Posted in CAO, Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, tagged CAO, CAO Escaparate, CAO Escaparate 6 1 5, CAO Escaparate Six One Five on August 26, 2009| 4 Comments »
Size: 5 1/2 x 44
Vitola: Corona
Wrapper: Criollo-seed Maduro
Origin: Honduras or Nicaragua
Age: Fresh
OK, so this is basically the Criollo with a Maduro wrapper – I think. This is available at one shop, CAO’s “local” shop, Uptown’s Smoke Shop in downtown Nashville. I visited there after my tour of CAO HQs. The shop is beautiful, in fact it is the only CAO lounge as Uptown’s has been very loyal to the Ozgener’s from the very beginning.
Posted in CAO, Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, tagged CAO, CAO Escaparate, CAO Escaparate MX3, CAO MX2 on August 22, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Size: 6 1/4″ x 52
Vitola: Torpedo
Wrapper: Brazilian
Origin: Honduras or Nicaragua
Age: Fresh
The MX3 is one of the more popular of the CAO Escaparate line. The MX2 or Maduro times two is an an extremely popular cigar in it’s own right. But the MX3 features maduro leaf in the filler as well as the wrapper and binder. This is a very hard cigar to make and have draw and burn correctly, which is why it has ended up in the small release Escaparate line, available at W. Curtis Draper’s in DC.
Posted in CAO, Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, tagged CAO, CAO Escaparate, CAO Escaparate Ecuador on August 17, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Size: 5 1/2″ x 44 
Vitola: Corona
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Origin: Honduras or Nicaragua
Age: fresh
The Escaparate line is a special line that is for a select few retailers. The Escaparate, or “Showcase”, line which features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is only available at Corona Cigar Company. I was lucky enough to get a sample to try.
Posted in CAO, Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, tagged CAO, CAO Escaparate, CAO Escaparate Columbia on August 13, 2009| 3 Comments »
Size: 5″ x 50
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Origin: Honduras or Nicaragua
Age: fresh
This is the newest release from the Escaparate, or “Showcase” line from CAO. This is sold exclusively at Serious Cigars. It features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. What about the Columbia? It’s in the filler.
This is a nice shiny cigar with few veins. The pre-light draw is a bit firm.
Posted in CAO, Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, tagged CAO, CAO Escaparate, CAO Escaparate Bratalia on August 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Size: 7″ x 48
Vitola: Churchill
Wrapper: Brazilian Aripiraca
Origin: Honduras or Nicaragua
Age: fresh
The Bratalia is another of the limited Edition Escaparate cigars from CAO, that are sold to one or two select retailers across the country. The Bratalia, although initially release in a gift set is only available now from Old Virginia Tobacco Company which has seven location in Virginia. It is available only in the robusto and churchill sizes.
Posted in CAO, Cigar Reviews, Limited Editions, tagged CAO, CAO Escaparate, CAO Escaparate Costa Rica on August 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Size: 5 1/2″ x 44
Vitola: Corona
Wrapper: Costa Rican Maduro
Origin: Honduras or Nicaragua
Age: fresh
The Escaparate line is a special line that is for a select few retailers. This Escaparate line, which features an Costa Rican Maduro wrapper, is only available at Corona Cigar Company. It is also an entirely box-pressed line. I was lucky enough to get a sample to try.
This tiny box-pressed cigar has a fairly dark maduro wrapper which is very thin compared to the common maduro wrapper, the Connecticut Broadleaf.
The draw is excellent on this cigar, and the initial flavors are rich, but muddled.
Zen & the Art of the Cigar 