Awakening - By Avowed Cigars

The Leaf

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Kelner Cigars, S.A.S.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Hybrid

Binder: Ecuador (Habano)

Filler: Dominican Republic (Criollo 98, Piloto Cubano, San Vicente), U.S.A. (Pennsylvania)

Size: Robusto Extra (5 ½ x 52)

Body: Medium

Strength: Medium

Purchased At: This cigar was a gift to me

Personal Rating: 9.5 / 10 — Box Worthy!

If you like this, you might also like: Atabey Ritos, Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour, Foundation Olmec Claro

What We Do Here

The beauty of cigars isn’t just in the smoke... it’s in the ritual, the memory, the lore. Each review starts with the basics: how it smokes, how it tastes, whether it’s worth lighting up again or buying a box. Then, for those chasing the full story, we peel back the layers, deeper notes, subtleties, and the craft behind the leaf. At the end, we leave you with a little folklore to match the mood. Because around here, the smoke always carries a story.

Casual Take

The Avowed Awakening looks refined and tastes just as nice! Right away you get cinnamon sweetness, maple, and oak, with a touch of dark chocolate. There is also a little lemon zest that brightens things up. The retrohale adds a bit of pepper to balance the sweetness. The construction is flawless, the burn stays razor sharp, and the ash hangs on forever. This is an easy recommendation for anyone looking to try a high end cigar that delivers flavor and consistency from start to finish.

Deep Burn

The opening puffs set the tone: maple sweetness layered with white pepper, followed by cedar and a touch of dried tea leaf. That cinnamon apple sweetness plays beautifully with oak and cocoa nibs in the background. A lemony brightness cuts through, keeping the heavier flavors from weighing things down.

By the second third, the profile expands into cinnamon, cedar, and a nice nutty undertone. Notes of leather, sourdough bread, and a trace of anise weave in and out. The balance between sweet and spice is impressive, with each note complementing the others. Building complexity without ever becoming overwhelming.

The final act is rich and textured. Bitter dark chocolate deepens alongside creamy cashews and roasted coffee. The sweetness eases back, leaving earth, toasted bread, and a touch of mineral saltiness on the lips. Retrohale stays steady with pepper and honey, offering contrast until the very end. Strength stays medium, while flavors abound

The Avowed Awakening is a masterclass in high end complex cigars. The kind of cigar you want to celibrate truly special occasions with. The Awakening never became overbearing or confusing. It is delicate yet decisive. Complex yet cohesive.

The Heart of the Leaf

Avowed set out to create something meaningful with their debut, and Awakening feels like a statement piece. It is bold without being brash, complex without losing focus, and crafted with an attention to detail you only see from the very top tier of cigar makers. Klaas Kelner’s factory work shines here with perfect burn, effortless draw, and dense smoke.

It is the kind of cigar you want a box of so you can come back to it again and again. Despite the price, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this as a go-to for special occasions, or celibrations in life's most important moments. For me, Awakening easily earns a 9.5 - A Box Worthy cigar!

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The Lore

In old folklore, dawn was not just the start of a new day, it was a moment of power. The hour when shadows broke and light revealed what was hidden by night. Travelers called it the liminal hour, when the world was still half asleep and spirits were said to wander back to their resting places.

Smoking the Awakening feels like smoking in that moment. The first light is warm and sweet, like the glow of sunrise spilling over the horizon. Flavors shift and stretch like shadows retreating, bringing clarity with every puff. By the end, it leaves you with a sense of completion, as if you’ve walked with the night and returned with the day.

It is not just a cigar, it is a ritual of renewal, reminding you that every wisp of smoke carries the promise of a new story waiting to be told.

The cigar in this review was a gift to me.

Find It Here!