AVO Classic Maduro Robusto

Avo Uvezian wasn’t just a master of melody—he became a legend in the world of premium cigars. Born in 1926 in Beirut, Lebanon, Avo first rose to fame as a jazz pianist and composer, even co-writing the timeless classic Strangers in the Night made famous by Frank Sinatra. But in the 1980s, his passion took a smoky turn when he partnered with master blender Hendrik Kelner in the Dominican Republic. Their goal? Craft cigars with the same finesse as a jazz improvisation. The result was AVO Cigars—elegant, harmonious, and consistently impressive. By the mid-1990s, Avo’s blend of luxury and sophistication caught the attention of Davidoff, who took over distribution and elevated the brand to global acclaim.

The AVO Classic is the brand’s crown jewel—a cigar that lives up to its name. Handcrafted with a blend of five meticulously aged Dominican tobaccos from the Cibao Valley, then bound with a Dominican binder and wrapped in a silky Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf, it delivers a creamy, refined flavor with every draw. Mild to medium-bodied and flawlessly smooth, this cigar is perfect for any occasion—but especially when paired with a glass of Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Champagne. Smooth jazz. Smooth smoke. Pure class.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.