CAO "The Sopranos" Edition Associate

When is a gimmicky idea not a gimmick? Answer: When it results in a fantastic premium blend. This medium-to-full-bodied cigar is one of the most exciting releases this decade. CAO knows how to package a cigar. This handsome stick is finished with two distinct bands The black band under the cap of the cigar features an appropriately ominous-looking CAO logo in metallic red. The blood-red ribbon at the foot has the Sopranos logo prominently emblazoned on it. CAO knows how to make a cigar, too. Note how solidly constructed it is. The gorgeous, reddish-brown, marbled wrapper is Brazilian Mata Fina which some say is the best. (In Brazil it’s called “Green Gold.”) The binder is Honduran, the blend a mix of Nicaraguan, Dominican and Columbian tobaccos. This hearty combo makes for a bold, yet smooth and balanced smoke. Look for hints of coffee, black cherry and toasted wood complemented by a sweet, syrupy note on the finish—and lots of swirling smoke. Enjoy with an XO Cognac or Armagnac.

Honduras has been a tobacco growing and cigar manufacturing area for hundreds of years, but it was the Communist revolution in Cuba that really put Honduras on the map. In the 1960s, many Cuban cigar makers fled their homeland and arrived in Honduras to re-establish their way of life. The immigrants took advantage of the climate, soil, and geography, which were well-suited to tobacco growing, and began producing high quality cigars. The center of the Honduran cigar industry is the city of Danli and the nearby Jamastran Valley. The majority of the world’s pure Corojo tobacco is grown here, now that Cuba has stopped production of this iconic, spicy, and rich variety in favor of Corojo hybrids. Other important areas of Honduran cigar production include the Talanga Valley, Copan, and Trojes.