Tag Archives: CAO

by | September 12, 2021 · 10:45 am

CAO Flathead V21 Carb and Some Other Cigars

I received samples of the newest offering in the CAO Flathead line, the V21 Carb 6″ x 60, several weeks ago, and was anxious to try them out. Too anxious, it seems, because they needed some rest. I struggled with the first two, they just didn’t perform well, and I certainly didn’t want to rush to judgement. These aren’t cheap dates! The Carb has a $14 MSRP, similar to the V19, it’s predecessor. The V21 has a San Andrés wrapper over a Broadleaf binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican Ligero fillers. I expected to have my ass kicked with this cigar. Despite the first two having humidity related draw issues (I hate that), I did get a sense of the great flavors that the cigar had in store, so I was annoyed with myself for jumping the gun. I smoked one this week that burned perfectly though, and was surprised that it wasn’t more powerful! It had a brightness to the flavor that I didn’t expect, some light spices, not at all heavy.  Shocked, I was! This should have been much different that it was, judging by the tobaccos used, but perhaps the way the tobaccos were fermented, and there’s a sentence in the press release about this: “They then gave each of the filler leaves an abbreviated fermentation to lock in the tobacco’s native characteristics and added a secondary aging process to the filler to bring everything together.”  How much of this is a spin on “someone screwed up a pilone and we had to find a way to turn chicken shit into chicken salad” or whether there’s some real science behind it, who knows, but it was a really good cigar. If you are looking for a Flathead CArb on steroids, this may not be it, but if you want a more refined Flathead, this is a good way to go. I used the 13mm side of my Adorini punch on this and it made a perfect opening in the head. By the way, it’s a 6″ x 60. but the Box Press makes it feel more like a toro.

 

Speaking of Pilons, I came across a few CAO Pilons in the humidor and seemed to recall not being overly fond of them when they came out and figured I’d revisit them. This was a project where, if I remember correctly, they fermented some component of the cigar in smaller pilons than normal. Usually pilons are about six by ten feet and four feet high and weigh maybe a thousand pounds, and all of the leaves on the carefully stacked pile are rotated several times over the months it takes to properly ferment the tobacco depending on the internal temperature. it’s a whole controlled composting process, basically. Anyway, the CAO Pilon does this on a smaller scale, with a round pilon, maybe about 40 inches in diameter and as many inches high, going off of memory. It might be one tobacco, or all of the fillers, not sure. Anyway, I like that they put the blend info on the band, that’s helpful! It has an Ecuador Honduran wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers.  I found it to be a tasty smoke, on the leathery side, with some spice and earth, maybe a hint of sweetness. I find that I like this cigar now, perhaps a year or two in the humidor has been kind to it.  

 

Last night I smoked a cigar I have traditionally enjoyed, the CAO Session. This is a Broadleaf wrapped cigar with a Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. I bought a bunch of these in the Garage format, which is 5½” x 54, and kind of forgot about them. I honestly don’t remember these being so strong, and, given the name, I don’t think they should be! The one I had last night left me queasy. I love the flavor, dark, rich espresso and tobacco. I seem to have a lot of CAO cigars, and as I was looking through some cigar related stuff, I seem to have more CAO hats than I should too (a few pre-date General Cigar’s involvement, which makes sense, I suppose). Anyway, I will have to clear some time to revisit the Session, although I don’t want to feel crappy again! it’s kind of like that Cornelius and Anthony Mistress I have that made me ill, I’m curious to see if it would do it again, but am I that curious? 

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

 

Share

1 Comment

Filed under Review

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | August 1, 2021 · 11:15 am

Cubanacan Maduro, Aganorsa Leaf Signature Selection, and CAO Cigars

I was wandering through one of the humidors and came across a few cigars leftover from the 2020 TPE show that I had forgotten about.  I had run into Lawrence from Cubanacan and he had given me a few cigars, and, for whatever reason they had gotten buried. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what’s up with Cubanacan. Over the years they seem to come and go. Lawrence is a great dude, but I see him here and there (not that I get around a lot), for instance I remember meeting him at one of the Delaware Cigar Festivals in 2012 maybe, then I might not have seen him again until last year. It’s highly likely we just miss one another. That being said, I just don’t hear a lot about Cubanacan cigars, and the last thing I think I heard wasn’t particularly great. I don’t judge based on things I think I might have heard though. I smoked a Cubanacan Maduro in a Lonsdale size. This must be special, because it only comes in a ten count box, per the website. This has a San Andrés wrapper, Ecuador binder and Nicaraguan fillers. After 18 months in the humidor it smoked very well. It tasted pretty much like I expect a cigar made from those tobaccos would taste like, some earth, spice and espresso. I like the lonsdale size, and it was quite satisfying. I suppose I need to dig around and see what else is in there that I might have forgotten about!

