CAO

[KB24]

What are everyone's thoughts on CAO as a company? The tobacco? Cigar quality?

[Padrino]

  KB24 said:

What are everyone's thoughts on CAO as a company? The tobacco? Cigar quality?

The "Apple" of the cigar world. It tries so hard to be hip/edgy and unique that sometimes it's a bit of a joke, it creates herd mentality. Mind you it has it's moments, CAO has the one or two unique lines with some promise but it's almost always barely a step away from an over priced novelty item.

On a positive note CAO cigar quality is always exemplary, i've never seen a badly rolled one.

[Shelby07]

My feeling is pretty simple. I don't like them, I don't smoke them.

[CigarmanTim]

The absolute best marketers in the biz. Great construction. So so blends.

[El Presidente]

I have tried enough to believe that they are not my cup of tea. Always great construction, attractive, decent flavour. lacks a little of the "wow" factor. I would prefer a Fuente (Hemmingway/Don Carlos) or a Padron Anny, or even the brown label Tats.

Their marketing however is exceptional.

[samb]

They have good marketing. There have been several CAO events at my local B&M and there is always a high turn out, especially with their CAO girls, lol. hehe As for the smokes, I like 'em, good construction, draw, burn, and they have a good flavor, not the best, not the worst. My fiancee loves their 'Flavours' line, and if they get her to smoke a stogie with me, then all the better.

[coopesc2000]

I like the CAO Brazalia, good flavors but to each and their own. Now I think the Vision is way overated so is the America. America is good looking cigar but I'm not smoking a cigar based on its looks.

[jquest63]

Marketing: Great Cigars Quality: Well constructed Packaging: Fun concepts Cigar Enjoyment: OK, if you don't have any CC's on hand

[Tampa1257]

Very good at Marketing. Who hasn't seen the sexy CAO Girls???

Their construction is excellent, flavors are marginal in my opinion, geared more for the novice cigar smoker, one dimentional. I much prefer a Padron 64 or 26. CAO is over priced IMHO in my area.

[kaleehb]

I don't care for their cigars that much. The Brazilia Samba is an ok smoke however, too many other great cigars out in the market. I totally agree that they do a fantastic job getting their product into the consumers eyes, ears, and hands however it's just not "my cup of tea."

[brutusthebuckeye]

I have never smoked one.......and i dont plan on trying one anytime soon!!!!!

[PigFish]

What's a CAO?

[Ellery]

Yeah, I use to smoke them when I first picked up cigars....and yes, the marketing did get me. But as I have smoked more and more cigars, CAO is just that... marketing. I agree construction is great, but the flavor is lacking

[zuma]

Whenever I feel like smoking an NC (usually while on business trips in the US with no CCs on me), I choose a Padron or a Fuentes of sorts... I have even ventured to try some of Olivas... but I will not try a CAO, as I find their marketing off putting... way too gimmicky for my tastes. To me, CAO is like an ugly-rude woman with too much make up.

[mash]

I've tried a number from the line. I find them harsh, would not go out of my way to acquire any.

[ChanceSchmerr]

I've only tried 2 - 1 was a 10 yr Anniversary Maduro figuardo that my ship's XO gifted me, and the other was an America Robusto (Potomac?). Anyway - I found them VERY one-dimensional, and almost no evolvement of flavour throughout the smoke. The Anniversary was strong, deep tobacco flavours...and remained that way until the nicotine overwhelmed me on the final third. The America was disappointing, flat and bland to me. I agree with others, the construction on both was excellent.

Marketing? From arm's length up in Canada, I don't see the heavy marketing outside of CA, CAO really isn't sold up here likely because of the high taxes. It does appear to be more heavily marketed in the US. My aformentioned XO is a great booster of the brand - His opinion is that it delivers a great smoke for a great (~6$ US) price, at least for a great price when he was posted to Virginia on Exchange a few years back!

I'm intrigued by their multitude of lines, but not really impressed so far. I bought a sampler during a CAO event in Seattle, so I have one of each of the lines to try, but so far I'm not looking to pick up more of them. For my Non-CC buck, I'd much rather enjoy a Padron 1926/68, A Fuente Don Carlos Lancero, or my absolute favorite Non-CC - the LGC Artesanos de Miami line - marvelous smokes.

