I think I am done with CAO

I haven't had any of the issues that most of you have experienced, I just think they taste bad. I had one anniversary maduro that was rolled so loosely that I had a headache after 5 minutes of trying to draw on it. Other than that they have been okay products, but the taste is usually very one dimensional and what I would consider "below average."

If they were $3, fine -- you get what you pay for sometimes. But they're not. They're priced way too high for what they actually are -- bland and one dimensional.
 
The Brazilia is probably my favorite NC. Mx2 good too. I've smoked hundreds of CAO and never had a draw problem with any except one VR. :confused:
 
So far not too huge on CAO but the Brazillia is one I've tried and actually enjoyed. Can't say that I had any draw problems, but I do see the gimmicks that others have referred to as kind of a turn off.
 
I had a 5-pack of some giant CAO candelas a few years ago. I don't remember which line they were in or what they were called (or why I bought them:confused:), but they were probably 8 x 54. The three I smoked each had a great draw, but a terrible burn and flavor, and they smelled like musty old grass. I think the other two ended up in the (gulp) trash bin. Whenever I see "CAO," that's what I think of, although I do keep some CAO Anniversario Maduros on hand just so I can smell them--I love the pre-burn aroma!
 
i have never had a plugged CAO. you can debate the taste, but the construction is damn near flawless. humidity may be a factor in your case, but there is no doubt they are a well rolled cigar. i like the cammies, italias, brazilias, maddies, criollos, and just had an america i thought was quite nice. i honestly think CAO's receive more undeserved criticism than any line out there.
 
tnip23 said:
i have never had a plugged CAO. you can debate the taste, but the construction is damn near flawless. humidity may be a factor in your case, but there is no doubt they are a well rolled cigar. i like the cammies, italias, brazilias, maddies, criollos, and just had an america i thought was quite nice. i honestly think CAO's receive more undeserved criticism than any line out there.
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You're basically saying that only CAOs in my stash, and only specific lines at that, decided to have a draw issue on me? I have never had any draw issues with them in years past, been smoking them since '99, but am simply appalled with recent batches. These came from different boxes (7 different lines/sizes altogether), from 2 different retailers.

"Undeserved criticism"? Care to explain why I am not having construction issues with other manufacturers' cigars aging in that same coolerdor? Or why Brazilia and Italia lines are smoking fine while other CAOs are not?

I am not saying you should not buy/smoke them any longer, I am simply saying that I will not due to specific issue encountered. I am trying to be as analytical and logical about this as I can be, but if the fact that I wasted a good sum of money on product I can't enjoy, all of it beyond my control, ad all of it after years of actually buying and liking the product, then yes, I will be critical.
 
EastBay said:
You're basically saying that only CAOs in my stash, and only specific lines at that, decided to have a draw issue on me? I have never had any draw issues with them in years past, been smoking them since '99, but am simply appalled with recent batches. These came from different boxes (7 different lines/sizes altogether), from 2 different retailers.

"Undeserved criticism"? Care to explain why I am not having construction issues with other manufacturers' cigars aging in that same coolerdor? Or why Brazilia and Italia lines are smoking fine while other CAOs are not?

I am not saying you should not buy/smoke them any longer, I am simply saying that I will not due to specific issue encountered. I am trying to be as analytical and logical about this as I can be, but if the fact that I wasted a good sum of money on product I can't enjoy, all of it beyond my control, ad all of it after years of actually buying and liking the product, then yes, I will be critical.
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i wasn't saying you didn't properly humidify the cigars, nor was the comment about unfair criticism directed at you. there is a lot of CAO bashing on this board and elsewhere that i feel is leveled just because of the marketing CAO does. but then, CAO are big boys, they don't need me to defend them.

smoke what you like eastbay, life's too short not to.
 
EastBay said:
Time to try Taboo and a couple of other lines, I guess money better spent.
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DING DING DING!!!!!

I've never had problems with CAO, I've actually liked most of the smokes from them I've tried..... but man, it's hard to beat Taboo in any circumstances. The fact that Rob is on CS and his customer service is out of the world just add to the experience.
 
Other than the Brazilias, not much from the CAO line excites me. There are still a few I haven't tried yet, though.
 
Smoked another one last night, a CX2 Robusto. Tight draw, not dead by any means, but definitely a problem. Tried snipping, rolling, etc. Although did not feel any tight spots throughout the cigar, and it actually felt pretty soft once it warmed up, the draw was simply not what it is supposed to be.

I am convinced now that Brazilia and Italia lines are made at another factory, they are the only lines that don't seem to have any construction issues.