 

One I hadn’t forgotten about, but had recently bought in a sampler from Fox Cigars. I can’t remember why I got this sampler and what all was in it. I added it on to the purchase of the Plasencia sampler, and Maybe this was in it that I wanted, or it priced too good to pass up, or something. For some reason when I received it I set this cigar aside as I had already smoked the rest of the cigars. They all must have been oned I liked. I don’t know, I make strange purchasing decisions some times. It’s CAD, Cigar Acquisition Disorder, and it’s real.  The support group meets here every Sunday and Wednesday. Hello, my name is CigarCraig. The cigar in question is the Aganorsa Leaf Signature Selection Robusto. For whatever reason they choose to cover up this nice looking caramel colored Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper with gold foil, a nice, yet unnecessary presentation. This seems to use all Aganorsa grown tobacco with the sevres sauce being some Media Tiempo, the rare top, top priming above ligero. This was a nice cigar, medium bodied, with some richness, with a feeling that the wrapper was grown under shade. It was creamy with some leathery kinda notes. Good cigar, which nicely filled my afternoon. I wish I could remember what else was in that sampler! 

 

I wrapped up last night with a CAO Amazon Basin Orellana. This was the fourth cigar in the Amazon Basin trilogy, wait, that’s not right. I thought it was a trilogy, then they goofed it up by adding a fourth! I wasn’t overly fond of the original Amazon basin, although some people lost their minds over it. Didn’t hit me right. The Em Corda, and Anaconda hit me right, I loved them. I don’t like the name of the Anaconda, because I hate snakes, but I get it with the whole Amazon theme. I originally thought the Orellana was closer in flavor to the original Amazon Basin, and I still think it probably is, but I like it more with some age. I still like the other two more, but this has matured, whatever sour notes that I didn’t care fr aren’t there any more. It was a rather enjoyable cigar, although, in retrospect, I should have chosen a shorter cigar, and I’ll elaborate. I got off to a late start, and, hence, a late end.  The Orellana is a toro sized cigar, and since I finished late, I had a hell of a time falling asleep. This means I’m going to have to take a nap today, when I could be smoking a cigar! Then I might be up late again and the whole cycle continues!

 

I bought a bike yesterday to ride to work, maybe I’ll ride to the cigar shop today. If it stops raining, that is…I made sure to buy one with an ashtray holder. That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

Share

4 Comments

Filed under Review

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | July 17, 2021 · 1:48 pm

News: CAO Announces Flathead V21 Release

The CAO Flathead line has been about my favorite CAO line since the acquisition. This one sounds especially tasty, with the San Andrés wrapper over the Broadleaf binder. I can think of a few cigars that I like with Broadleaf wrappers over Mexican binders, so I can’t imagine the inverse wouldn’t tickle my fancy. I look forward to trying these, even though they are priced on the high side. 

 

 

CAO FLATHEAD V21

CAO is about to put the pedal to the metal with a souped-up follow-up to the wildly-popular V-19 blend. Called CAO Flathead V21, this new release was created by Rick Rodriguez and the CAO blending team in Nicaragua to kick the Flathead franchise into high gear.

 

Rick and the team selected a Mexican San Andres wrapper for the blend which also includes a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and a bold selection of Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero tobaccos. They then gave each of the filler leaves an abbreviated fermentation to lock in the tobacco’s native characteristics and added a secondary aging process to the filler to bring everything together. The result is a cigar with a medium to medium-full profile brimming with distinctive molasses and leather notes, this time with even more depth and complexity.  

 

 

“For Flathead V21, we wanted to give our fans a cigar that’s bold and complex, and still perfect for any smoking occasion,” said Rick Rodriguez. “We see this as the ultimate cigar for the CAO smoker who wants to experience the complexity of each tobacco with every draw. I’ve personally enjoyed V21 on its own and with a drink and have experienced different notes every time I smoke it. To me, that means we’ve done our job.”

 

Crafted at STG Estelí in Nicaragua, CAO Flathead V21 will be released in two sizes, and production is limited to just 2,000 boxes per size. The blend will only be available for a limited time and begins shipping to retailers on August 3. 

