Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Torpedo
Size : 7 x 56
Wrapper : Brazilian Maduro
Binder : Honduran
Filler : Dominican, Columbian, & Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : ~$12 each
More info about purchasing: CAO Sopranos cigars

My wife and I missed the mad rush to drink the Kool-Aid that was The Sopranos television show when it first aired in 1999. Fortunately for us, a couple we are friends with partook heartily and ended up purchasing the entire twenty-eight disk box set. Borrowing it from our friends, the two of us proceeded to follow the crime boss cigar enthusiast, Tony Soprano, through six seasons all the way to the infamous cut to black and we both agreed that the show was slated to reside on our top five series list for some time. A short time after the roller-coaster’s conclusion, a fellow BOTL and I participated in a blind trade and the CAO Sopranos Boss was one of the cigars included from his end. Not having known that these cigars even existed, I was very excited to sample the smoke that CAO deemed fitting to represent big boss Soprano himself.

Read the full review of CAO Sopranos “Boss”...

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Toro (Radiante)
Size : 6 x 52
Wrapper : Colorado Brown Ecuadorian
Filler : Nicaraguan / Dominican
Binder : Cameroon
Hand-Made
Price : $5.65 each
More info about purchasing CAO La Traviata cigars...

Tim Ozgener produces another great smoke in the CAO line of cigars. La Traviata was announced at this year’s International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) meeting in New Orleans. The cigar comes in three vitolas: Divino (5 in. x 50); Intrépido (7 in. x 54); and today’s featured cigar, the Radiante (6 in. x 52). The band is very elaborate with raised lettering and art work. Great thought did go into the design and production of this very colorful cigar. This is a highly sought after cigar, and Ozgener has definitely produced a great smoke that will appease all cigar smoker.

Read the full review of CAO La Traviata Radiante...

Origin : Danli, Honduras
Format : Perfecto
Size : 8 x 58
Wrapper : Brazil
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $72.95 / box of 10
More info about purchasing: CAO Brazilia cigars

Last week I began my series of CAO reviews with the brand new CAO Gold Vintage Crémant. This week I review the CAO Brazilia Anaconda. The Brazilia line has been one of my longtime favorites from CAO. It doesn't seem to matter what the size is, I'm always pleased with my choice to pick one up and smoke it. The Brazilia Anaconda doesn't disappoint. Originally released as a limited edition in 2004, production of this vitola resumed in 2007. I have rarely seen these locally and in fact the ones I recently had came from a trade with my friend Scott.

Read the full review of CAO Brazilia Anaconda...

Origin : Esteli, Nicaragua
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 52
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Connecticut Seed
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Honduras (Jamastran), Nicaragua (Esteli)
Hand-Made
Price : ~$8.25 each
More info about purchasing: CAO Gold cigars

Before beginning my review I'd like to thank my friend Scott, @caosmoker on twitter, for graciously giving me this cigar. He was able to attend IPCPR this year and was fortunate enough to pickup a few extra sticks to share with me.

A local talk radio personality and newspaper columnist, Mike Rosen, has a poignant phrase. "Let me tell you where I sit before I tell you where I stand." Essentially this is an effort at full disclosure so listeners and readers will know of any personal biases he may have about a topic of discussion. This statement has been on my mind since late last week when I was approached by Cigar Inspector to do a series of CAO reviews for his site. Being a fan of CAO, I jumped at the opportunity to toot the horn of my personal favorite cigar manufacturer. Although I have a personal bias towards CAO, I do take cigar reviews very seriously. It's of no benefit to anyone for me to rate a cigar higher just because I want it to have a better rating. In the end the cigars will speak for themselves, your tastes will differ from mine and I'm not trying to persuade you to my side of the street. I only hope this series of reviews will remind you of some of your favorite (or soon to become favorite) CAO cigars, will inspire you to try a new blend you haven't yet or revisit one that may have disappointed you in the past.

So now that you know where I sit (I love CAO cigars), here's where I stand on one of the newest lines from CAO, the Gold Vintage Crémant:

Read the full review of CAO Gold Vintage Crémant...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Toro
Size : 152 x 20 mm
Ring : 50
Wrapper : Brazil
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5 each
More info about purchasing: CAO Brazilia cigars

I definitely have a problem with CAO cigars. First, my disappointment with the CAO Italia. Now, I think I completely missunderstood the CAO Brazilia which is getting good reviews all around the cigar blogosphere (you might also want to check out the guest review by Cory of the CAO Brazilia Gol! here at Cigar Inspector). Somehow, I found it quite tasteless and disappointing.

Read the full review of CAO Brazilia Lambada...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Robusto
Size : 127 x 22 mm
Ring : 56
Wrapper : Brazil
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$6 each
More info about purchasing: CAO Brazilia cigars

This guest review comes courtesy of Cory. The picture was generously provided by Jerry Cruz from the Stogie Review. Thanks!

This cigar has always been a favorite of mine. As I was walking around my local smoke shop something familiar caught my eye. That bright yellow and green box was a happy sight. I hadn't smoked a Brazillia in a few months. So i decided to treat myself to what I know is a very reliable smoke. I bought three of the Gol! size and two of the Amazon.

Read the full review of CAO Brazilia Gol!...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Corona Extra
Size : 114 x 18 mm
Ring : 46
Wrapper : Honduras
Filler : Italy, Nicaragua, Peru
Binder : Honduras
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5 each
More info about purchasing: CAO Italia cigars

It was a long-awaited smoke. When checking search statistics here at CigarInspector.com, one of the terms that would get most searches is 'CAO'. This obviously means that this brand is highly popular in the United States and I finally managed to get hold of a couple of sticks. I'll begin with a CAO Italia Novella and the Brazilia blend will follow.

CAO Italia is manufactured in Honduras from a Habano seed Italian tobacco mixed with Nicaraguan and Peruvian tobacco. The wrapper and the binder of this medium-bodied stick are from Honduras.

Read the full review of CAO Italia Novella...