CAO Criollo-Conquistador

Size: 6 1/8 x 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Full
Strength: Medium

This cigar from CAO comes in with a different kind of wrapper, known a criollo which some consider to be corojo. I am not sure if this is just a corojo wrapper with a new name to get the attention of smokers. As attention is what sells CAO cigars. Look at all the fancy boxes CAO comes in from Vision to Sopranos, Italia to Brazilia. They market to please the eyes, but can they stand up to taste? CAO has followers that either love or hate their cigars. For me, I am too indifferent and enjoy a good cigar no matter the price. I look for consistency and flavor, mild or full, if it is a good cigar than I will enjoy it and take notice. I have experienced plugs, bad burns, flaky ash, bad taste, and just about any other bad cigar problems in CAO. On the other hand I have had great cigars from CAO that are just right in flavors, burn, and consistency. The Criollo is not a cigar to miss out on.

From the start, the Criollo starts with a firm stick, has a nice bouncy squishy feel with no soft spots or hard spots. The aromas lingering off of the cigar before lighting were cocoa maduro like scents. After an easy clip of the cap, the cigar had a loose draw and a dry cocoa taste. I could swear I was getting ready to light up a maduro cigar.

From the very start I was hit with a spicey coffee/espresso flavors. The cigar bellowed out smoke that added a touch of creamy cedar to the taste. Starting into the body of the cigar the espresso flavors strengthened with a mild sweetness.

The burn was uneven at the start, but I was never upset with how bad this stick burned. The ash was white and held on well to the cigar.

Into the body I was given a few flavors I did not expect. The espresso stayed strong and I was hit with the taste of smoke from fireworks. I was rushed back into time and I was reminded of all the July 4th fireworks I lit off with family and friends. I remembered the taste of smoke because we were lighting off so many fireworks there was a cloud of smoke lingering in the streets like a fog. Breathing in the smoke and tasting the smoke from these fireworks. Odd I know, but I distinctly tasted that flavor in the smoke briefly during my enjoyment of this cigar.

Reaching the final third of the cigar I was presented a mild pepper spice, it was not overpowering the creamy espresso sweetness this cigar abundantly gave. The cigar produced one more new flavor before I finished, the taste of pretzels, that is right, pretzels. Maybe it is because I recently had some pretzels earlier in the week, but tasted these flavors more than once in the smoke.

This is a cigar that should not be smoked fast. I have read many reviews about burn problems, but that could be due to needing a lower humidity. I let this cigar sit in a 60% humidity humidor. If the criollo is a corojo wrapper, than that explains why a lower humidity is needed to produce a better burn. I would classify this as a coffee cigar. The flavors would compliment your favorite Cup-of-Joe and add a good start to your day. I kept thinking about what kind of coffee I would enjoy with this cigar, maybe a strong Sumatra.

Go for this cigar and enjoy, it is one worth burning.