I have not bought any CAO sticks for the last 2+ years and my purchase last December was to see how their lines are measuring up, main reason I bought a whole bunch to explore. On recollection of the CAO Anni Cameroon I smoked last week, I am now sure the blend I used to like when I started smoking these in late 90s/early 00s, is not what I had last week, a definite change in blend. Where the cigar used to be a medium bodied smoke with great rich flavor and some spiciness, the blend these days is simply bland, one dimensional and light bodied, at best. Have no idea what changed, factory, leaf source, blend, whatever, but Anni Cameroon these days is not what I used to like so much in years past. These used to be my "go to" stick and I am sorry to see them go south. Oh well...
 
I've probably bought eight or nine boxes of CAO (Golds and Brazilias mostly but, several others also) or so over the past two years. Very few problems with any. About the same number of anomlies as with the other brands which I've purchased a good number of.

Too bad for you EastBay.
 
Addiction said:
For the last year I have smoke a LOT of cigars. Most of them NC. And I what has to be at minimum a few hundred NCs smoked in the last year I had exactly 1 plugged cigar.

Add in that last year I averaged 1.5 herfs a month, at least 1 a month that is frequented by bundle cigar guys who seem to care more how little a cigar costs than what it tastes like. And the only reported nc that was plugged? Well it was the one I had.

I only mention this to say that based on my experience to have a 60% or higher plug rate across different products is astronomically high. Its the inverse of finding a four leaf clover, a leprocuans pot of gold, winning the powerball and being struck by lightning. I mean no offense but its more likiely you aren't getting a good light or those cigars are kept in poor conditions.
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Thanks for this post. I've often thought that I have way too many pull problems with the premiums for it NOT to be my problem with improper conditions. I'm in the process of going from 70% to 65%.

My tip off was that some varieties would smoke just fine for within the first month and then I would start having problems after they had been in my care for some time.
 
EastBay said:
I am convinced now that Brazilia and Italia lines are made at another factory, they are the only lines that don't seem to have any construction issues.
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http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/Cigar_Stars_Profile/0,2547,138,00.html

This is a little old but if Perdomo introduced them to the cameroon, I would say the Cx2 comes out of the Perdomo factory.


Manufactured by C.A.O. Fabrica de Tabacos in Honduras for C.A.O. International, Inc. AKA: Torano Factory
Gold
Maduro
Brazilia
Italia
Criollo
Sopranos

Tobacalera Perdomo produces the eXtreme and the L'Anniversaire 1968-1998 series.

La Aurora makes the mini's
 
NCRadioMan said:
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/Cigar_Stars_Profile/0,2547,138,00.html

This is a little old but if Perdomo introduced them to the cameroon, I would say the Cx2 comes out of the Perdomo factory.


Manufactured by C.A.O. Fabrica de Tabacos in Honduras for C.A.O. International, Inc. AKA: Torano Factory
Gold
Maduro
Brazilia
Italia
Criollo
Sopranos

Tobacalera Perdomo produces the eXtreme and the L'Anniversaire 1968-1998 series.

La Aurora makes the mini's
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Thanks for the link. If you read the article carefully, it is clear that my suspicion was right on the money: Both Brazilia and Italia lines are made by Torano and by TORANO ROLLERS. Other lines, are made by rollers CAO hired, although managed by same crew, it sounds like.

And my other guess, that the blend for CAO Annis has changed a few years ago, also is true: where Perdomo used to make the cigars at the beginning, when I discovered them in '99 and after, CAO has been making the cigars themselves after 2003, roughly when I stopped buying them since I had a bunch aging by then and didn't need to re-stock. I am sure their leaf sources have changed for the cigars as well, once Perdomo's contract expired, the leaf source has expired as well, its part of the business.

No wonder I like Perdomo Habano so much, I suspect this is the leaf (filler) that used to go to CAO Annis in years past judging by the taste of the cigars. Well, good for Perdomo and me.

I know that many chimed in to state that my experience with the CAO cigars lately is strange and I can't argue with that. But as in the Colibri thread, where most are saying their lighters don't work and are junk and my own experience says otherwise, I guess you win some and you loose some. I just wish I "lost" with the lighters and "won" with cigars, a much cheaper and pleasant experience, IMO.

Anyway, this "fiasco" prompted me to order some new cigars for me, NUB (all 3 lines), Oliva V and Taboos (Twist and SFO), so there is a silver lining somewhere in there.

PS. Forgot to add that this is definitely not a storage issue. Despite draw problems, all the cigars burned nicely with no tunneling of any kind, ash was form and held on.
 
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