CAO has announced the 2022 iteration of their limited edition Vision cigar. The blend uses 100% habano-seed tobacco grown in microclimates surrounding the STG Estelí factory where the cigars are rolled. CAO Vision uses a reddish-hued Honduran Jamastran Viso wrapper, Nicaraguan Jalapa binder, and blend of Nicaraguan fillers from Condega, Estelí and Jalapa.
Adam B.AllBlind Cigar ReviewsCAOConnecticut BroadleafFeaturedIsaac M.Jason H.John I.NicaraguaRick RodriguezToro
·"Holy hell, three hours to smoke a Toro? Sure was! And it was a great one at that. It had great flavors, good transitions, and kept my interest going, somehow, for that long. The entirety of this cigar is better than its components. Each third, when broken down, doesn't score as well to me as the entire experience. This isn't a cigar I could smoke on a daily basis because, frankly, I don't have three hours every day to enjoy a cigar. However when I find such occasion you bet I will fire this one up again. " -Isaac M. (The Nothing)
The original CAO Amazon Basin was inspired by a rare tobacco in a remote region of the Amazonian Rainforest. The initial release happened in 2014 and was re-released in 2016 and inspired several spinoff cigars in the years since. Now in 2022, the original blend is coming back again.
CAO launches an innovative AI tool, "Flathead Dream Machine," allowing users to design virtual hot rods, reflecting their passion for cars and cigars, and share their creations online.
"The flavors in the cigar were very muted and hard to pull out. The strength was very well-mannered, but the cigar never really developed into anything stellar. It was an enjoyable experience, just not a memorable one. I wouldn't hesitate to hand this cigar to less experienced smokers, as there is nothing in it that would discourage it. It would hold up nicely with black coffee late in the morning or bourbon in the evening. Most beers would probably overrun it." -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
"This cigar could be made 100x better if the construction was in such a way where the draw wasn't so loose. As a result of this loose construction, I feel the flavors were a bit light on the mouthfeel. Flavor-wise, it wasn't too interesting but wasn't horrible by any means as leather, char, and some other earthlike flavors were evident. Not sure if I'd pick this one up again as it just wasn't my gig to repurchase. Perhaps you might like it, give it a go!" -John A. (Bostoneo)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 80
STG has announced the return of one of their more popular releases in recent years, the CAO Arcana Mortal Coil. That cigar got a 95 in our blind tasting during it's first release. The blend is a limited-edition cigar that features "Andullo" tobacco, which uses one of the oldest tobacco fermentation methods of the Dominican Republic.
"Some days are just better than others, and this was one of those days. Beautiful weather paired with good company and capped with a superior cigar make this a day to remember. I honestly can’t remember a cigar with such luxurious smoke. And the light pepper and baking spices on my palate were interesting and welcome. This one is highly recommended!" -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
"Another great cigar that I enjoyed. Beautiful light chocolate wrapper with bumps and veins showing. Nice notes of sweet tea, hickory, black pepper, and butterscotch balance this cigar out. Minor splitting at the end that corrects itself. Even burn with a nice inch long ash. Great late afternoon smoke. A cigar I'd try again." -Sean F. (fullermaine)
"Overall this was a strong white and black pepper bomb. With light cedar/wood flavors and some chocolate and coffee flavors. There was some transition during the smoke which was nice. The pepper flavor however was strong and enjoyable. " -Chad M. (Chad Tchad)