93%
Great
"Overall I enjoyed this cigar. The transition from dry and earth to bakers spice and bread notes was a pleasant surprise. The lemon zest on the finish definitely added to the overall experience " -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
93%
Great
91%
Very Good
"This is another cigar that hits my profile perfectly. A deep chocolatey Maduro with savory flavors and a lot of spice. The nicotine definitely picks up in the final third so you do have to watch out for that a bit, but as long as you are prepared this is a stellar blend. My only complaint is the fact it actually smoked faster than I expected at 2 and a half hours, and would not hold an ash for anything. I do admit I have a pretty good idea what this cigar is since Maduro Presidente cigars are pretty rare, but I have never had a chance to smoke it before." -Lauren S. (Lauren S.)
92%
Great
"This cigar hit on all cylinders for me... construction, draw, flavors... I’m a definite fan of this flavor profile and would recommend this to anyone who can handle full flavors and strength...I love it! My only complaint would be the resting aroma... it was not nearly as pleasant as the flavors and was sharp and harsh. Fortunately, I got to smoke this excellent cigar and enjoy the flavors it presented. "-Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
CAO announced today that Zócalo is coming back, now as a regular production cigar. The name comes from a celebratory city square in Mexico. Zócalo was first released in 2018 as a limited edition blend and in just one vitola. The new regular production version of Zócalo comes in three sizes. It was the first CAO cigar to use a Mexican wrapper. We reviewed the original back in 2018 and gave it an 89.
93%
Great
"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.)
91%
Very Good
"The flavors were solid, construction was great, smoke output was rich and creamy, and I found the experience effortless. Without a doubt, it's a solid cigar and one that I would smoke again. The only drawback, to me personally, was that there were no real transitions to speak of and due to the size of the cigar was a bit monotonous. " -Alan (Eulogy)
2021 Marks the 50th anniversary of JR Cigar, and to celebrate they are releasing the Romeo y Julieta Edicion Limitada...
91%
Very Good
"This cigar started out typical with mild to medium in strength with mostly walnuts in the flavor department. As the cigar progressed the strength went down to a mild, and cream with roasted peanuts and hints of bread really took over. The second third was the best part of this cigar, but I'm happy to say those flavors continued until the end. I nubbed this cigar with about an inch to go. Definitely a great cigar, and that I feel is box worthy." -Mickey T. (irratebass)
Crowned Heads is bringing back their limited edition version of the Le Carême blend this year. Originally released in 2018, and making a limited edition comeback in 2021, the cigar is now back in its same 5 1/2" x 52 format. While the regular production line of Le Carême is trunk-pressed, the Belicosos Finos are round.
General Cigar has announced a new series in the CAO brand: Arcana Series. The first release in this new line is called Mortal Coil. The purpose of the Arcana Series is to "highlight the secrets and traditions of old-world tobacco processing methods, passed down from generation to generation to bring out the best in native tobaccos from across the globe."