CAO’s Amazon Trilogy series is set to become a tetralogy. At the 2019 IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigar Company showcased packaging on what is set to become the fourth installment of its CAO Amazon Basin series, the CAO Orellana. While the packaging was shown off, General Cigar has kept much of the details of the […]
Cigar News: CAO Flathead V19 Showcased at 2019 IPCPR
William Cooper Cigar News, IPCPR 2019 No Comments 2019 Preview, CAO, General, IPCPR 2019
At the 2019 IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigar showcased a bolder offering under its CAO Flathead line known as the CAO Flathead V19. The CAO Flathead V19 consists of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Connecticut Habano binder and fillers consisting of Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan tobaccos from Condega, Estelí, and Jalapa. According to […]
Cigar News: CAO Session Introduced at 2019 IPCPR
William Cooper Cigar News, IPCPR 2019 No Comments CAO, General, IPCPR 2019, News
At the 2019 IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigars introduced a new offering under its CAO brand called CAO Session. CAO Master Blender Rick Rodriguez was inspired to create CAO Session from spending time smoking cigars in his “man cave” in his garage. He was looking to create an everyday cigar that could be something special. […]
Cigar Review: CAO Estelí (TAA Exclusive)
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 2018 TAA Exclusive Series, 88-90, Buy One, CAO, General, Review, TAA
The CAO brand is one that has been around for well over two decades. While it is now a brand under General Cigar’s portfolio, it had never produced an exclusive cigar for the Tobacconist Association of America (TAA). That changed in 2018 with the release of the CAO Estelí as a part of the 2018 […]
Agile Cigar Review: CAO Zócalo
William Cooper Agile Cigar Reviews, Reviews No Comments 88-90, Agile Cigar Review, Assessment Update, Box Worthy Consideration, CAO, General
Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we […]
Cigar News: CAO Brazilia Select Announced as 2019 TAA Exclusive
William Cooper Cigar News No Comments 2019 Preview, CAO, General, News
For the second year in a row, the CAO brand from General Cigar Company will be a part of the TAA Exclusive Series. At this year’s Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) conference that took place in Casa de Campo from March 17 to March 21, General Cigar announced the CAO Brazilia Select would be a […]
Feature Story: Spotlight on General Cigar Company at the 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Feature Story, IPCPR 2018 1 Comment CAO, Cohiba, Diesel, Feature Story, General, Hoyo de Monterrey, IPCPR 2018, La Gloria Cubana, Macanudo, Odyssey, Partagas, Punch, Toraño
There is always something exciting to see at the General Cigar booth. I draw an analogy that it’s like going to Macy’s Department Store at Christmas time. The presentation is excellent and the cigars are always intriguing. In past years, we have seen General Cigar go heavier with one brand as opposed to another. The […]
Cigar News: CAO Nicaragua Gets High Profile Launch at 2018 IPCPR
William Cooper Cigar News, IPCPR 2018 No Comments 2018 Preview, CAO, General, IPCPR 2018, News
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 […]
Prime Time Special Edition 33: Beyond the Comfort Zone
William Cooper Podcast No Comments CAO, ElOsoFumarTakes, Hammer and Sickle, Podcast, Prime Time Special Edition
What happens when a cigar company moves beyond the comfort zone of the way it does business or makes products? On Prime Time Special Edition #33 we look at some cases and evaluate where it’s worked and where it hasn’t. This past weekend, we saw two big names in the cigar industry pass away and tonight we […]
Announcement: Prime Time Special Edition #33 – Beyond the Comfort Zone Tues 6/12 9:15pm EST, 8:15pm CST
William Cooper Announcement No Comments Announcement, CAO, ElOsoFumarTakes, Hammer and Sickle, Prime Time Special Edition
What happens when a cigar company moves beyond the comfort zone of the way it does business or makes products? Tonight on Prime Time Special Edition #33 we look at some cases and evaluate where it’s worked and where it hasn’t. This past weekend, we saw two big names in the cigar industry pass away […]