 

 

The boxes that house CAO Flathead V21 are racecar red, with a bold black sash that culminates in the brand’s logo on the front of the box. Each box contains 27 cigars.

 

Carb V21 (6 x 60) – SRP per cigar $13.99

 

Big Block V21 (7 x 70) – SRP per cigar $14.99

 

Share

1 Comment

Filed under News

Tagged as , , , ,

by | June 27, 2021 · 9:48 am

Black Lion Luxuries May Cigar of the Month Club Offerings

I know it’s the end of June, but I’ve just gotten around to smoking my way through the May Black Lion Luxuries Cigar Of the Month Club Package. This pack featured three cigars that I hadn’t had a chance to smoke before, and had wanted to, and the other two were cigars I smoked before and liked, so it was a winner all the way around. There was also a trend toward connoisseur type sizes, as there was a lancero and three Corona Gorda sized cigars in the mix. Once again, the value can’t be argued, this was basically “buy 3, get 2 free” or better as the MSRP on the cigars individually added up to $54.86, and the COTM is something like $38 delivered. I’ve been impressed with the packaging and the condition of the cigars, they have been ready to smoke out of the package every time, even when I’ve ignored them for a month! I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but the way the cigars were placed in the bag resembled a left hand.

 

Being slightly CDO (that’s OCD in alphabetical order, LIKE IT SHOULD BE!), I  smoked the lancero first because it stood out. Luciano the Dreamer is from Ace Prime cigars, which is a newer company that I’ve had absolutely no interaction with at all. They’ve come on the scene in the past few years, and it’s been a few years since I’ve been to an IPCPR show, so I’ve only been hearing about them through other outlets. I don’t even think they were working closely with Crowned Heads when I talked to Miguel Schoedel last year at the TPE show. My point is that I don’t know a lot about this line and I haven’t had any opportunity to sample any cigars from them. I think the closest I’ve come is the Juarez which is made in the same factory, and maybe the Mil Dias? The Dreamer is a 7½” x 38 Lancero, which is just about right for a traditional Laguito No. 1. I appreciate the attention to detail. This is a spectacular example of a lancero in my opinion. When smoked gently, it had flavors of sweet earth and leather. It could not have had a more perfect burn and draw, it was an absolute pleasure to smoke. The makeup of the cigar are an Ecuador Habano Corojo wrapper, Nicaraguan Binder and Nicaraguan and Peruvian fillers, and I always appreciate a little Peruvian in a blend, there’s a little unique spice that it gives. This cigar is a winner.

 

The next cigar I smoked was the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua Demi.  This was the first of the three Corona Gorda-ish sized cigars, and another one that was new to me and was on my list of cigars I was looking forward to trying. I’ve heard how amazing this cigar was from a lot of people. This is made by AJ Fernandez and is a Nicaraguan Puro and is 5½” x 46. I may need to try this in a larger vitola,  because all I really got from this cigar was pepper, there wasn’t really much else to it. I was expecting a lot more flavor. That’s not to say it was a bad cigar, it’s just that my expectation was set pretty high, and for a $10 cigar I think there should be more than just one peppery note. Might just be me, never claimed to have a good palate, but for me this one was a let down. In my defense, those who follow me and keep score know that many Altadis products appeal to me, however the ones that do tend to be made by AJ Fernandez. I do keep trying though.

 

Two that I have smoked before, and enjoyed, are the Highclere Castle from Foundation Cigars and the CAO Zocalo Robusto. The Highclere Castle was the Victorian, with is the Habano wrapped line, and a very good smoke. I’m actually not sure if I’ve smoked the Connecticut wrapped Edwardian, yet, although I know I have one around someplace. I do like the Victorian a great deal, it’s a delicious cigar, and this was the “corona”, which is a 5½” x 46. The CAO is the 5″ x 52 Robusto, which is fairly new, it’s a line extension to the Zocalo line which was originally only a 6″ x 60. It’s a nice San Andrés wrapped cigar with some Spice and cocoa. If you enjoy that genré of cigar, as I do, you’ll find the Zocalo to your liking. Once again, both where in perfect condition and ready to smoke.

