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Unlit Impressions

Stuffed inside cedar sleeved banana pudding colored tubos, the Classic No. 2 is an instantly recognizable stick inside any humidor, and a solid option for those on the go. You don't see enough tubos on the market, and I appreciate their practicality and protective powers. The classy AVO band on the cigar inside looks just as debonair as ever, and in true tubos fashion, there is a sleeve of cedar spills wrapped around the cigar for added aromatics and protection.

Now, as for that sun-grown Connecticut wrapper, let's just say that allowing this leaf to languish in the sun has both enhanced and hurt this smoke. On one side, it is a very pleasant-smelling cigar wrapper, with notes of leather and cedar sitting beside scoops of Nesquik, while raw walnut halves rest atop a pile of bedsheets pulled straight off the clothesline. If you've ever pulled sheets off the line on a sunny day, you know exactly what I am talking about. For everyone else out there, I am sorry if this intensely nostalgic aromatic is unfamiliar to your olfactory senses. You should probably get out more often. 

However, the sun can also cause things to whither and become coarse in texture, which in this case means a rougher kind of Connecticut wrapper, complete with medium-sized veins, mixed mottling, discoloration spots, and a rather unattractive cap. But the color is a nice mixture between a taupe brown and a rosado red, and the oiliness of the leaf adds a nice tactile feel without going too waxy on you.

Smells from the foot are fantastic, starting with the sweet and sour scent of caramel dipped apples, mildly spiced cider, freshly planed cypress timber, salted mixed nuts, and a clean, medium-strength sun-grown tobacco underbody. Cold pulls ride high atop the cypress section, but diverge to more of a mascarpone and nougat note, along with a dark, sweet dried fruit flavor that is hard to pinpoint in origin. There is also a strange salinity to the cigar that makes me think of swimming in the bay and accidentally getting a splash of brackish water on your tongue.

Tobacco Nerd Note: While you can use the cedar sleeve stuffed inside the tube that encapsulates this cigar to light the AVO Classic No. 2, it is a touch flimsy, and therefore burns up a bit quickly. If you want to go about lighting a cigar with cedar, get yourself some custom machined cedar spills that are thicker and trimmed to an ideal width. This will guarantee even combustion and a lengthier ignition time.

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Initial Smoke

I have to remind myself how creamy this cigar truly is, and there is no better place to do so than at first light. Saucers of cream sitting on a table hewn from raw cypress rest alongside a bowl of fading potpourri flowers. Absurdly salivating, retrohales of spiced rum cake and cedar shift about, as the apple notes from prelight roll in as a dehydrated reiteration. Body is mild-medium in potency and texture, smoke production and draw are Davidoff approved, and there is nary a sign of spiciness to be seen anywhere. 

1st Half

Milky magnificence meets salted caramel and toasted walnuts before too long, and with a bit of vanilla bean on the nose, the whole gourmet crème brûlée experience comes to life. While all of this is going on up front, subtler notes of those dried apples and cinnamon remain on the nose and patch over into a medium-length post-exhale finish. These secondary notes are supplemented by that mixture of cypress and cedar, which play well with everything else with their sappy, resinous aromatics.

As the blend burns, and the draw gradually opens up a bit, cedar and spiced cider spin the retrohale wheel for a second time. Crème brûlée is still in play as well, with that mixture of vanilla, sweet cream, and caramel combining fluidly with the more intense flavors and aromatics above it.

2nd Half

Transitional moments occur in the second half at a modest pace, with an increase in nutty flavors being the first to be noticed. Roasty and tannin-like, these tastes help transform the caramelized sugars into a deeper, yet somewhat drier experience on the nose. But the tongue detects something a touch sweeter, and it makes me think of a doughy almond cake that is half-baked and oozing with caramel icing. 

Spiciness up until this point has not been a consideration whatsoever, but with the ignition of the final third, there is a touch of heat to be detected. Medium-bodied and medium in flavor and finish, the potency of the final third has more to do with the heat off the cinnamon and those mixed cider spices than anything else. Personally, I find this to be a delightful transition, as it works well with the other flavors and adds a certain level of vibrancy and potency without going too intense on the tongue.

Parting Puffs

Right toward the start of parting puffs, the perfect draw opens itself up, bringing with it the creamiest, milkiest section of the stick. Incredibly smooth, with creamy retrohales rewarding the senses with all of the aromas and tastes mentioned thus far, this floral, sensationally smooth finish is precisely what I wish more cigars would offer. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

A restrictive draw may not have ruined this smoking session, but it definitely didn't do much to help the overall score either. The same can be said for the burn line, which was all over the place, but somehow manages to right itself each time. The ash was also a mid-grade experience, with a drop in the first third and a leaning, discolored center section being the most prominent problems.

But these issues only docked minor points. It was the temperature of the cigar and the smoke that it formed that produced the biggest concern, as the blend refused to cool down from the first third onward, even when puffed sparingly.  

Final Thoughts 

Well, I am happy to admit that after all these years, the AVO Classic No. 2 still has the whole crème brûlée interpretation down pretty damn well. It also does a really good job of offering some spiced apple cider and cypress notes in carefully selected amounts, which you don't encounter all that often in a cigar flavor profile.

The texture of the smoke is also top-notch and a perfect balance between medium-bodied and flavored, while keeping strength on the mild side. Retrohales are a marvel as well, with the aromatics formed being some of the smoothest and creamiest in this section of the Klaro collection. You just need to be fine with the taste of caramel, cream, and cinnamon leading the charge 75% of the time, and there not being much in the way of transitions along the way.

But I get the feeling that the vast majority of the Klaro Crew will be perfectly fine with these things, and will appreciate what this classy tubos cigar has to offer. May it be a morning smoke session with a cup of caffeine, a midday break on the golf course with cocktails, or an evening pairing of crème brûlée and classic jazz.

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