"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)
"To me… this was a super straightforward smoke, not deviating much at all from its primary profile of medium-bodied smoky, earthy, and graphite notes. Coupled with the seven-inch length, it made for an experience that was simply linear and a bit boring at times. Coupled with subpar construction, this caused the burn and draw issues as well. Unfortunately, I cannot see myself reaching for another one of these cigars." -John A. (Bostoneo
"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.)
"A cigar with some of the classic notes and transitions that mesh well together. Always been a fan of red pepper and coffee notes in cigars, and to end with a mellowed out cinnamon bread, was very rewarding. I wouldn't run out and buy boxes of these, but I could definitely smoke this again." -Doug S. (Unpossible_1)
General Cigar has announces a new line of cigars for it's CAO brand: CAO Bones. But it's more than just cigars, it's a celebration of dominoes, and dice.
CAO has announced a new, stronger follow-up to the Flathead V-19 blend, Flathead V21. This brand new blend, created by Rick Rodriguez and the CAO blending team, uses a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero tobaccos.
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.
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."
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.
"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)