C.A.O. Cigars
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CAO America |
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| One of the hottest new releases at the 2007 RTDA, the CAO America is a pinstripe style barber pole cigar that combines two beautiful Connecticut wrappers: one golden shade grown and one broadleaf maduro.
CAO is one of the most innovative cigar companies in the world. By creating unique blends with exotic tobaccos and packaging them in sleek and trendy packaging, CAO has appealed to every cigar enthusiasts from the hobbyist to the seasoned aficionado. Based in Nashville, CAO is the largest boutique cigar maker with a portfolio filled with 90 rated brands. The CAO America is a medium to full bodied masterpiece. The combination of two wrappers perfectly balances this blend with chocolaty notes of earth and cedar. Because of the difficulty in rolling a “pinstripe” cigar, only the best rollers at the factory produce the America blend. It is not uncommon for these cigars to be in short supply and frequently out of stock. |
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CAO Black |
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| The CAO Black is the original CAO blend that put the brand on the map and led to the overwhelming success of CAO cigars today. Only available at Cigar.com and a small number of retailers worldwide, these cigars are often difficult to find.
When Cano Ozinger transitioned from pipe maker to cigar manufacturer, he had no idea how big his cigar business was about to become. In fact, today an overwhelming majority of their business is in cigars. They have developed some of the most unique cigar concepts and have utilized state of the art packaging and high-grade tobacco to put CAO on the map as one of the fastest growing manufacturers in the world with distribution inside and outside the US. CAO Black is a rare find. The first regular blend ever made by CAO, it is only available at a handful of select retailers. It is the blend that made them famous and is still highly regarded today. In 2005 it received a perfect 10 out of 10 rating from Cigar Buyer Magazine. Each box of CAO Black is individually numbered making it a collector”s item in and of itself. The cigars are medium-bodied with a soft and dry finish and are only being made in limited supply. Don’t miss your chance to try a piece of cigar history. |
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CAO Brazilia |
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| The Brazilia is the fuller-bodied side of CAO. Its dark and spicy wrapper make it very flavorful with a long earthy finish.
CAO is the maker of some of the highest rated brands in the world. Previously best known for making pipes, the Nashville based company broke into the cigar industry with authority. The attention they have attracted has not just been from their first rate tobacco either, their concepts and cigar packaging are trendy, appealing to a new generation of cigar smokers. For years CAO dreamt of a cigar that uses premium Brazilian tobacco, but finding good Brazilian leaf at the end of the cigar boom was not an easy task. At the time Brazilian tobacco was not at the top of its game. However, CAO stumbled on a beautiful dark wrapper leaf from the coveted Bahia region and the rest is history. After its launch this cigar brought attention back to Brazilian tobacco and essentially was the rebirth of Brazilian cigars in the US cigar market, as other cigar makers flocked to South America in attempt to recreate CAO’s success. The rich Brazilian wrapper gives the CAO Brazilia a full-bodied and full-flavored aroma that carries a long and spicy finish. It is a truly unforgettable cigar, and a powerhouse addition to the humidor. |
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CAO Criollo |
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| One of the fuller-flavored cigars by CAO, the Criollo is a classic mix of Cuban seed tobaccos from Central America.
CAO is one of the most well known names in cigars. It seems anywhere there is a celebrity smoking a cigar, there is CAO. It is the fastest growing, trendiest, and most popular brand on the market, appealing to a new generation of aficionados and seasoned veterans of the hobby alike. Top ratings and awards have brought this boutique brand to the top of its game. The word “Criollo” literally means native seed. The Criollo ‘98 was an experimental hybrid seed grown in Cuba when they were searching for a solid tobacco strand to fight mold and other agricultural difficulties. It was later picked up by CAO and debuted as the CAO Criollo. Immediately it was dubbed a cigar that could compete with the finest Cuban cigars on the market. Grown and cultivated in Nicaragua and matched with Cuban seed Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, the Criollo has a medium to full-bodied damp and earthy aroma. The CAO Criollo is another solid addition to the CAO family and a Nicaraguan masterpiece. |
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CAO CX2 |
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| The CAO CX2 is the world’s first cigar to feature both a Cameroon wrapper and binder. Following in the foot steps of its big brother, the MX2 (Maduro x 2) this is an excellent cigar for aficionados who enjoy cigars from Cameroon region of Africa. CAO CX2 is a favorite among Cameroon wrapper lovers. In 2003, the success of the CAO MX2 (Maduro times two) was unprecedented. Upon the cigars release it was one of the most demanded hand made sticks on the market, and continues to this day to be both very popular and very scarce. With the blends overwhelming success, several years later, CAO launched the CAO CX2 (Cameroon times two), which features two Cameroon wrappers and a medium to full-bodied blend of Nicaraguan tobacco.
