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For the second year in a row, General Cigar Company was the primary host of the opening night reception at the IPCPR Trade Show and Convention. This year it was the CAO brand on center stage as the new CAO Nicaragua was unveiled.

While the CAO Nicaragua has a filler with tobaccos from the three main growing regions in Nicaragua (Estelí, Jalapa, and Condega), it is not a Nicaraguan puro. The CAO Nicaragua utilizes Honduran tobacco from the Jamastran Valley in Nicaragua.

Production for the cigar comes out of the STG Estelí factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The cigars are available in three sizes: Tipitapa (4 7/8 x 50), Matagalpa (5 5/8 x 46), and Granada (6 x 50). Each size is presented in 20-count boxes. Pricing is set between $6.59 and $6.99 MSRP.

In a press release, CAO Master Blender Rick Rodriguez said, “Nicaragua’s rich volcanic soils and ideal humidity, temperature and sunlight create the perfect growing conditions for tobacco. For CAO Nicaragua, the team and I wanted to bring the essence of Nicaraguan tobacco to life in a way that only CAO can do. So we selected the blend starting with the filler, utilizing leaves representing three distinctive microclimates and three distinctive tastes.”

Rodriguez also told Cigar Coop that he was looking to move away from the bold and spicy and move to a more elegant and complex smoke.

Last year, General Cigar utilized the opening gala to launch both the Macanudo Inspirado White and Macanudo Inspirado Black.

At a glance, here is a look at the CAO Nicaragua:

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Jamastran, Honduras
Bincer: Jamastram, Honduras
Filler: Nicaraguan (Condega, Estelí, Jalapa)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (STG Estelí)

Vitolas Available

Tipitapa: 4 7/8 x 50 (SRP $6.79)
Matagalpa: 5 5/8 x 46 (SRP $6.59)
Granada: 6 x 50 (SRP $6.99)

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted