I loved the Avion 12 when I smoked a prerelease and I love it now. I still think it is the most flavorful and best balanced cigar out of all of the Fausto line and the vitola really suits the blend well. The construction is excellent for the whole smoke and the ever present black pepper on the retrohale really helps to enhance the other flavors in the profile. Having said all of that, the blend does not have quite as much sweetness or strength as it did when I first reviewed it, but other then that, it is essentially the same. With all of the cigars that Tatuaje released in 2012, the Avion 12 seems to get lost in the shuffle, and honestly, that is a shame.

The flavor profile is exhilarating now. Unbelievable flavors and so intense. And the best part of it all; is that it basically shot out of the gate as a flavor bomb. But as the smoke has progressed, the intensity has grown stronger and stronger.

Around the halfway point, the pepper notes joined the earth notes in the forefront.  The cocoa and sugar cane remained in the background.   There was an increase in spice in the second half and in particular the last third was definitely spicy.  The end of the cigar continued to have a lot of spice, but it was not harsh.  The resulting nub was outstanding – especially for a perfecto.  It was firm to the touch and cool to the finish.