CAO America Potomac (5x56)

Since it is July the 4th I decided it would be great to get a review up on the CAO America. It only seemed fitting since it does have an American flag right on the band. After a long day of celebrating with family and of course the drive to visit with said family it was past time for a cigar. The dual wrappers are a Connecticut shade and a Connecticut broadleaf maduro. Inside the beautifully presented wrapper is a brazillian binder encasing an all ligero filler from Nicaragua, Italy, and the USA. Both wrappers had a nice oily sheen to them. I retreated to the front patio with a tall glass of water to pair with this one. It was firm to the pinch with no soft spots. I clipped the cap with my scissors and the initial draw before lighting was very easy. I removed the band at the foot and toasted it up. The first third opened up with a nuttiness, light coffee, toasted almonds and a maduro sweetness. It was very nice how the flavors danced around on my palate, each one complimenting the other. the ash was a very nice light gray salt and pepper color. The first third was more medium in body than the full I was expecting. The second third did pick up to a medium-full body as most of the coffee notes disappeared. In their place were notes of leather and black pepper with a oaky woodiness. Entering the final third, just before the ash fell off, the body did pick up to become the full body I was expecting. Nothing really changed in the final third other than the kick in body and a slight added intensity to the leather and black pepper that came into the mix at the start of the second third. Even with the increase in body throughout the burn it maintained it's smoothness and was never harsh. The burn was cool right down to the nub. With this much wrapper I wasn't sure if the burn would be even but every time it started to get a bit off it would correct itself. Overall it was a rather complex smoke with a beautiful presentation. The maduro sweetness that existed from start to finish really served to tie all the flavors together very well. The potomac size runs around 38-42 bucks for a 5 pack. If you have not yet tried the CAO America you're missing out on a tasty smoke. I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th, Happy Birthday America! You can find more information about the brand at CAOcigars.com and on twitter as @caocigars