One more news item today, then I’ll start working on tomorrow’s post about the event I attended this week. Something new from CAO? I’ll be honest, I kind of thought with the exit of Rick Rodriguez we’d be seeing less from the brand. Of course, CAO was one of the first to popularize Brazilian tobacco in premium cigars with the Brazilia, and have done a lot with it since. I look forward to smoking this as I’ve long been a fan of the Brazilia (and 2 out of the 4 Amazon Basin cigars!).
CAO DEBUTS BX3
CAO has always had a rebellious streak (think MX2, CX2, LX2), and the brand’s maverick approach to blending is taking another leap forward through its latest expression: CAO BX3.
BX3 is a new collection that harnesses “three times the Brazilian tobaccos” in one robust blend.
Focusing on the primary growing regions of Northeastern Brazil, CAO BX3 is made with sweet and aromatic Mata Fina and hearty, vibrant Arapiraca tobaccos that are used as wrapper, binder, and filler in an exciting, four-country blend.
Ed Lahmann, CAO’s senior brand manager said, “Being trailblazers of tobacco is in CAO’s DNA, and with BX3, we’re continuing to pilot the path. Our inspiration was the legendary X series which had put our blending expertise on the map. With BX3, we set out to take the best of Brazilian tobacco and bring it to the next level. The easy thing to do would have been to make a Brazilian puro. Our blending team went that route, and it felt like we were just dialing it in. So they kept at it, peppering in Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos in just the right proportions to add character, dimension and layers to the smoke. We’re really proud of the way the blend turned out. To us, BX3 is everything a Brazilian-centric smoke should be. It’s memorable, savory and thought-provoking and it complements our portfolio beautifully.”
Handcrafted in Nicaragua at STG Estelí, CAO BX3’s is enrobed in a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, has a Brazilian Arapiraca binder and a blend of rich and robust filler tobaccos from Brazil, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras. All told, the tobaccos create a medium-bodied smoke, that’s rich in character and deeply enjoyable with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and white pepper.
CAO BX3 will be a full-time line, available in all channels. The three-frontmark collection is packed in boxes containing 20 cigars and will begin shipping in the first week in July.
BX3 Robusto (5” x 52) — SRP per cigar $8.99
BX3 Toro (6” x 54) — SRP per cigar $9.49
BX3 Gordo (6” x 60) — SRP per cigar $10.49
About CAO
CAO was originally launched in 1993 by Cano Ozgener, who was the founder of CAO International Inc., a company that up until that point was known for its tobacco pipes. The General Cigar Co., inherited the entire portfolio of CAO’s preexisting brands after Swedish Match and ST Cigar Group Holdings merged in 2010, and the tobacco giant still distributes the brand and all its lines.
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Well, this does sound good! Will have to watch for this one!