IPCPR's annual trade show has come and gone, you know what that means? This blog is about to get very busy, I love this time of year because all the new stuff is out and I make it a point to smoke and review as much of it as I can get my hands on. I just love the smell of new cigars in August!
I have been long told by people in the industry that the face of CAO was changing. I was skeptical, CAO just does not do it for me anymore, their offerings just don't have what I'm looking for in a cigar. In fact, I have always thought they were just plain and kind of boring. Well my opinion started to change last year when Osa came to market, I smoked several of them and found some consistency problems, but the ones that I smoked that performed well were very good. Bearing this in mind I was excited to have a chance at this new offering which debuted just this past weekend at the show.
The cigar presents very nicely, CAO eschewed their normal fancy colors and adornments and went with a simple band in two tones and I found that refreshing. The visual flair here was that, when unbanded, the band turns into a little guitar, paying homage to the cigar's Tennessee roots, very clever indeed. The wrapper is a nice dark brown, and it is applied very well. There are few veins and the oils of the wrapper appear to be natural and not artificially enhanced in any way. The construction has me concerned as I detect some very tight spots in the bunch near the foot and this leads me to have some concerns about draw issues that could arise. The pre light aroma has some delightful dark wood and earth tones. The pre light draw shows some hints of coffee and wood.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither complex or deep, but the flavor is bold and delivering very nice flavors of coffee, nuts and wood. At the back of the palate there is a very satisfying and rich earthy flavor that props up the front of the profile beautifully. This is not your standard CAO cigar, and it really has my interest from the get go. Is it complex? No. Is it deep? No. However, it does deliver nice flavors from the start and sometimes that is all a cigar needs, a simple profile that is easily identifiable can be very tasty and refreshing. The draw is a little tight, but better tight than loose I always say (yes I'm still talking about cigars, dirty perverts). The burn is a touch off, but I'm thinking it will even out on it's own.
The first half of the cigar really continues to impress me. I'm as shocked as all of you, the Czar likes a CAO! The core profile continues to show excellent flavors of dark wood and a very clean and pleasant tobacco flavor has come into the picture here as well. I reiterate, this cigar is not complex or deep, but it continues to deliver flavors that are robust and tantalizing just the same. The back of the palate continues to show rich, earthy flavors and there is a very solid flavor of coffee coming through in this portion of the experience. The draw continues to be a touch too tight, but it is not causing me any issues. The burn evens out and goes off again on an alternating basis, but touch ups are not required yet.
The final half of the cigar does not show much more development and that is my only disappointment in the cigar, in order to really climb in points some complexity and depth would have to be showing through, but the cigar stays very solid. The core profile is still very satisfying, showing nice flavors of wood and tobacco. The back of the palate continues to deliver nice earth and coffee flavors right to the end. The draw stays tight and becomes more difficult in the closing moments as I approach the tight spots I mentioned earlier, but it is not unsmokeable. The burn goes off in the final third requiring a minor touch up to regulate heat and the possibility of a run.
The finish was long and held nice flavors of dark wood and tobacco for several minutes.
If this is a sign of what's to come from CAO I can say I'm excited to see where the CAO train takes me in the next couple of years.
Appearance- 91 simple and clean, very refreshing form a frontmark known for visually jarring packaging and branding
Taste- 88 a nice profile that could have done with some extra development
Construction- 87 some draw and burn problems reduce the score
Strength- 91 very complementary medium
Overall- 88.75 a very good cigar
Showing posts with label CAO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CAO. Show all posts
Monday, August 6, 2012
Friday, October 1, 2010
CAO La Traviata Radiante Maduro (6x52)
There was much anticipation amongst BOTL's about this cigar and I have been hearing about it for some time now. After smoking it I can tell you that the anticipation should not be excited expectancy like Christmas Morning, but more like nervous, gut churning anticipation prior to having a root canal at the dentist.
The cigar appears, benignly enough, with a rich looking maduro wrapper that has satisfying oils and some prominent veining (that has me a bit concerned about burn performance). There is some significant tooth to this cigar and the cigar pre lighting ritual is going well for me at this point. An inspection shows me that the cigar is neither too loose or too tight and I anticipate that I will not have any issues with the performance of the draw. The pre light aroma shows some dark chocolate notes and an essence of dark fruit that has some citrus zest. The pre light draw has some thready notes of pepper and earth, but I am immediately on notice because I taste a fuel like presence in the draw.
The cigar opens with exactly what I feared. The core profile shows acrid notes of burning fuel, similar to how kerosene smells when it burns and leaves that taste in your mouth from the oily smoke. I am very put off early on and I am struggling with the idea of putting this down (you should note that at this point two fellow BOTL's were also smoking this blend and one had already put it down and the other was leaning that way), because I almost never put a cigar down in the early moments. At the back of the palate there are some thin presentations of earth, but the fuel taste has fouled the entire early experience. The draw is fair, but is a bit tight for me, this could be a blessing as I can control the amount of putrescence that enters my mouth and thus infects my palate. The burn is controlled and even at this point.
