First Impression: CAO Black VR Maduro
Saturday, August 15th, 2009I reached into my Cigars Direct CAO care package they sent me not too long ago, and pulled out tonight’s review. From what I understand, the Black VR line is what put CAO on the map over a decade ago. Since then they’ve continued to grow. I am rarely disappointed by a CAO cigar, so I was curious how this first impression cigar review would go. The routine – Glass of water, lighter, cutter, ashtray – Check.
Wrapper: Brazil
Binder: Brazil
Filler: Mexico, Dominican Republic
Size: 6 x 50
Price: $7.00
Pre-smoke and Construction:
The first thing I noticed was the black oily wrapper. It was so black that I suspect it was dyed. Anyway, it looked great with minimal veins. It had an odor of natural tobacco and sweet earth. The foot had a similar smell, with an added sweet spice. When I squeezed the length of the cigar, I found a couple minimal soft spots, but nothing that I was concerned about. The pre-light draw was good, with slight resistance. I found earthy notes on the pre-light draw.
The burn required a few touch up’s. As the second third came to a close, the wrapper started to lift on one side right at the burn line. I made it through with no problem, just a minor annoyance. The ash held for an inch or so. Overall no major complaints.
Flavor:
The first third greeted me with a sweet earthy flavor. After a little time coffee notes joined in with a subtle sweet spice through the nose.
The second third opened up a little and that sweet earth became mocha. It wasn’t strong or heavy but it was enjoyable. If I paid enough attention, I could still taste that sweet earthiness when passing the smoke through the nose. It took me a little while, but I found it hiding behind the mocha.
For the last third, mocha was the dominant flavor. It would occasionally morph into sweet caramel but for the most part stayed mocha. A slight bitter chocolate was noticed when exhaling through the nose, along with a sweet spice that gave it a little kick. With an inch to go, an interesting sweet, almost fruity flavor entered the picture as the mocha calmed down. Before my fingers started to burn, it was time to put this cigar down.
Conclusion:
This was a decent medium bodied cigar. This was a slow smoker, taking about 1 hour and 45 minutes. I wasn’t WOW’ed by it, but it definitely had a flavor profile that held my interest. If you are a CAO fan I’d recommend you at least try a couple. You can get a five pack HERE if you so desire. Until next time…
