"A well constructed cigar made for a light that we dream of. I needed only one short match for an even light. As the smoke hit my palate, I could easily identify the subtle bitterness of dark chocolate surrounded by silky nuances. After about ten minutes, the flavor began to change, introducing mint to the party on the palate. Unfortunately, it was a little much, as it muted the other flavors that had been present. As I continued to smoke, the mint settled down and the other flavors returned for a merry blend that pair well with a morning cup of joe, or a nightcap with some Irish cream." -Jai P. (Jai)
STG, parent company of General Cigar and Cigars International, has announced a slew of holiday items for the 2022 season. Releases include a CAO advent calendars, Diesel Sideshow, and special 4 packs from Punch and El Rey del Mundo.
CAO (General Cigar) has announced a new cigar line CAO BX3. This follows in the footsteps of cigars like MX2, CX2, and LX2 with the letters representing the type of tobacco used in the blend and the number representing the number of leaves used. In this case, BX3 refers to Brazilian tobacco times three.
CAO is known for using some of the world’s most unique and unexpected tobaccos in its blends. Previous blends have included tobacco from the Amazon jungle, the wilds of Africa, Italy, Columbia and many more. Now, with their latest cigar, the aptly named CAO Borealis, uses tobacco from none other than Canada. This cigar is only for the Canadian market, hance the plain packaging.
CAO Blender and Brand Ambassador is stepping down after more than 20 Years with General Cigar. The move is effective April 29, 2022.
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.
"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)
"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
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.
CAO has announced a new cigar in their Arcana Series: Firewalker. The Arcana Firewalker follows the Arcana Mortal Coil released last year. The series focuses on old-world processing methods and a limited run. Firewalker was inspired by the Chincagre method of aging and will come in one vitola a 6.5 x 56 toro.