CAO has always been one of those brands that's all over the place. Even before it was acquired by big-ass conglomerate (which in turn was absorbed by the even bigger-assed General Cigar Co.), the company was obsessed with gimmicks. Remember the ridiculous CAO Vision that came in a neon-lit translucent box? Or The Sopranos, which was packaged in a reproduction of a classic car's trunk? But hey, gotta give 'em points for creativity.
That doesn't mean the cigars weren't good. Thanks probably in large part to then-marketing director Jon Huber (who has moved on to better things), the products largely lived up to the hype though most weren't quite 'boutique' enough on their own to please the true cigar lunatics.
Strangely, some of the best cigars the company has released came after their acquisition. La Traviata is an excellent medium-bodied cigar at a nice price. CAO OSA is also a genuinely distinctive and wonderful line. Someone recently had the good sense to bring back the Sopranos blend, now renamed Consigliere, and it's good as ever.
And that brings us to the Pilon. The gimmick here is that some of the tobacco is fermented using a slower and more expensive method in which the leaves are arranged in circular stacks ("pilons") which supposedly results in more intense flavor. We wouldn't know a pilon from a pylon but we'll take their word for it.
That doesn't mean the cigars weren't good. Thanks probably in large part to then-marketing director Jon Huber (who has moved on to better things), the products largely lived up to the hype though most weren't quite 'boutique' enough on their own to please the true cigar lunatics.
Strangely, some of the best cigars the company has released came after their acquisition. La Traviata is an excellent medium-bodied cigar at a nice price. CAO OSA is also a genuinely distinctive and wonderful line. Someone recently had the good sense to bring back the Sopranos blend, now renamed Consigliere, and it's good as ever.
And that brings us to the Pilon. The gimmick here is that some of the tobacco is fermented using a slower and more expensive method in which the leaves are arranged in circular stacks ("pilons") which supposedly results in more intense flavor. We wouldn't know a pilon from a pylon but we'll take their word for it.
Aside from sporting a very oily and attractively hued wrapper, the cigar itself is no looker. It's kind of rustic, with bumps and veins galore and a cap that looks like it was applied by a habitual drunkard. That's not a put down necessarily, because it appears as if the final product was dictated by the leaves themselves, which are rather thick and substantial. Still, in its own way, this is a chunky and appealing corona that's heavy in the hand. The packaging, as you can see, is simple and tasteful—not always a CAO hallmark.
You'd think something like this would be tough to fire up and keep lit, but no. The Pilon lights pretty easily, and burns and draws well. The smoke is chewy, with earth and wood as a counterpoint for a nougat-like combination of baking spices, cake and confectionery. While it's more medium- than full-bodied, toward the end it does lean more towards full. Still, it's not strong, and even though it's better suited as an after-dinner cigar, a seasoned smoker could easily handle this midday.
We also tried the 7x48 churchill, but found the draw a little tight, which kept the flavors muted until it opened up after the first third. The 5x52 robusto would be a good choice for those who wish for something a little lusher and more mellow than the corona owing to it having more filler tobacco.
This is a fun and entertaining cigar that manages to pack loads of flavor into a small format—without excess strength. That's not always an easy trick. It verges on excellent, but the cigar's appearance is just a little too down home to make it into that category. Officially, we're rating it Very Good, but unofficially it's Very Very Good.
It's worth noting that, like the aforementioned La Traviata and OSA SOL, here we have anther CAO that's a good value. The corona is $6.15, while the entire range hovers right around that $7 mark. We think it nails the sweet spot for this particular line. Whoever is in charge of the CAO brand these days is aces in our book. Oh, and THANK YOU whoever you are for even offering this as a corona! It's a welcome respite from a market packed 6x60s.
You'd think something like this would be tough to fire up and keep lit, but no. The Pilon lights pretty easily, and burns and draws well. The smoke is chewy, with earth and wood as a counterpoint for a nougat-like combination of baking spices, cake and confectionery. While it's more medium- than full-bodied, toward the end it does lean more towards full. Still, it's not strong, and even though it's better suited as an after-dinner cigar, a seasoned smoker could easily handle this midday.
We also tried the 7x48 churchill, but found the draw a little tight, which kept the flavors muted until it opened up after the first third. The 5x52 robusto would be a good choice for those who wish for something a little lusher and more mellow than the corona owing to it having more filler tobacco.
This is a fun and entertaining cigar that manages to pack loads of flavor into a small format—without excess strength. That's not always an easy trick. It verges on excellent, but the cigar's appearance is just a little too down home to make it into that category. Officially, we're rating it Very Good, but unofficially it's Very Very Good.
It's worth noting that, like the aforementioned La Traviata and OSA SOL, here we have anther CAO that's a good value. The corona is $6.15, while the entire range hovers right around that $7 mark. We think it nails the sweet spot for this particular line. Whoever is in charge of the CAO brand these days is aces in our book. Oh, and THANK YOU whoever you are for even offering this as a corona! It's a welcome respite from a market packed 6x60s.
THE DETAILS 5.5"x44 Nicaragua W: Ecuador Habano B: Nicaragua F: Nicaragua $6.15 | THE HIGHLIGHTS Rustic, rich and chewy, with a great interplay between wood/earth and nougat-like bakery spices. Despite the intense flavors, not overly strong. Very entertaining. | THE VERDICT CLASSIC EXCELLENT VERY GOOD GOOD ---------------------- SMOKE/HOLD |
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