Cameroon wrapper tobacco is some of the worlds most coveted wrapper leaf. The tobacco grown in the Western region of Africa has a rich flavor, but is very delicate and susceptible to damage, giving each plant a low yield of usable leaf. This makes Cameroon tobacco more expensive and harder to find. By combining two of these rich wrappers in one cigar, CAO has made a ground breaking discovery that is changing the way people think about cigars from this corner of the world. |
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CAO Gold |
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| Showing off the milder side of CAO, CAO Gold is a mellow blend that was counted among the first premium lines in the CAO portfolio of blends.
CAO is a homerun brand. Every line they have produced has been very well received by even the most critical aficionados in the industry. From top blends to trendy and cool packaging, they have created a completely new image for cigars. CAO Gold was one of the first brands in the CAO lineup, helping CAO get on the map and earn its esteemed reputation. It is a mild to medium-bodied Nicaraguan premium. While the cigar is not particularly strong, it lacks nothing in the flavor department. The Gold goes head to head with brands like Ashton and Perdomo in terms of taste and strength, but it is in a league of its own when it comes to price. In addition, CAO Gold Maduro offers a slightly more robust flavor and a strength that remains mild to medium in body, with a rich aftertaste that fills the palate with notes of cocoa and espresso. Don’t miss your chance to try the cigar that helped lay the foundation for one of the most famous cigar makers today. CAO Gold is one of the nation”s best selling boutique cigar brands. |
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CAO Italia |
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| The CAO Italia is one of the only cigars in the world to include premium Italian leaf in its blend. This cigar is complex and well balanced.
Finally, the country best known for its fine wine is also now a contributor to a groundbreaking cigar from CAO. For years CAO has been a pioneer in the cigar industry, creating some of the trendiest and most highly rated blends to hit the cigar market. Their strategy has appealed greatly to older aficionados and the new generation alike, being the featured cigar at most celebrity awards ceremonies and the choice cigar of most famous musicians, athletes and celebrities. The CAO Italia gets its name from the Habano seed, Italian grown filler tobacco that can be found in each cigar. Prior to the production of this cigar, Italian tobacco was primarily used in machine made cigars because the climate and soil only allowed for a very limited number of premium leaves. This Italian filler is complimented by other Nicaraguan and Puruvian fillers that make this cigar very complex. In staying with the Italian theme, each box features the Italian colors on the outside, paying homage to its origin. If you are tired of “run of the mill” cigars, then this is a must try. The CAO Italia has a medium-body and has a very damp texture that brings out its natural aromas. |
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CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon |
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| The CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon is a highly rated, groundbreaking cigar. Its medium to full-body and full-flavor, make it a favorite among Cameroon enthusiasts.
The CAO L’Anniversaire line captures the essence of what CAO has successfully achieved. It started with the Cameroon and Maduro lines that were considered some of the best new cigars in the industry upon their release. All L’Anniversaire lines have received top ratings by Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider Magazine with several sizes exceeding 90 points. They remain to be the most popular cigars made by CAO with their unique box pressed design. The CAO Cameroon hails from Nicaragua and combines a rare West African wrapper with a premium Nicaraguan binder and filler. The Cameroon wrapper provides a tangy taste on the palate and the smoke is full-flavored with a medium to full-body. It is not what one would expect from a Cameroon wrapped cigar. Typically Cameroon is very delicate and suffers from burn issues, but not with CAO. Like all other CAO lines, this cigar has a perfect burn and firm construction. The measured filler gives this cigar a balanced draw with the perfect amount of smoke puff after puff. This cigar was one of the pioneers of box pressed cigars, giving it a unique and comfortable feel between your teeth. |
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CAO L’Anniversaire Maduro |
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| Hailed as one of the best maduros ever made, the CAO L’Anniversaire Maduro is a box pressed cigar with a rich full-flavored aroma.
The CAO L’Anniversaire series is world famous for being one of the first box pressed cigars ever made. More than a pioneer in appearance and construction, this cigar was also one of the first extremely high rated maduros. Several sizes in this line have earned ratings of 90 or better by Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider, a rare accomplishment for any cigar blend. The L’Anniversaire Maduro is rolled at CAO’s factory in Nicaragua with uncompromising detail. Each cigar is draw tested and weighed to ensure perfect draw, burn and construction. The consistency is dead on from box to box and the finish is smooth and strong consisting of robust earthy flavors nuances of cinnamon. This is the first truly great cigar CAO ever rolled. The year it was released, it was ranked as the 8th best cigar made that year by Cigar Insider, which is a major honor for a boutique brand. Its success was so great that it later spawned the release of the famous CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon and eXtreme. This maduro is considered by many aficionados to be the top maduro leaf ever grown and it continues to be one of CAO’s best selling blends. |
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CAO LX2 |
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| CAO LX2 is a potent, powerful cigar containing all ligero tobaccos that provide a full-bodied and spicy experience recommended for experienced enthusiasts.
