Zocalo — A Mexican Wrapped Beauty from CAO
Tuesday, May 8th, 2018CAO is a company known for always thinking outside of the box when it comes to blending and rolling, that’s why in recent years, this brand has become one of the most sought-after names in premium handmade cigars. This massive portfolio of 90+ rated cigars, consists of a wide array of binder and filler leaves from various countries throughout Central America rolled inside a compelling assortment of wrappers in various shades. Now, for the first time in its history, CAO is using a Mexican wrapper on one of its cigars, and it’s called the CAO Zocalo, a beefy 6 x 60 vitola. Fittingly, this limited-edition selection of only 3,500 cigars were released just in time to coincide with the Famous Cinco de Mayo holiday.
CAO master blender Rick Rodriguez employs a special Morrón wrapper grown in the San Andrés Valley by the “First Family of Mexican Cigars, the Turrents of Te Amo fame. He chose this prized leaf for its deep earthy flavor and aroma. Resting below this oily wrapper, is a toasty Cameroon binder and a core of aged long fillers from Nicaragua.
Zocalo refers to the name of the main square in Mexico City which was the inspiration for this feisty smoke. In addition, to pay tribute to this legendary Mexican landmark, the boxes and bands are adorned with colorful Zocalo artwork in a striking red, white, and black design. 20 of these stunning cigars come seated in each box.
As intended, this limited edition south of the border indulgence is bold, full flavored, and earthy at its core, with nuances of white pepper, chocolate, and hickory wood, adding layers of complexity. Thick billowy clouds of musky, sweet- smelling smoke reminds you that you are smoking a classic Mexican-style cigar, and, in true CAO fashion, the construction is top-notch, the burn is razor-sharp, and the draw is effortless.
Zocalo is an exceptional example of how the artisans at CAO have applied their generations of cigar knowledge and expert blending skills to create an iconic cigar that truly displays the spirit of Mexico.
Now, much like the rest of you, I love shopping for cigars. While the women of our species can spend skads of hours roaming through malls and shopping in one clothes store after another, (insisting that they can’t find a thing to buy), we cigar lovers will have little problem finding a multitude of goodies to purchase in no time at all. Put me in a big room full of premium-aged sticks – I’ll peruse through the shelves pinching and sniffing along the way – and be assured I’ll hit the register with an eclectic selection of long-filler goodness, from several countries that hover around the equator.
The rush one gets from going through various brands of cigars is such a high, and completely unexplainable to those who don’t smoke – especially the wife. (Let’s take for instance, a few of my present faves, the 