The first half continues with horrible intentions in an uninterrupted fashion. The core profile continues to show notes of burning fuel and it is beginning to scorch my throat a bit, not an experience that any smoker looks for. At the back of the palate I am struggling to find fleeting hints of earth and wood, but again the fuel taste permeates the entire smoke. The draw continues to be fair and the burn is performing well, which is really the only redeeming quality of the smoke at this point.
The final half of the cigar does not improve either and the only reason I have not put it down, as my two friends already have, is because I am just an optimist hoping to find something positive in this experience. Alas, it is not to be. The core profile continues to be scorched and fuel like and there are no redeeming parts of the smoke at this point. The draw and burn remain the same. I release it with nearly a third of the cigar left.
The only saving grace is that I was at a nice dinner with great company or this cigar would have befouled my entire day. Don't waste your time and money, you would be better off in a sweat tent with 1000 citronella candles.
Appearance- 90 a great looking smoke
Taste- 70 my lowest score possible as I found almost no value in the smoke
Construction- 87 above average but not great
Strength- 70 very difficult to judge due to the burning fuel character of the profile
Overall- 79 a very poor cigar and I would rate this as a must miss
The cigar appears, benignly enough, with a rich looking maduro wrapper that has satisfying oils and some prominent veining (that has me a bit concerned about burn performance). There is some significant tooth to this cigar and the cigar pre lighting ritual is going well for me at this point. An inspection shows me that the cigar is neither too loose or too tight and I anticipate that I will not have any issues with the performance of the draw. The pre light aroma shows some dark chocolate notes and an essence of dark fruit that has some citrus zest. The pre light draw has some thready notes of pepper and earth, but I am immediately on notice because I taste a fuel like presence in the draw.
The cigar opens with exactly what I feared. The core profile shows acrid notes of burning fuel, similar to how kerosene smells when it burns and leaves that taste in your mouth from the oily smoke. I am very put off early on and I am struggling with the idea of putting this down (you should note that at this point two fellow BOTL's were also smoking this blend and one had already put it down and the other was leaning that way), because I almost never put a cigar down in the early moments. At the back of the palate there are some thin presentations of earth, but the fuel taste has fouled the entire early experience. The draw is fair, but is a bit tight for me, this could be a blessing as I can control the amount of putrescence that enters my mouth and thus infects my palate. The burn is controlled and even at this point.
The first half continues with horrible intentions in an uninterrupted fashion. The core profile continues to show notes of burning fuel and it is beginning to scorch my throat a bit, not an experience that any smoker looks for. At the back of the palate I am struggling to find fleeting hints of earth and wood, but again the fuel taste permeates the entire smoke. The draw continues to be fair and the burn is performing well, which is really the only redeeming quality of the smoke at this point.
The final half of the cigar does not improve either and the only reason I have not put it down, as my two friends already have, is because I am just an optimist hoping to find something positive in this experience. Alas, it is not to be. The core profile continues to be scorched and fuel like and there are no redeeming parts of the smoke at this point. The draw and burn remain the same. I release it with nearly a third of the cigar left.
The only saving grace is that I was at a nice dinner with great company or this cigar would have befouled my entire day. Don't waste your time and money, you would be better off in a sweat tent with 1000 citronella candles.
Appearance- 90 a great looking smoke
Taste- 70 my lowest score possible as I found almost no value in the smoke
Construction- 87 above average but not great
Strength- 70 very difficult to judge due to the burning fuel character of the profile
Overall- 79 a very poor cigar and I would rate this as a must miss
Monday, June 7, 2010
CAO Brazilia Pirahna (4.5x46)
This is a diminutive smoke from CAO that I used to smoke frequently. It had fallen out of my rotation about four years ago as my taste and profile preferences changed, but I was recently in one of the B & M's that I frequent and I noticed that they had some and I decided to take a walk down memory lane. The cigar is as I remember, dark and oily with solid construction. All in all a very attractive visual experience. The wrapper is well applied and shows some veins, but not many. The pre light aroma is of earth and tobacco. The pre light draw shows more earth and a touch of light spice.
The cigar opens with a nice profile that contains earth and heavy notes of dark wood. At the back of the palate there are some hickory flavors that are unexpected and pleasant. The flavor profile is more than I remember at this point and I am wondering why I took this out of my rotation. The draw is fluid and produces ample smoke. The burn is even and a sharp white ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar continues to show a core profile of earth and dark wood, there are some dashes of pepper in the main body of the smoke as well. At the back of the palate there are still some hickory notes, but there is a vegetal flavor that has snuck in as well and it threatens to derail the smoke. The draw and burn continue to be superior.
