CAO Amazon Anaconda (6 x 52)

Video review HERE.

I did this review while on vacation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica at the Couples Sans Souci Resort. I have done other review from this location. The onsite location was the Martini Bar.The weather was clear and hot! The views are spectacular. Now, on to the review.

It started with CAO Amazon Basin, continued with Fuma Em Corda and now, the CAO Amazon trilogy reaches a crescendo with Amazon Anaconda, a new limited edition cigar made with the rarest tobaccos known to man.

Ernest Gocaj, the Indiana Jones of the cigar world, took his final trip to the wilds of Brazil in 2013. This time, the natives presented him with a hearty wrapper leaf they call Bahiano Habano which is used for the first and only time in CAO Amazon Anaconda.

Grown in the fertile Bahia region of eastern Brazil, the Bahiano Habano wrapper yielded a leaf that was dense, compact, and extremely flavorful. Ernest spent several years working with the local farmers, teaching them special agricultural practices to improve tobacco yield and leaf quality. In the end, Ernest purchased only the ligero leaves from the highest stalk position on the plant to ensure that the true rich and robust flavors of the Bahiano tobacco came through on Amazon Anaconda.

Blender/ambassador Rick Rodriguez said, “This was the first time that the blending team and I worked with the Bahiano wrapper, and we devoted a couple of months just to leaf selection. Only the very best leaves were chosen and that shows right away, not only in the look, but also in the flavor of the cigar. It’s got a very unique, earthy taste, with notes of leather and espresso. There’s no doubt in my mind that the fans of CAO are going to wild for this blend.”

Bringing the CAO Brazilia trilogy to a stunning conclusion, the Brazilian Bahiano Habano ligero wrapper is supported by a blend made primarily of Bragança and Fuma Em Corda, the primitive, Brazilian tobaccos that also appeared in the trilogy’s previous releases. A Nicaraguan binder ensures an even burn, while Colombian and Dominican leaves enhance the blend, maximizing the exotic flavor of the Brazilian filler leaves.

CAO Amazon Anaconda is a once-in sale only at cigar shops, and when the cigars hit retail next month, they will sell out in an instant. Anaconda is handcrafted in Honduras, packed in rustic wooden boxes and are only available in a 6 x 52 Toro. The cigars will sell for $10.49 per cigar, and a 20-count boxes will cost you $209.80. That is, if you can find them.

The cigar looks rustic with a single vine wrapping around the cigar from the base of the cap downward about 1 1/2 inches. It has a nice feel in the hand. Here is a terrible shot of the foot, but trust me, it's dense.

The test draw after cutting the cap was great. The initial flavors were a sweet, rich orange citrus and blackberry preserves. Quite a combination. There was also butter and lots of brown sugar. There was black pepper which I rated at 7 1/2 to 8. The cigar is very rich and sweet right from the start.




About 1/2 inch in (11 minutes) you can add cinnamon to the mix of flavors. There are a lot of sweet notes popping in this cigar right now. The blackberry notes give it lots of depth but if you let the flavors linger long enough you will get some light black coffee notes at the base. The cigar has ample sweetness and plenty of richness. Great so far.




About 2 inches in (28 minutes) the flavors are just as they were. Lots of bold sweet notes with richness. A really good overall combination of flavors. The finish has a lot of blackberry notes with sweet cream and brown sugar. The cigar is medium bodied at this point.










At the midpoint (40 minutes) add chocolate notes to the mix. The chocolate notes are really coming out and the other notes are just slightly behind in intensity. The pepper remains very good. The cigar is still medium bodied. You might call it a low grade medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged and very nice.








With about 2 1/2 inches remaining (1 hour) there have been no changes since the last segment. I would call the cigar medium to full bodied. The cigar is still very rich and sweet. The cigar is rather dark noted but not overly so. The finish is unchanged. The cigar seems to be the best parts of the Amazon Basin and the Fuma Em Corda with the addition of the Brazilian Bahiano Habano ligero wrapper.





The cigar lasted 1 hour 20 minutes. The flavors continued very much as they were to the end. This is a pretty consistent cigar after the midpoint. I loved the flavor combinations. My only complaint is this is probably a one and done cigar. I do not expect to see any more after these sell out. I loved the citrus and blackberry combination, along with the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, chocolate, and black pepper. Quite a list of flavors and you will get them all. These should be on your must try list and they may be hard to find but if you do grab them quickly. They will not be around long. I thought so much of the first one I sampled I pre-bought a box. They are not expected to ship until mid-October but they are worth the wait. Great cigar and a definite must try. You can pre-order them HERE.

SCORE: 96