Known for their incredibly trendy packaging and superb blending abilities, CAO cigars are a highly sought after commodity by most aficionados. Their blends are created from only the top quality tobaccos available, as each blend maintains a different, unique flavor and characteristic from the others. Following the success of MX2 and CX2, CAO has learned many enthusiasts have begun to prefer stronger, more robust blends. With that in mind, they set out to create a cigar that was flavorful, incredibly strong, but one that maintains a perfect balance and a smooth character throughout. As always, CAO succeeded and LX2 was born. LX2 stands for “ligero times two.” Naturally, this blend contains twice as much ligero tobaccos as most others, thus creating an exorbitant amount of strength. However, the cigar was carefully blended to not only produce strong flavors of spice and pepper, but to maintain a smooth body throughout, allowing for a complex, full-bodied experience that never becomes overwhelming or “harsh.” The filler tobaccos all hail from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. These long leaves are wrapped by yet another oily, Nicaraguan ligero leaf, which only adds power and pepper to the blend. To create the smooth characters existing in LX2, the cigars were aged for a lengthy period, which allowed the tobaccos to mellow slightly. CAO LX2 is an excellent cigar and comes highly recommended, but not for the inexperienced enthusiast. |
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CAO MX2 |
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| Featuring two maduro wrappers, the CAO MX2 is perhaps the most popular maduro cigar ever made. These cigars are very hard to find and available on a limited basis throughout the year.
If CAO could go back and recreate this cigar, it would be priced a lot higher. They had no idea just how large of a stir they were going to create when they came up with this Maduro masterpiece that features two premium wrappers on one cigar. Competitively priced, it is near impossible to find one of these cigars without putting your name on a long waiting list. When most people think of a Double Maduro, they typically are reminded of a super dark almost jet-black wrapper. CAO has put a new spin on the term “double maduro” with a second wrapper all together. It is medium to full-bodied and slightly sweet on the lips. The aroma is rich and earthy with hints of black pepper and a long spicy finish. This cigar is ideal for the maduro lover. It is considered to be in the top five in terms of the best maduro cigars being rolled today. Like all CAO cigars, the MX2 has a flawless construction and burn that makes it a solid performer every time you fire one up. |
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CAO The Sopranos Edition |
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| Cigars are no stranger to the Emmy award-winning HBO series The Sopranos. CAO The Sopranos Edition marks the first time that HBO has officially licensed a cigar to commemorate The Sopranos series. CAO is proud to have been selected to create this limited edition cigar that is as bold as the series from which it was inspired. CAO The Sopranos Edition features a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, Honduran binder and an exotic combination of filler leaves from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Colombia.
HBO is very selective when choosing their partners, particularly when it pertains to licensing some of their most popular programming such as the Sopranos. That is why when they were looking for a partner to make a very limited line of cigars for the hit show, the only cigar maker they wanted to talk to was CAO. Named one of Cigar Aficionado Magazine’s Top 25 in 2005, the Sopranos starts with a dark and oily Brazilian maduro wrapper that is blended with tobaccos from Columbia, Nicaragua and Honduras. The Sopranos has a sweet flavor that entails hints of cinnamon and nuts. |
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CAO VR |
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| With a very rich flavor, the CAO VR is the maduro version of the original CAO Black, CAO’s very first blend.
The CAO Black is the best selling CAO line at Cigar.com. Only available at select CAO dealers, the Black was the first CAO blend that put the Nashville based company on the cigar map over a decade ago. To commemorate their success and to pay tribute to this brand that was pivotal to their success, a maduro version known as VR was released in 2007. CAO VR features a dark Brazilian Arapiraca maduro wrapper that is harmoniously balanced with Mexican and Nicaraguan long fillers. This cigar boasts notes of leather, pepper and a subtle sweetness on the palate. All sizes in the line are round with the exception of the Full Fathom Five which comes box-pressed. |
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CAO Vision |
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| The Vision represents CAO’s first cigar manufactured in the Dominican Republic. And to make sure it was made just right, CAO went to the best: La Aurora. Blended by the Ozgener family under the watchful eye of La Aurora’s Guillermo Leon, Vision is a product of CAO’s creative genius combined with the experience of the Dominican Republic’s oldest factory.
Cloaking this cigar is a chestnut-colored, Dominican-grown Corojo wrapper cultivated four years ago. Inside, a mixture of premium tobaccos from the Dominican, Nicaragua and Brazil. After being rolled, each cigar undergoes an extensive aging process that lasts a minimum of six months. The result is a medium to full-bodied cigar boasting notable hints of toasted cedar and nuts. After each puff, a touch of mocha coats the palate, as a woody aroma is released from the blue smoke above. CAO Vision comes packaged in an eye-catching, state of the art box that not only secures the cigars, but keeps them fresh. Scientifically calibrated to guarantee the optimum relative humidity of ~70%, this box comes equipped with an external digital hygrometer, doubling as a desktop or travel humidor. If you’re taking it on the go, simply place the box inside the included neoprene bag and be on your way. Dubbed the CAO Sensi-Box, this state-of-the-art form of packaging even lights up. CAO Vision was named one of Cigar Aficionado’s top 25 cigars of the year. An impressive honor, that fits perfectly with its shiny, ’92’ rating. |
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