LX2 by CAO- Not quite a Habanos review

[cabaiguan juan]

I know its not cuban, but i thought that with the copious amount of spice, there might be some out here that have access to it and would enjoy it.

Last night at my office away from the office, I decided to light up a LX2 Toro from CAO which I picked up at a cigar event. It is an impressive looking cigar with a band which would be great inspiration for someone who wants a tribal tattoo as it has grey tribal looking art spread over a black band. The cigar was solid, and had a beautiful sheen to it. The construction looked very impressive and the draw was top notch. I lit up the cigar and these are my impressions of it:

1st third- A lot of nuts and spice with a little bit of a caramel like sweetness. Absolutely full-bodied!

2nd third- The spice is much more potent with the nuts and sweetness really taking the back-burner.

3rd third- Just tons of spice.

It was an enjoyable cigar, especially if you like strength and spice. I did have some times when the wrapper was burning crooked, but it was also raining outside and so the humidity in the air, even though I was inside, was all sorts of messed up. I would try another one, but I would want to smoke a LFD DL of a similar size before so I could compare the two together.

[El Presidente]

In the store you would smoke a hell of a lot more NC's than most of us. With the LX2 CAO do you personally feel that the cigar is a continued case of the trend toward strength and spice at the expense of complexity? Personally in my tastings atthe RTDA (July 08) I found that many manufacturers are hankering down this path of full bodied spice sticks which resonate on the palate but by the first third leave you looking for a change of pace/complexity.

I think that the first manufacturer to get the balance right will hit a goal. Tatuaje comes close but i find them inconsistent (no different to Cuban consistency).

Can you let me know what the Tobacco blend (country of origin) is in the LX2?

[GoSteelers]

LX2 is Nicaraguan wrapper Honduran binder, with filler from Dominican and Nicaragua. Probably made by Torano in Nicaragua.

I thought that this cigar really fell flat compared to some of the strong cigars by other manufacturers( LFD double ligero, Perdomo Patriarch) But it will sell like crazy because people love CAO and it has a cool band :wink:

[Colt45]

» It was an enjoyable cigar, especially if you like strength and spice.

As Rob has alluded to, it sounds a bit unbalanced. With so many new NCs, I've all but given up

trying all the cigars available. And when I do try something new, almost invariably, I'm let down.

[Spartan]

My taste has evolved quite a bit over the past few months the only NC I find consistantly enjoyable every time I spark one up is Padron I tried the LX2 in Vegas a few months ago and thought it was a overpowering spice bomb I kinda thought of it as CAO taking shot at Opus X

[Habanos2000]

I found that many manufacturers are hankering down this path of full bodied spice sticks which resonate on the palate but by the first third leave you looking for a change of pace/complexity.

Rob, I think you hit the nail on the head. Many NC manufacturers seem to think that strength is the most important attribute (followed closely by a cool band) and totally ignore complexity. It's my opinion that the only 2 NC manufacturers that have a clue are Padron and Fuente...

[cabaiguan juan]

I don't think you are far off of the mark with manufacturer's trying to roll power house spice bombs. I really think it is CAO's imitation of the LFD DL given what i have heard and remember from the DL line. I would like to see something with a little more flavor as opposed to spice and strenght. I guess its the new trend (the last being 6x60 sticks). As for Tatuajes i found them to be pretty consistant, one of the more consistant sticks i smoke. I certainly agree with them really nailing the balance between flavor, spice and strenght though.

» In the store you would smoke a hell of a lot more NC's than most of us.

» With the LX2 CAO do you personally feel that the cigar is a continued case

» of the trend toward strength and spice at the expense of complexity?

» Personally in my tastings atthe RTDA (July 08) I found that many

» manufacturers are hankering down this path of full bodied spice sticks

» which resonate on the palate but by the first third leave you looking for

» a change of pace/complexity.

» I think that the first manufacturer to get the balance right will hit a

» goal. Tatuaje comes close but i find them inconsistent (no different to

» Cuban consistency).

»

» Can you let me know what the Tobacco blend (country of origin) is in the

» LX2?

[SamuraiJack]

» Personally in my tastings atthe RTDA (July 08) I found that many

» manufacturers are hankering down this path of full bodied spice sticks

» which resonate on the palate but by the first third leave you looking for

» a change of pace/complexity.

I could not agree more.