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  1. Stogie Commentary: Perfect Fives (2010) - Wednesday, May 11, 2011

    […] Patrick A. awarded a five-stogie rating recently to the Avo Limited Edition 2011 Diademas, reader Ed wondered what other cigars had garnered such a great […]