CAO America Potomac....A Big Jack Review...

CAO America Potomac....A Big Jack Review.

Wow.

This is an Amazing cigar. Loads of thick creamy smoke. I’m talking “feel it in your mouth” thick. Almost a liquid feel.

This cigar is very aptly named. An American. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t, and it’s VERY good at what it is. I didn’t get “subtle” tastes, like toast, or cocoa, just a rich tobacco flavor, that was consistent, and extremely tasty throughout. Like an American, it doesn’t pretend to be fancy, it steps up and gets the job done...

And in the current market, of “High Strength”, this cigar gets it right. Strength, WITH flavor. Nothing subtle, is going to get by all that ligero, but the pure tobacco flavor shines through.

And as to the Strength. Not overpowering, considering the 100% ligero, but this cigar is NOT to be smoked on an empty stomach.

The burn was better than I expected from a “Barber Pole”. Burning slightly uneven, but spiraling, to match the cigar. I guess the thin pinstripe overlap really helps the burn here. (Plus, it looks cool as hell!)

Appearance wise, this was as pretty a stick as I’ve ever seen. The wrapper, favoring the Maduro, was smooth, and slightly toothy. The Natural wrapper peeks out, in a strip, about 1/8” wide, spiraling down. This “pinstripe” look, gives the cigar a very appealing look.

I carefully trimmed the cap, using a knife, not wanting to take a chance on splitting the wrapper. I shouldn’t have worried. The 2 wrappers are nice and thick, holding the cigar together nicely, with no risk of ruining with a bad cut.

The pre-light draw was almost perfect. Not quite as loose as I prefer, but in no way hindering the draw. Unlit, you can already taste the flavor this cigar is going to provide.

I lit up, and was rewarded with a huge mouthful of smoke. The 100% ligero, is showing its stuff from the first puff. It was like drinking the flavor, not smoking it, the smoke was so thick.

The flavor built slowly, almost imperceptibly, from beginning to end. By the end, I was in love, and didn’t want it to be over.

I can't wait to get my hands on some more!!!



Appearance: 10
Burn: 9
Flavor: 9
Construction 10
Overall Experience 9

Great review. I need to try one of those.

Great review how soon will these be available to the general public ?

They are being introduced at the RTDA. Hopefuly, not long after that, we can buy 'em.

Nice review. What part of Washington are you close too? I'm not that far away from you up in Newton off of 517 & 206

DG

I'm in the Brass Castle section of Washington, in Warren County

Where's the locale B&M for your area?

DG

There's a small newspaper stand in town, that I stop in when I get my hair cut.

You gotta love small towns. I can go out on a Saturday morning, pick up a Hemingway Short Story, a newspaper, have breakfast, and get a haircut, all for about $25.00.

The closest real B&M, is probably JRs in Whippany.

I have a real nice little shop in Summit, the town I work in though. Prices are kinda high there though.

I'm lucky. My locale B&M is the cigar room lafeyete(sp?) about 10 minutes away. He just re-did the place and it great now. He also has great stock now. On some things he is high. He also gets rollers in and has events.

Every go to Famous in PA. Just over the 22 bridge. I camp in PA and I'm about 30 minutes from them and CI but never get the time to go.

We should meet for a smoke sometime.

DG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Diesel Grinch

I'm lucky. My locale B&M is the cigar room lafeyete(sp?) about 10 minutes away. He just re-did the place and it great now. He also has great stock now. On some things he is high. He also gets rollers in and has events.

Every go to Famous in PA. Just over the 22 bridge. I camp in PA and I'm about 30 minutes from them and CI but never get the time to go.

We should meet for a smoke sometime.

DG

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I've been to Famous once or twice. Nice little lounge.

My oldest went to college in Bethlehem PA, so I'd hit CI a few times a year. I haven't been to their new place though.

And I'm cursed, never to get to CI's big Cigarfest event. Every year, I have plans for the weekend its on.:smiley5:

I can't wait to try one of these! I'll be on the lookout for them, but no sign of them yet. Awesome review!

Great review. I tried one of these and have to agree. Awesome!

Ive got one sitting in the humi I will be smoking it at a bonfire this weekend

Looking at your avatar it is obvious you are a CAO “Soprano’s” Fan. (Great Cigar but not worth the hype) Anyway, I smoked one of these yesterday, you are right! What a wonderful SMOKE!!! So good in fact I bought a WHOLE BOX!!! I’m not a big fan of the Barber Pole stripe sticks. But this one takes the cake! Plus it’s more of a “Stripe” than a “Pole”.

Great review! It’s almost as if you got stock in the company…LOL
:smiley36:

I have a CAO America Monument resting at home. Maybe I'll light it up this weekend.

spiffy

Guess I'm in the minority here. I tried one and found it flat and monotonous. Most of CAO's cigars taste the same to me. They seem pretty similar, and I'm buying less and less of them as I go along.

I am thinking about revisiting the America after reading this thread. I thought it was nice looking and a descent smoke, but definitly not worth the $. I've had some good sticks in the last 6 months that just seemed overpriced. I would rather have a Soprano Boss or a couple of MX2 Beli's if choosing from CAO.

I thought the CAO America cigar was good, it was very similar to the Brazillia and Italia. I think anyone who likes either the Italia or Brazillia will also like the CAO America. I bought a few singles of the cigar at Tampahumidor.com which I think is one of the few sites that offer the cigar in singles online.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 597

I thought the CAO America cigar was good, it was very similar to the Brazillia and Italia. I think anyone who likes either the Italia or Brazillia will also like the CAO America. I bought a few singles of the cigar at Tampahumidor.com which I think is one of the few sites that offer the cigar in singles online.

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Yeah thats where I got mine.

Well I definitely expected it to be better. All in all it wasn't a bad smoke, I think it just wasn't for me.

I agree with your review. This is one beautiful and tasty cigar.

just got one today!

I was looking thru my humi, and I'm out of these. Gonna have to get me some more quick!!

Ive got a Potomic sittin in my humi for me tongiht. Cant wait to light this up. Im really looking foward to it.

Just got one about a week ago, looks great. Resting in my humidor now and should be a good smoke. Been waiting for this for a while

I got one in the humi and can't wait to smoke it.

These America's are absolutely delicious. they are definatly not the full bodied smoke they are hyped up to be, but they are still very good. on a side note CAO is an amazing cigar company, i have yet to taste one bad cigar in either flavor or construction.

Wow, very good review. I have 2 sitting in my Coolidor. I can't wait to try it.

I had one of these recently and enjoyed it very much. I had some burn issues and it seemed like it was the barber pole style that was causing it.......this was my first barber pole style smoke. Is it common for there to be burn issues with this style of construction?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ashauler

I had one of these recently and enjoyed it very much. I had some burn issues and it seemed like it was the barber pole style that was causing it.......this was my first barber pole style smoke. Is it common for there to be burn issues with this style of construction?

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I've had Gurkha's gigantic barber pole cigar, and it burned evenly for its entire 8-9" length.

I've experienced the same minimal burn issues with the wrappers on these. Even so this is probably one of my favorite cigars. Good full body yet very smooth too.