The final half of the smoke deteriorates, but is still acceptable. The core profile moves into a more dirty, earthy presentation that is heavy and nearly acrid. At the back of the palate there are still some signs of hickory, but there are more vegetal notes that continue to disappoint. The complexity and depth just aren't there and I am remembering why I stopped smoking these regularly. The draw and burn perform well throughout.
The finish is middling, but shows some nice earthy tones with impressions of pepper and wood.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 82 the final half was disappointing
Construction- 91 the cigar performed well
Strength- 86 a very non-descript medium
Overall- 86.75 this was slightly above average, but saved by construction
The cigar opens with a nice profile that contains earth and heavy notes of dark wood. At the back of the palate there are some hickory flavors that are unexpected and pleasant. The flavor profile is more than I remember at this point and I am wondering why I took this out of my rotation. The draw is fluid and produces ample smoke. The burn is even and a sharp white ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar continues to show a core profile of earth and dark wood, there are some dashes of pepper in the main body of the smoke as well. At the back of the palate there are still some hickory notes, but there is a vegetal flavor that has snuck in as well and it threatens to derail the smoke. The draw and burn continue to be superior.
The final half of the smoke deteriorates, but is still acceptable. The core profile moves into a more dirty, earthy presentation that is heavy and nearly acrid. At the back of the palate there are still some signs of hickory, but there are more vegetal notes that continue to disappoint. The complexity and depth just aren't there and I am remembering why I stopped smoking these regularly. The draw and burn perform well throughout.
The finish is middling, but shows some nice earthy tones with impressions of pepper and wood.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 82 the final half was disappointing
Construction- 91 the cigar performed well
Strength- 86 a very non-descript medium
Overall- 86.75 this was slightly above average, but saved by construction
Friday, October 30, 2009
CAO La Traviata Radiante
This is a new offering from CAO, and is the first CAO cigar that I have reviewed for this blog. It presents well with a rich, oily wrapper that has little veining. There is some fraying at the foot, but it does not appear to be an issue. The construction is firm, but I do not detect anything that would lead me to believe that there will be a problem. The pre light aroma is slightly sour, but has compelling notes of coffee, pepper and dark fruit. The pre light draw is peppery.
The cigar opens with a profile that is peppery and full of nicotine, the is a slight sourness at the back of the palate. The draw is excellent and the burn has begun in razor sharp fashion with a nice gray ash, that appears to be heavy.
The first third of the cigar shows notes of coffee and pepper, the flavor depth is a bit shallow, but the overall profile is nice. The draw has loosened and the cigar produces copious amounts of smoke. The burn has stayed consistent, but is starting to show some lopsidedness.
At the halfway point the cigar has maintained a core of coffee and pepper, the flavor has added some depth and is showing some promise. The draw is still loose and I am detecting some heat in the draw, so I slow it down and sip the cigar like a fine scotch. In slowing down I discover some added nuance in the profile and detect notes of cocoa. The burn is starting to canoe a bit, but I am attempting to smoke through it.
The final third of the cigar shows a core of coffee and pepper, but earth and cocoa tones are laced into the profile at this point. The draw has stayed loose and even though I have slowed down considerable the draw is showing some heat. The canoe has not straightened out, but I am close to the end so I leave it to it's own devices.
The finish is average and shows notes of earth and tobacco flavors.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 88 some sour notes in the open hurt the score
Construction- 82 the loose draw caused too much heat
Strength- 88 a nice medium/full smoke
Overall- 87.25 a nice effort
The cigar opens with a profile that is peppery and full of nicotine, the is a slight sourness at the back of the palate. The draw is excellent and the burn has begun in razor sharp fashion with a nice gray ash, that appears to be heavy.
The first third of the cigar shows notes of coffee and pepper, the flavor depth is a bit shallow, but the overall profile is nice. The draw has loosened and the cigar produces copious amounts of smoke. The burn has stayed consistent, but is starting to show some lopsidedness.
At the halfway point the cigar has maintained a core of coffee and pepper, the flavor has added some depth and is showing some promise. The draw is still loose and I am detecting some heat in the draw, so I slow it down and sip the cigar like a fine scotch. In slowing down I discover some added nuance in the profile and detect notes of cocoa. The burn is starting to canoe a bit, but I am attempting to smoke through it.
The final third of the cigar shows a core of coffee and pepper, but earth and cocoa tones are laced into the profile at this point. The draw has stayed loose and even though I have slowed down considerable the draw is showing some heat. The canoe has not straightened out, but I am close to the end so I leave it to it's own devices.
The finish is average and shows notes of earth and tobacco flavors.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 88 some sour notes in the open hurt the score
Construction- 82 the loose draw caused too much heat
Strength- 88 a nice medium/full smoke
Overall- 87.25 a nice effort
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