 

Finally, I smoked the HVC Serie A Perlas, a true Corona Gorda at 5 5/8″ x 46. This cigar has a Corojo 99 wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder and fillers, and I believe it’s made at the Aganorsa factory. Can I just say that it makes me a little nuts when cigar companies don’t have websites to link to? Can I also say that I seem to be the only cigar blogger who links to the cigar makers websites? I do it because I figure it makes it easy for the reader to get more information about the brands if they feel so inclined and I’m there already half the time and it only takes a second to copy and paste. Anyway, I found this Serie A to have nice, bright flavors, with some sweet spices. It wasn’t a heavy cigar, and I liked it. It was different than the others in the selection and I appreciated that. The COTMs from Black Lion Luxuries have proven to provide not only a good value, but an excellent variety. I recommend them heartily.

 

Thursday evening I stopped by the Wooden Indian for their first in person event since March of 2020, which featured Pedro Gomez of Drew Estate. It was well attended all things considered, and they raised some cash for Cigars for Warriors, like they always do. It was a good time, and I smoked an Undercrown 10 Corona Doble which was pretty darned good, although I think I’m preferring the Toro so far (big surprise there). It was nice seeing people at an event again and talking to people face to face.

 

That’s all for today, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

Share

Comments Off on Black Lion Luxuries May Cigar of the Month Club Offerings

Filed under Review

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 21, 2021 · 9:32 am

CAO Arcana Mortal Coil and Some Random Thoughts

Before I get to the cigar, let me get some stuff off my chest. Little things get under my skin that maybe shouldn’t. but they do. Simple misuse of cigar terminology, for instance. Call it a pet peeve. One that came up recently was while listening to a podcast that I don’t often listen to, and the host is a large reason why. I firmly believe that if you are hosting a cigar podcast, and consider yourself experienced in the cigar industry, you should have a good grasp on simple terminology. For instance, if someone says they take the wrapper off a cigar and put it in their wallet, I’m picturing peeling the outer leaf off and it making a big mess in someone’s billfold, leaving an ugly cigar with just the binder, basically ruining the cigar and changing the flavor dramatically. I try to correct this when I see the mistake made in forums by laymen, I pretty much correct those who refer to either cello or the band as the wrapper. Generally the question is something like: “should I remove the wrappers from my cigars when I put them in the humidor” and my response is :“ No! The wrapper is the most expensive leaf and takes skill to apply, and adds flavor to the cigar! You probably mean the cellophane” or something similarly smart ass. But I don’t expect this mistake from someone hosting a podcast, writing a cigar blog, or otherwise in cigar media. In talking to other people, this isn’t this individual’s only flaw by any stretch. I find his interviewing style egregius and he’s unentertaining. I’ve gone as far as to remove the link to the show from my site as it’s no longer worth having any association with. This is actually one of the kind of cigar media guys who could give the rest of us a bad name in the industry. That’s the end of my rant, before I go any further down a rabbit hole. I smoked cigars this week, let’s talk about that!

 

I smoked a few cigars this week that I can’t talk about that were really interesting, and a couple that I want to smoke more of before writing about, but the one standout was the new CAO Arcana Mortal Coil. With Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) coming to their senses and hiring back their PR director recently, samples have begun showing up in my mailbox again, and I haven’t had to journey out looking for this cigar, which I would have done anyway, because it sounded amazing. The Mortal Coil has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, with a Connecticut Shade binder and Dominican Andullo, Honduran Jamastran, Nicaraguan Esteli and Dominican Piloto Cubano fillers. It’s 6 1/8″ x 50 and they only made 5000 boxes (I think they left out how many per box!). I found this to be a powerhouse cigar, and I loved it. It was rich and spicy, with some nice sweet flavors, and I really enjoyed it. I wan’t enamoured with the band though, it’s about 7½” long when unfurled. I get it, it coiled around the cigar, but it’s a lot of band to deal with, and must irritate the folks in the STG factory in Esteli who have to apply it to the cigars, as it’s totally different that banding any other cigar. That being said, it’s not a cord of tobacco, so there’s that. Overall, it’s a really good cigar for my palate, and I’ll be picking up some if I see them in the shops, just to have on hand for a treat. I appreciate the interplay of the Broadleaf and shade wrapper/binder combo, the CAO Bones has the same combo and I really like that. 

 

Speaking of bands, my wife is working on another cigar band table project and needs yellow bands! What cigars have yellow bands? Leave comments with suggestions, or if you have some, let me know and we can come to an arrangement (wink, wink). 

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

 

Share

5 Comments

Filed under Editorial, Review

Tagged as , , , ,