[Stalebread]

I sampled from their various lines, maybe six years ago. The only one I can remember is the Brazilia. With all the other choices of non-Cuban cigars to choose from, I can't imagine smoking a CAO now.

[Rogers72]

I have only tried a handful. Never cared for any except i did have one (it was either and LX2 or MX2) that I thought was decent. I agree with others in that they have over-marketed themselves to the point where it's hard not to perceive them as gimmicky. I would never buy another but will always try a freebie.

[anacostiakat]

  El Presidente said:

I have tried enough to believe that they are not my cup of tea. Always great construction, attractive, decent flavour. lacks a little of the "wow" factor. I would prefer a Fuente (Hemmingway/Don Carlos) or a Padron Anny, or even the brown label Tats.

Their marketing however is exceptional.

Ditto!

[GoSteelers]

CAO made their departure from the meerschaum pipe world with CAO gold, and through all the marketing and the dozens of new releases the Gold line is still the only CAO I have ever smoked with any regularity. It is always consistent, in flavor and construction. Simply a good smoke from quality tobacco with mo gimick and a very decent price.

CAO's newest release La Traviata is moving up my list too. It is done without the traditional CAO flash and looks to be all about quality & value. $5-$6 Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Cameroon binder, Nicaraguan / Dominican filler. And from the sound of these post not much marketing since I don't think anyone has even mentioned them and they have been out since shortly after IPCPR in August.

sincerely

Tim Ozgener

just kidding

[anacostiakat]

  GoSteelers said:

CAO made their departure from the meerschaum pipe world with CAO gold, and through all the marketing and the dozens of new releases the Gold line is still the only CAO I have ever smoked with any regularity. It is always consistent, in flavor and construction. Simply a good smoke from quality tobacco with mo gimick and a very decent price.

CAO's newest release La Traviata is moving up my list too. It is done without the traditional CAO flash and looks to be all about quality & value. $5-$6 Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Cameroon binder, Nicaraguan / Dominican filler. And from the sound of these post not much marketing since I don't think anyone has even mentioned them and they have been out since shortly after IPCPR in August.

sincerely

Tim Ozgener

just kidding

You have named probably the only two (I prefer the Gold Maduro) that I find palatable. However I just don't buy them. The Traviata I had the other week was not bad for a lunch time smoke at the B&M.

The Kat

[thechenman]

I don't know how much I can add here because I am in agreement that CAO is a marketing machine, and an impressive one at that. I don't find anything wrong with that. They make cigars and sell them for profit...its a business and they do it well. Quality, I am also in agreement on...their cigars are well made, though I did get a plugged LX2 once, and are consistent in flavor. Best of all...they are innovative. Tried and true is great, but its nice to have someone get in the mix and change things up from time to time. I've tried numerous lines and while many were decent for non-Cuban smokes, I've been fond of the Brazilia line (Gol) and the LX2 line (Toro). They don't stand a chance against a good Cuban cigar though.

[PointSource]

enormously average.

[laficion]

  El Presidente said:

Their marketing however is exceptional.

Rob, you've hit it right on the nail, MARKETING.

My intention is not to say that you should not smoke CAO cigars or any other NC,

I just want to make things a little clearer on what makes these big companies,

CAO and some others like Camacho, the big guys that they are, It's called,

" Multi Level Marketing".

Now , I have nothing aganist marketing, If you don't market your product, you

don't sell, BUT,

In my opinion, there's an honest way of going it and then other ways less honorable

such as the agressive ways of Camacho when they came out with the "The Black Project",

scaring the cigar smoker and making him feel guilty for buying Cuban cigars. or,

in that case,any other cigar that was not their's.

I wrote about my thoughts on a post some time ago on "The Black Project "thread .

Now, It seems that CAO had started to apply the same method of agressiveness instead

of making good cigars. The difference here is that they try to make you earn some money at least.

read the link below from the Velvet Cigar Blog on CAO.

http://velvetcigar.net/

Some are really scared that the embargo may end one day and that they'll have to start

making some real cigars.

[Habanos2000]

They're pimped too much in my opinion and that, to me, is a turn off. I also think their brand is spread too wide in an attempt to attract just about every cigar smoker. I think you need to chose what you do, do it well, let people know and your reputation will sell the product.

Consequently I've never had the impulse to try one.