Zen & the Art of the Cigar

CAO is named after Cano (pronounced John-O) A. Ozgener, an Armenian Turk who began selling handcrafted humidors and meerschaum pipes in Nashville, Tennessee.  An engineer who originally designed a male female adapter to keep pipe stems from breaking, Cano began to sell antique boxes he had cedar lined in addition to his pipes.   One thing led to another and CAO’s first attempt into the cigar making business was with a brand called Casa de Manuel that was a big flop.  But undeterred, Cano tried again with what is now the CAO Black, and the rest is history.

CAO cigars were originally made by Don Douglas (blendmaster of all Bucanero cigars) in Costa Rica but in some jockeying for space with Tony Borhani of Bahia Cigars, operations eventually moved to the Torano factories in Nicaraguan and Honduras. The factories are split in half, some working for the Toranos, the others working for CAO.

CAO cigars began to grow in popularity but they really exploded with the release of the Brazilia and MX2 lines.  CAO began to make a name for itself as an innovator in both packaging and concept cigars. CAO is also known for releasing a new cigar line (at least) every year.  This has started a trend in the industry that others have had to follow, and really pushed the boundaries for traditional cigar making from sizes, type of tobacco and box and band designs, CAO has always been at the forefront.

Cano has since retired and CAO has been acquired by Henri Winterman’s but Cano’s  kids, Aylin and Tim run the show.  CAO now even has begun to distribute Carlos Torano and Dunhill cigars.  Their new headquarters in Nashville is truly a sight to behold.  It even has a Zen garden out back!

CAO has made a name in the cigar industry by it’s avant garde marketing and concept cigars.  Prior to CAO, packaging was either dress boxes, bundles or cabinets, now who knows, you could have a humidor with neon lights in it!  You can also thank CAO for the trend of new annual releases, as they helped force the market to put out new products on an almost yearly basis.  They have also been responsible for getting cigars back on TV with the highly successful Soprano’s show.  So whether you like them or not, you should thank CAO for all of those new cigars you eagerly await at the annual IRCPR trade show!

CAO

• CAO America – featuring all ligero filler, this barber pole style cigar is wrapped in Connecticut Shade and Broadleaf wrappers in 5 sizes.

• CAO Anniversaire Cameroon – available in 9 sizes with a Grade One African Cameroon wrapper.  I cut my cigar tooth on this Cameroon.

• CAO Anniversaire Extreme – discontinued, was available in 5 sizes with a 5th priming Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper.  These were never that bad, just not that ‘Extreme”.

• CAO Anniversaire Maduro – one of CAO’s first lines, this cigar is available in 9 sizes with a vintage Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

• CAO Brazilia – one of the most popular lines in their arsenal, this cigar is available in 7 sizes with a Brazilian wrapper.

• CAO Criollo – available in 5 sizes with a Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper.  Originally packaged in cool sliding drawer boxes.

• CAO Gold – available in 7 sizes with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.

• CAO Gold Maduro – available in 6 sizes with a Brazilian Maduro wrapper.

• CAO Gold Vintage – features an aged Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper in 2 sizes.  One of my favorites.

• CAO Italia – available in 6 sizes with a Honduran Maduro wrapper and Italian leaves in the filler.

• CAO La Traviata - bringing back an old Cuban name this cigar features a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper in 3 sizes.

• CAO La Traviata Maduro – the newest creation, features a Maduro wrapper on this popular cigar.
• CAO LX2 – the third cigar in the “x2″ trilogy, the Ligero times Two features a Sun Grown Nicaraguan wrapper in 3 sizes.

• CAO MX2 – the first cigar in the “x2″ trilogy, the Maduro times two cigar features a Broadleaf binder wrapper in a Brazilian Maduro leaf available in 4 sizes.

• CAO Soprano’s Edition – made to commemorate one of the most popular television shows of all time, available in 4 sizes with a Brazilian Aripiraca wrapper.  Forget about it.

• CAO Vision – the most of the wall packaging I’ve ever seen, this is available in 3 sizes with a Dominican Corojo wrapper.

