CAO Black
dalime
Posts: 2
First let me preface by saying that I am somewhat of a noob to the appreciation of cigars. I have smoked many cigars over the years but only for the past year have I really been in search of what I truly appreciate. So take this at face value.
I have a pretty decent palate when it comes to wine/beer/scotch (my beverages of choice) tasting. But I have had a difficult time pulling distinct flavours from the cigars I have been smoking. There are quite a few cigars I enjoy; Macanudo Maduro, Hoyo de Monterey Maduro, Gurkha Titan, Cigar.com Blue Label to name a few. While I've enjoyed these for the "body" of the smoke I haven't been able to put a finger on what precise flavours I enjoyed most from these.
I recently purchased some CAO Blacks and I have to say that these are my new favourite. My first impression was with the wrapper. Oily, consistent, waxy. At first the waxy wrapper threw me off but after smoking the whole thing down I found that this was truly a positive attribute. The wrapper was never soggy or saturated. It lit well, it burned well. In fact, the ash was bone white, tightly wrapped, and never broke away until I decided it was time to do so.
The thing that impressed me the most was the flavour and it's ability to pair. The first one I lit, I smoked along side a North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. It tied in with the bitter specialty malts perfectly and I was able to pick up heavy cocoa and chocolate flavours about 2/3rds in.
Tonight I smoked another, but this time paired with a Glenlivet Nadurra 16 year. At first I wasn't sure that these would go. I find that much of the time the smoke of a cigar will overpower a good scotch muting much of the character. While these didn't completely mate on the frontend, they really brought out the best in each other on the finish. Flavours I hadn't found in either on their own were brought forward with a punch; again, cocoa and a lingering graham cracker, wheaty mouth between each puff.
Really consistent overall from build to smoke. I really can't wait to see how this new favourite pairs with a nice red wine.
If you guys/girls have any suggestions for cigars that pair really well with beer or wine, I would love to hear about it.
Cheers!
Comments
on a side note...
you mentioned that "the ash was bone white," among other things. the other atributes were more fitting to describe the quality of the cigar. the tenatiousness of the ash was the best indicator. this means that it was a good roll. the color of the ash tells us very little about the quality of the tobacco or the consistency of the roll. the color tells us what minerals were in the ground where the tobacco flants were grown. some of the very best cigars i have had left ash that was a dark grey.
one of these days im gunna try and figure out what color ash is from what kinds of minerals. I have a feeling that will be a hard thing to learn
A little too much like getting hit in the head with a brick.
On the plus side...now I have a couple more traders
I guess I should elaborate. I found this cigar just too full bodied for me. It burned well, but I found the whole experience just way over the top. I guess I like my cigars a little more subtle.
I sacrificed a Titan Toro from a 5 pack this afternoon. While the cigar was a little larger gauge then is my prefference, It was definately more to my "tastes" . I don't talk a lot about flavors and such... more about the way the cigar affects me, and I just found the CAO Black Bengal too "in your face". But I am sure plenty of people LOVE it!
i havent had one in a while either. i may have to. but my B&M stopped selling CAO once they got bought out. it may be a while.
Just figured I'd mention something I noticed with the couple of blacks I had. Didn't like the first one. I figured it might have to do with the cedar sleeve. I removed the sleeve from the second one and put it back in the humi for two months. Smoked it and found the annoying taste was gone. I noticed it also with a Fuente cigar that looked like a CT wrapper. I don't seem to care for Connie's sleeved with cedar. Dark wrappers it doesn't bother me, just the Connie's.
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.