General Cigar Company has announced that the CAO Amazon Basin is back for 2024. This a limited edition cigar that was first released in 2014. The cigar has been one of the most popular limited-edition cigars released under the CAO brand.

The Amazon Basin blend incorporates a rare/low yield of tobacco called Brazilian Bragança. Back when we initially reported on the CAO Amazon Basin, we recapped why the Bragança tobacco is rare:

This cigar incorporates rare tobacco from a remote region of the Amazon rainforest known as Bragança. This tobacco is organically grown on unspoiled tropical land and harvested only once every three years. The seedlings are transplanted directly into the soil a full yard apart. As a result, this results in a small yield which is half of other tobacco plants. All of these factors lead to Bragança being a rare tobacco.

The harvested Bragança leaves are then rolled into tubes known as “carottes” where they undergo six months of fermentation. The tobacco is transported out of the Amazon via canoe. Eventually they are brought to the CAO factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

In addition to Bragança tobacco, the filler of the CAO Amazon Basin contains Colombian and Dominican tobacco. The cigar also incorporates an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and Nicaraguan binder. Like previous installments, the CAO Amazon Basin is available in one size – a 6 x 52 Toro. A total of 6,000 18-count boxes have been produced. Pricing for the 2024 edition of the CAO Amazon Basin is set at $14.29 per cigar. Production comes from STG Estelí in Estelí, Nicaragua.

In a press release, Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager at STG, said, “When we launched Amazon Basin a decade ago, we debuted Amazonian tobacco to the world and created a smoking experience that was completely different from anything on the market. We’re pleased to release the special blend again this year. And while we are not disclosing production figures, the number of boxes we’re releasing this year is down from 2022 because of the scarcity of the tobacco and the care it requires. My advice to CAO fans is if you see Amazon Basin, be sure to get your hands on it.”

The CAO Amazon Basin has been released in small batches due to the low yield of the Braganca tobacco. The Amazon Basin last saw a release in early 2022. Later that year, a special version of the Amazon Basin known as CAO Amazon Basin Extra Añejo was released, which were Amazon Basin cigars that were extra aged. In addition to Amazon Basin, other CAO releases using the Bragança tobacco include Fuma Em Corda, Amazon Anaconda, and Orellana.

Photo Credits: Scandinavian Tobacco Group