CAO Concert
- Nice oily wrapper
- solid build, no soft spots
- minimal veins
- slight bumps
- not as smooth of a dry draw, with sweet hay notes
- 1 month in personal humi
- Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper
- Connecticut Broadleaf binder
- Nicaraguan and Honduran filler
Background: Concert is being rolled at the C.A.O. factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. C.A.O. Concert was inspired by the brand’s founding in Nashville, and senior brand manager Ed McKenna says that the company released a special sneak preview of C.A.O. Concert at the CMA Music Festival earlier this summer. There are four filler tobaccos in all, and blender Rick Rodriguez says they have never been used in this combination in any General Cigar product. (www.cigaraficionado.com)
1st Third: I didn't know what to expect with this cigar. With a name like "Concert" I expected a very complex pallet of flavors that would work harmoniously together. However, I did not want to get my hopes up. After tasting the sweet hay hints in the dry draw I was excited to get it lit. When I finally got the cigar burning I was hit with a creamy peppery flavor. I am usually not one for too much pepper and spice but the way this cigar presented the notes I was very pleased. After a few puffs I was greeted with a cedar and leather flavor which would ultimately anchor this cigar. All in all the first third did not have the complex flavor variety I expected. However, this cigar pulled off simple very well. The pepper complimented the leather and occasional cedar very well. The fact that it was very creamy also made the smoke more enjoyable. The burn was very even and good smoke billowed out of both ends of the cigar.
2nd Third: During this third the of the cigar the smoke really opened up and the draw became much more smooth. I felt that once this occurred the smoking experienced vastly improved and the flavors became more palatable and mellow. Flavors of Leather, wood, and earth danced on my blanketed my tongue. Sweet and spice played back and forth complimenting the mainstay flavors well. This third was pleasantly more complex. The ash stayed strong right until the end of this third when it fell off. The burn still remained even.
Final Third: In this third i would say that the flavors digressed. Moreover, the pallet lost its complexity and reverted back to the simple two flavors of cedar and leather. However, still very creamy and still an improvement on the first third. More pepper entered the equation towards the end of this smoke. This time I wasn't as much of a fan. All in all still enjoyable. However, not the most memorable finish to a cigar.
Final Thoughts: This cigar was good for what it was; an above average cheap cigar. I was really happy with the flavors I got for this price. It was honestly better then I had expected. Although there less sweetness then i expected. I think overall this was a 6.1/10. Not so much on the level of the Alec Bradley or comparable that are sold in this price range. In other words not special or elite. Would I smoke this again...possibly.
2nd Third: During this third the of the cigar the smoke really opened up and the draw became much more smooth. I felt that once this occurred the smoking experienced vastly improved and the flavors became more palatable and mellow. Flavors of Leather, wood, and earth danced on my blanketed my tongue. Sweet and spice played back and forth complimenting the mainstay flavors well. This third was pleasantly more complex. The ash stayed strong right until the end of this third when it fell off. The burn still remained even.
Final Third: In this third i would say that the flavors digressed. Moreover, the pallet lost its complexity and reverted back to the simple two flavors of cedar and leather. However, still very creamy and still an improvement on the first third. More pepper entered the equation towards the end of this smoke. This time I wasn't as much of a fan. All in all still enjoyable. However, not the most memorable finish to a cigar.
Final Thoughts: This cigar was good for what it was; an above average cheap cigar. I was really happy with the flavors I got for this price. It was honestly better then I had expected. Although there less sweetness then i expected. I think overall this was a 6.1/10. Not so much on the level of the Alec Bradley or comparable that are sold in this price range. In other words not special or elite. Would I smoke this again...possibly.
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