« What Would You Stock Up On? | Home | Padilla Obsidian Belicoso Cigar Review »

CAO Sopranos Boss Cigar Review

By Jesse | November 19, 2007 |

Brand: CAO Cigars
Line: The Sopranos Edition
Vitola: Boss 7 x 56
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Brazilian
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Dominican, Columbian, & Nicaraguan
Body: Medium-Full
Strength: Medium-Full
Box Price: $261.00 (Box of 20)

Description: Does this cigar really need an introduction? What do you do when Tony Soprano asks you to make him a cigar? You make it or else. The Soprano Edition is the first cigar that HBO has ever licensed to commemorate a show, and who else would you turn to for something like this, but CAO? CAO is the cigar industry’s king of marketing and knows how to get their cigars in the public eye. The CAO Soprano Edition is a beautiful dark cigar in an eye catching box that is reminiscent of a cherry red car trunk.

I smoked several of these over the past year or so, but tonight I chose the Boss, which is a large 7 x 56 Torpedo. I can’t find fault in the construction, very solid, oily, and toothy Brazilian wrapper. The draw is a bit resistant, but not uncomfortable. Unlit I picked up some leather notes in the cigar.

Once lit the cigar put off a nice amount of white smoke when puffed on with a dominant leather flavor profile. After an inch or so some other notes kicked in, with a slight sweet licorice or fennel flavor. The leather took a back seat to a coffee and dark chocolate earthiness in the first third. Somewhere between the halfway point and the start of the final third some of the sweetness went out of the cigar and picked up some black peppercorn, but still primarily coffee and leather consistently until the end.

On a few other sites I noticed a few complaints about the burn, but I really did not have any complaints. I did touch it up a couple times, but that was more or less the pyromaniac in me looking for an excuse to play with fire. This cigar did have several weeks resting at 65% humidity though, so that could have made a difference.

Verdict: The CAO Sopranos Edition is good Medium-Full cigar with some surprisingly complex flavors, but the price is a bit of deterrent for me. I’ll occasionally pick up some of the small sizes if I can find a deal on them.

Similar Cigars: CAO Brazilia, Carlos Torano Signature Collection or Palmas Puro Maduro are some other great cigars with Brazilian wrappers and also carry a lower price tag.

If you're new here, you may want to check out the Cigar Review Index or subscribe to get updates through RSS or Email. Thanks for visiting!

Tags: CAO Cigars, Cigar Reviews