Rick Rodriguez of CAO fame and Luciano Meirelles of Luciano cigars are collaborating on a new project, The Maker. The new cigar will be released at the "My Old Kentucky Herf" event, The limited-edition cigar is available nationwide and distributed by “My Old Kentucky Herf” (Fatash Cigar cigars and lounge).
The long-popular “CAO Gold” blend of cigars has now joined the other benchmark premium cigars in Arango Cigar Co.’s Clasico series of private label brands. All Clasico brands are exclusive to Arango. They are sold only at brick and mortar shops, not through mail order or Internet sales.
"This was an enjoyable cigar from the prelight on. It started of medium-full, built a little strength as it went, and finished in the upper end of the medium-full range. Flavor transition from the 2nd to the final third sealed the deal on the enjoyment factor and this is definitely a cigar I would visit again." -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
"While this cigar is far from pretty, it didn’t give me nearly the experience its outward appearance perhaps alluded to. Straight forward flavors and mostly solid construction with a very nice aroma." -Matt Ca. (Cade)
West Tampa Tobacco Company has announced the third core line for the company, West Tampa Red. The blend uses the same Mexican San Andreas wrapper used in their limited edition Attic Series release. The rest of the blend is completely different and uses all-Nicaraguan binder and fillers.
ACMEAllBalmoralBill PaleyCaldwellCamachoCAOCrowned HeadsCubaCubariquenoDanny MoyaDavidoffDion GiolitoDominican RepublicDon Pepin GarciaDrew EstateDunbarton Tobacco & TrustEditorialFeaturedFoundation CigarFred ReweyH. Upmann (Cuba)Hendrik KelnerHondurasIllusioneIPCPRJon HuberJonathan DrewKyle GellisL'AtelierLa PalinaManuel QuesadaMax FernandezMoyaRuizNelson RuizNewsNicaraguaNicholas MelilloPartagasPete JohnsonQuesadaRick RodriguezRobert CaldwellRoMa CraftSkip MartinSteve SakaTatuajeTop 25USAWarpedWilly Herrera
·Voting Process
Each of our 16 panelists were given 10 votes to cast. Our list is made up of cigars that were RELEASED in 2015. The cigars that are eligible do not have to have been reviewed on Blind Man's Puff, but the panelist must have smoke it at some point themselves.
The first thing we were shown at the Altadis booth was the new addition to the Montecristo Espada, the Espada Estoque.
The CAO Amazon series began in 2014 with the release of the Amazon Basin, a blend containing a rare filler tobacco called Bragança from the Amazon rainforest. Next came the Fuma em Corda and Anaconda both using other exotic Amazonian tobaccos. Now, CAO is shipping its latest in the series CAO Orellana.
CAO (Owned by General Cigar) has announced a limited edition follow-up to their Pilón line which has been around since 2015. CAO Pilón Añejo will use the same labor-intensive fermentation techniques along with a new blend and period of aging after it's been rolled.
The original CAO Vision was released in 2007 and was discontinued some years later. That cigar was best know for its packing with a bright white box and illuminated interior. Both of those things are returning for 2020, but with a brand new blend.