CAO Sopranos edition

Size: 52x5

Burn: good even burn, no problems

Ash: Beautiful bright white ash, held on about 2".

Cut: Punch, there was a small stem that my punch went around, I pulled it out when I noticed it, may have cause problems if a cutter would have been used.

Prelight draw: Firm, no real taste.

Draw: Medium-firm.

Smoke: didn’t make a lot of smoke, and it was thin smoke- didn’t really linger.

Price Paid: $10

I picked up this cigar about two weeks ago at the local shop, had heard a lot of hype behind them, along with stories that they did not live up to the price- and I have to agree. It is a very well presented cigar with duel bands and a nice box. The initial draw was very bland, nothing-really happening flavor wise. About an inch in it started developing a mild almond taste that stayed throughout the cigar, but never growing into more powerful flavors. The burn was very nice, and it held a good ash, looks like a top-notch cigar. This is truly a beautiful looking cigar. This is the type of cigar that non-cigar smokers will buy. What I mean by that is that it carries a name that will get it recognized by people that would not normally buy a cigar. And while it is a very nicely constructed cigar, it is not worth the money. In my mind this would fall into a $5-6 cigar range at the most. If the flavor would have been more robust and complex it would defiantly be worth more, but the flavor is simply not there.

Would I buy again: No, not for myself. I have bought a few more by request for a few friends of mine that smoke cigars on occasion but do not have a humidor so I keep stuff for them in mine, but what they want to spend their money on is up to them. (I think they are more impressed by the name than anything).