CAO Special Editions ’65th Anniversary’ Esen

In 2002 I snagged up three boxes of these as well as a stick or two to try prior to the boxes, and after much deliberation I stowed the boxes away. Good thing I did that, after six years of box aging, I recieved quite a welcoming surprise. Upon toasting the foot of the cigar you can smell toast and almonds, the initial draw brings more of the same plus a little chocolate. From the start to the middle of this vitola a little bit of earthy flavor is introduced in the forms of leather, and wood, there's also some hints of hazelnut and coffee. Lastly towards the end, there is no bitterness, instead you get a sweet toffee flavoring to cap off the smoke. The ash is a solid gray, and may take some effort to separate the ash from the cigar. The burn does canoe, however like any other vitola (perfecto, torpedo, etc) this is common, and does not require a flame to even out the burn as it will correct itself towards the end of the smoke, within the last three inches or so. Overall they tend to last for about an hour and a half.

Appearance is very good, burns uneven, harsh on palate, and is hard to draw.

This was an okay cigar. I wish the cigar smoked as well as the ban and case looked. It had a mild flavor, but nothing worth writing home about.

Don't let the hokey band fool you, this is a great cigar. Very well made, taste like a CAO extreme on nitros. Very full-bodied.