Video review HERE.
(Description provided by General Cigar/STG)
CAO has always had a rebellious streak (think MX2, CX2, LX2), and the brand’s maverick approach to blending is taking another leap forward through its latest expression: CAO BX3.
BX3 is a new collection that harnesses “three times the Brazilian tobaccos” in one robust blend.
Focusing on the primary growing regions of Northeastern Brazil, CAO BX3 is made with sweet and aromatic Mata Fina and hearty, vibrant Arapiraca tobaccos that are used as wrapper, binder, and filler in an exciting, four-country blend.
Ed Lahmann, CAO’s senior brand manager said, “Being trailblazers of tobacco is in CAO’s DNA, and with BX3, we’re continuing to pilot the path. Our inspiration was the legendary X series which had put our blending expertise on the map. With BX3, we set out to take the best of Brazilian tobacco and bring it to the next level. The easy thing to do would have been to make a Brazilian puro. Our blending team went that route, and it felt like we were just dialing it in. So they kept at it, peppering in Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos in just the right proportions to add character, dimension and layers to the smoke. We’re really proud of the way the blend turned out. To us, BX3 is everything a Brazilian-centric smoke should be. It’s memorable, savory and thought-provoking and it complements our portfolio beautifully.”
Handcrafted in Nicaragua at STG Estelí, CAO BX3’s is enrobed in a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, has a Brazilian Arapiraca binder and a blend of rich and robust filler tobaccos from Brazil, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras. All told, the tobaccos create a medium-bodied smoke, that’s rich in character and deeply enjoyable with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and white pepper.
CAO BX3 will be a full-time line, available in all channels. The three-frontmark collection is packed in boxes containing 20 cigars and will begin shipping in the first week in July.
BX3 Robusto (5” x 52) -- SRP per cigar $8.99 REVIEWED TODAY
BX3 Toro (6” x 54) -- SRP per cigar $9.49
BX3 Gordo (6” x 60) -- SRP per cigar $10.49
The cigar is dark and well made. It has a very good feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were a nice citrus/apricot combination, brown sugar, light citrus peel, creamy nutmag, and leather. There was black pepper rated at 7. Nice start.
At the first third (23 minutes) the ash was still intact and a nice salt and pepper in color. The citrus and apricot have gotten very sweet and tangy. Add in the brown sugar and you have a tasty cigar. The nutmeg now has raw almond butter mixed in but not too much. It's just enough.Then comes the leather. The finish is apricot and leather with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. I rated the first third 94.
As I moved through the second third (46 minutes) there was a lot of earthiness with the leather and there is black coffee to accompany those. The sweeter notes are muffled. They are there but the earthiness makes them muffled and decreases them somewhat. You can pick out the citrus but the apricot is decreased. The brown sugar is also decreased. You don't notice the nutmeg due to the earthiness, leather, and black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied leaning toward medium to full. The finish has light apricot and a lot of leather with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar transitioned downward. I rated the second third 91.
The cigar lasted 1 hour. In the final third the earthiness decreased and the sweeter notes made a small comeback. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar made a strong start but dropped off in the middle section. But it made a small comeback in the final third. I rated the final third 92. Still, overall a good cigar.
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