CAO Escaparate – the literal translation is the “window”.  But CAO’s Escaparate is an aging room that features concept blends that are made in such small quantities or are so difficult to blend that they cannot be made available nationwide.  A select few tobacconists have been given the honor of selling 8 of the 11 Escaparate blends from the vault.

• CAO Escaparate Six One Five – available in 4 sizes with a pig-tail cap in a Criollo-seed Maduro wrapper, available only at UPtown’s Smoke Shop in Nashville, TN.  Six One Five is the area code for Nashville.  90% sure this is the Criollo w/ a maduro wrapper.  These taste a lot like a Tatuaje in my opinion.

• CAO Escaparate Blend #7 – this is actually an early blend for the Vision, and apparently is preferred to the regular release.  This limited blend comes in 5 sizes and features a Dominican wrapper (I’m assuming) and is available at Butthead’s Tobacco (seriously) in Connecticut.

• CAO Escaparate Bratalia - available in 2 sizes with a Brazilian Aripiraca wrapper (Italian filler), available only at Old Virginia Tobacco Shop in 7 locations in Virginia.

Also sort of initially released in a Brazilia/Italia collectors set – it’s the one in the middle.

• CAO Escaparate Columbia – available in 4 sizes with a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, only at Serious Cigars in Texas.

• CAO Escaparate Costa Rica – available in 6 sizes with a Costa Rican Maduro wrapper, only at Corona Cigar Company.

• CAO Escaparate Ecuador – also only available from Corona, this cigar comes in 6 sizes with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.  These are extremely good.

• CAO Escaparate Habano – featuring a rare Nicaraguan Habano wrapper available in 6 sizes, only at Emerson’s Cigars in Norfolk, Va.

• CAO Escaparate MX3 – basically an MX2 with Broadleaf in the filler, this is available in 2 sizes with a Brazilian Maduro wrapper, only from W. Curtis Draper’s in Washington, DC.  These are practically flame retardant.

CAO Limited Editions – limited release cigars no longer available.

• CAO 65th Anniversary – no longer available nationally, the 65th Anniversary blend is a limited-edition handmade created to honor CAO founder Cano A. Ozgener.  This was available in 3 sizes with a Nicaraguan wrapper.

• CAO Odyssey – released in 2000, the cigars had already been aged 5 years featuring an Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper.  I really enjoyed these, it would be nice to see them return.

• CAO Palms Edition – a special cigar for the Palms Hotel in Vegas for Super Bowl XXXVIII.  Supposedly a secret blend, but most likely the Odyssey.
• Casa de Manuel – the first line of cigars release by Cano.

CAO Internet Exclusives – these blends are only available online or in their retail stores.

• CAO Black – available through Cigars International in 5 sizes with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.  Supposedly the original CAO blend.

• CAO Black VR – available through Cigars International in 6 sizes with a Brazilian Aripiraca Maduro wrapper.

• CAO Candela – these came and went so fast I can’t find any record of these, they were available at Thompson’s Cigars.

• CAO CX2 – available in 3 sizes with a Cameroon binder and wrapper.  the second cigar in the “x2″ trilogy.  Initially available nationally, now available only through Famous (not sure if they are made by CAO anymore…).

• CAO Oscuro – these also came and went so fast I can’t find any record of these, they were available at Thompson’s Cigars.

CAO Flavours – made at the La Aurora factory, these are all available in in 5 sizes with a Cameroon wrapper.

• CAO Flavours Bella Vanilla – flavored with pure Madagascar vanilla.
• CAO Caramelo Joe – flavored with caramel.
• CAO Flavours Cherry Bomb – flavored with vanilla and cherries.
• CAO Flavours Earth Nectar - flavored with natural Tuscan flavors and infused Chianti.
• CAO Flavours Eileen’s Dream – flavored with white chocolate truffles and Irish cream.
• CAO Flavours Gold Honey - flavored with premium honey.
• CAO Flavours Karmasutrasplash - flavored with mango and chocolate mint ice cream (?).
• CAO Flavours Moontrance – flavored with exotic fruit and bourbon vanilla.