CAO Soprano

CAO Soprano - I've never smoked on of these and I've always wanted to pick one up.  The Soprano series are rather "high-end" for the CAO brand when it comes to price - a Soprano stick, depending on size, ranges between $13-$16.  Now thats not a shot at CAO - they make some great stuff at great prices- CAO Cigars,  My favorite shop, Cross Street Tobacco, used to carry the series, but ran out a little while back and I haven't seen them since. 
Since then, I discovered the Soprano is wrapped with Brazilian leaf.  That fact had me ready to jump on the first Soprano I could find, even at its cost.  The cigar has a Honduran binder and is filled with a blend of Dominican, Columbian and Nicaraguan tobacco. 
Banded near the cap and around the foot in black and bright red - the cigar has a good look.  Classy and strong.  They picked a good cigar to align with the Soprano brand.

CAO Criollo

CAO Criollo- The CAO Criollo is CAO's attempt to make an entirely criollo tobacco cigar. Many consider this almost impossible as it difficult to get quality wrapper from criollo, but CAO did it. This is a Nicaraguan puro: binder, filler, wrapper. I haven't heard much about this cigar. In fact, I've never even heard of it.
I picked up this cigar at a random Cigarette Outlet nestled in the shadow of a Giant supermarket in a suburb outside of Baltimore. Many time these stores offer little to no selection in the way of cigars; and what they have is often stale and poorly stored. But sometimes - you can find aged gems. Also, you can get a bargain.
I'm a sucker for a Nicaraguan and I'm intrigued with this mystery find, so I've gotta give it a try.

Prelight- The Criollo wrapper is a bit veiny and dry in appearance, but the seems fresh, albeit a little dry throughout. The band is basic and matches the shade of wrapper, giving it a classy look. I trim the cap and find a perfect draw at the capped end. The cap sports a pigtail, which always adds something to a cigar's personality. The prelight taste is almost undetectable, but I guess I can taste fresh tobacco and earth.

Sparking it- The Criollo lights with ease and my palette is tingled with medium spice. The spice soon subsides and gives way to a very basic earthy taste. The cigar is burning nicely, but the flavor is lame.
Granted this seems to be a mild smoke, but the smoke is just plain dry and unfulfilling. I hope it picks up as the burn progresses.

Smoking it- The best thing I can say about this cigar is that it burns well. It started a tad uneven, but corrected itself and toasted away without a hitch. A loose seam on the wrapper worried me that I might have bits of half burnt Criollo falling on me, but my concerns never come to fruition.
The flavor does not satisfy or suit my palette in any way. Given the smoke is mild, I'm not looking for something that isn't there, but the flavor is non-descript and bland. Halfway through the smoke I taste the body of the cigar pack a bit of a punch to my palette. But the blow is empty; I taste earth with a little leather. Nothing more than that.
I wouldn't recommend this cigar to even a mild smoker. At $7 a stick, the Alec Bradley Family Blend is 10 times better than this cigar. I wouldn't say that it tastes bad, but it tastes like nothing. It leaves my palette feeling empty, dry and bitter.

Overall- E

CAO Brazilia- Box Press

CAO Brazilia Box Press- I read somewhere, can't remember where, that when CAO was developing the Brazilia line, they were warned against using the Brazilian name and national colors. Evidently, there were some old-school cigar-world prejudices against the Brazilian tobacco industry or something like that. Turns out that didn't affect the cigar smoker's buying power. Just the opposite; the Brazilia line is one of CAO's leading sellers and I can't think of a smoker I know that doesn't think this is a decent smoke for the money spent.
The Brazilia is a beautiful and unique looking stick. The wrapper is made of a Brazilian tobacco called Matafina. The Matafina is so dark that it almost looks black and shimmers with oil. CAO finished out the Brazilia with Nicaraguan filler and binder. The label is eye-catching, boasting the bright colors of Brazil's flag.
It might be me, but anything related to Brazil makes me think of beautiful beaches and gorgeous women. With that in mind, I reach for the Brazilia often.
The Brazilia comes in wide variety of sizes. All cleverly named after something from the country's culture. Well, except for the one I'm reviewing. Others include the Anaconda, Gol!, Samba just to name a few. The best is the mini "Piranha". Which is Brazilian slang for a prostitute.

Prelight- Just to let you know, this cigar is one of my go to sticks. I smoke at least one or two a week. Usually, when I review a cigar I've smoked before, I try and throw out all of my previous experiences and focus on that particular smoke. Today will be a hybrid of this singular smoke and my past experiences with the Brazilia.
The cigar is hands down beautiful. I think CAO had a Brazilian woman in mind when they envisioned this cigar. I will list three reasons behind my theory and you make the comparison to a sexy Brazilian in your mind.

Brazilia Box-Press vs. Brazilian Beauty
1.)The wrapper is flawless with a sheen of oil on it. It is also a little darker than it's peers. (picture a tan Brazilian women in a thong bikini coming off the beach at Copacabana)
2.)In my opinion, this is the best-feeling box-press on the market. This stick is soft, but firm. You've got to squeeze it to believe. (back to the thong)
3.)It has two labels, your normal cigar label up top, and a lower label that reads "Box Press". Because of the nature of a cigar, its best to take the bottom off first. (open for interpretation)

Ok, back to the prelight. The cigar smells sweet and begs to be smoked. Time for the torch.

Sparking it- Puff...Puff...Lit...and we're off. The first few drags come across with a little pepper, but mostly a creamy coffee flavor. The pepper quickly subsides as the cherry cools and the smoke progresses. I've heard of complaints of a tight draw but have rarely encountered it. I've had one bad stick out of 30 or so I've smoked. If you run into this problem, try trimming a bit more off the cap. The ash is solid and highlights the quality build of the cigar. The lit end burns off a trail of bluish smoke and it is a pleasure to inhale the resting smoke. The cigar is a medium-full flavored, with medium body. I can't help but focus on the creamy texture of the smoke. I really love this cigar.

Smoking it- The flavor evolves a little as the smoke goes on. I start to taste dark chocolate after the half-way point, and the cigar maintains a coffee taste throughout. A decent amount of complexity to the stick. I cannot over-emphasize the creaminess of the smoke; it is delicious. The cigar burns a little uneven at times, but a quick torch hit evens it out without issue. I've never had a Box-Press burn in a manner that ruined the smoke.
I recommend this to every cigar smoker out there. There are so many qualities in the cigar's body and flavor, that everyone could have a chance of enjoying this cigar. Full-flavored smokers will find themselves chewing on the smoke, searching for the next nuance, while milder smokers will expand their horizons, enjoying a fuller smoke with such a smooth and creamy flavor.
At $6-$7 a cigar (and cheaper online) - this cigar has tremendous value. Maybe I'm a little bias, because I'm thinking of Brazilian women when I smoke it. But I think its more of the fact that this cigar fits my criteria of a great cigar.

Overall- B+