Half Ashed Episode 153: Cohiba Behike 56

October 30, 2016 By Kip Fisher

Cohiba Behike 56

From Craig:

In 2010 Cuba did something the cigar industry had never seen before. It figured out how to utilize a segment of the tobacco plant never used for a cigar before. The Medio Tiempo leaf was included in the Cohiba Behike line, representing its first use in any major production vitola. It is essentially the two (or 4) leaves atop of a tobacco plant that SOMETIMES grow. This is not the corona, where the ligero comes from. This is above the ligero.

The Behike was released with the front marque of 52, 54 & 56, and logically grew in size amongst its three offerings and brought an entirely new depth of flavor to the famed Cohiba flagship. Cohiba was finally deep & dark, dirty & grimey. And people loved it. A friend returned from the island in early 2010 with a bundle of 56s prior to their release. These are the cigars we’re smoking from tonight. I can’t be certain they represent the final production blend, or even the same blend amongst the entire bundle. I can be certain that they are characteristically Cohiba and many are downright earthy enough to keep even the biggest fan satisfied. Brown sugar, vanilla & earth are primary flavors. Citrus weaves in and out as a welcome palate cleanser amongst these sticks.

Cigar News

The big news for the day is another round of changes for those Cuban aficionados who travel abroad. President Obama has further loosened the restrictions on bringing Cuban goods – especially tobacco and alcohol – back to the U.S. It appears that soon the $100 limit on those 2 classes of goods will be lifted, and the allowances will be brought in line with similar products from other countries. Additionally, you will be able to bring back Cuban goods without setting specifically traveling there. Formerly, one could only bring back Cuban items if they had traveled to Cuba; now Cuban goods can be returned from trips to third-party locales. The big question remains “Can I buy Cuban cigars from American retailers? Order them online?” The answer to that – legally – is “no.”

The CAO Amazon is back! Of all the CAO releases – both pre- and post-General buyout – this was my favorite. The problem is, it’s limited in scope. The story says it’s a rare, little-produced tobacco within the blend that limits production due to its scarcity and difficulty in bringing it to market. It was originally released in 2014, but was short-lived. The latest batch should be hitting shelves over the next couple weeks. The blend is Ecuadoran Sumatra over Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan/Brazilian fillers. The special leaf contained is known as Bragança (I believe this is pronounced bruh-GAHN-suh). The new cigars come in just over $10 per stick.

Fresh on the heels of resigning from Maya Selva, Gabriel Alvarez has joined a different cigar company – Casa Cuevas – as Director of Sales. I have to admit I had never heard of Casa Cuevas, although they apparently have a factory nearby in Santiago. Based on their website, they’ve made cigars for Toraño, Leccia, and Gurkha. They previously specialized in making cigars for others, but have decided to branch out and produce some under their own name. I will report back when I know more on the brand….

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

Hoyo de Monterrey Anejados – Hermoso #4 – Lovely
Margate Pipe Tobacco

Kip

Diplomatico

Fonseca Nicaragua petit corona. Nica puro, made for Quesada by Plasencia. Wow. What a difference a vitola makes….
Leon Jimenes 300 Series

CAO and Flying Dog Brewery Create Pairings

June 17, 2014 By Kip Fisher

June 17, 2014 – In a move that will make those who enjoy craft beer and cigars happy, Flying Dog and CAO Cigars have collaborated to create and market four pairings of their respective products.

“Cigars are most often paired with brown spirits. Since we’re not fans of being conventional, we’re shaking things up by bringing craft beer into the mix. Flying Dog mirrors our devotion to delivering new, unique flavors, so we’re looking forward to working with them to bring this new trend to life.” CAO cigar blender Rick Rodriguez said.

“Just as craft beer is defined by a unique blend of malt, hops, and yeast, a cigar’s wrapper, binder and filler determines its flavor profile and aroma,” Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso said. “The similarities between these two artisanal products quickly became apparent as we were working through this project.”

[Read more…]

News: CAO releases Sinister Sam

June 7, 2014 By Kip Fisher

America remix now available until supplies are exhausted

I’m a bit behind the 8-ball with this story, and I apologize for that. I’ve been tied up with two podcasts this week (Catch either Stogie Geeks Episode 98 or Half Ashed Episode 069 to see that), and have not had a moment to catch up until tonight. CAO has released the Sinister Sam, a twist on the CAO America blend.

The Sinister Sam shares a common bond with the original America line in the wrapper and binder content – Connecticut Shade and broadleaf, respectively. The filler, however, has been pumped up a bit with a “new, ligero-driven blend with a touch of Colombian tobacco. The flavor is similar to CAO America, amped up with fuller-body.” In a release from General earlier this week, the Sinister Sam features is said to feature some intricate construction details. The cigar is wrapped predominantly with Connecticut Shade leaf, but additionally features a “sheath” of broadleaf on its exterior. Although largely hidden by the lengthy band, the sheath extends enough below to reveal a large cut-out star. At the foot is the existing America footband, with another cut-out star below. “The result is a unique smoking experience as the smoker progresses along the cigar from shade to a shade + broadleaf overwrap, and then back to shade with a hint of broadleaf at the end.”

The Sinister Sam is available in a single, 6.5″ X 52 vitola, and has been produced in a limited run of 2,000 boxes of 14 (28,000 total production). Retail price before tax is set at $8.50 per cigar. It is available exclusively at cigar shops nationwide from now until the run is depleted.

Per the General release, “CAO Sinister Sam is an ideal smoke for Fourth of July and summer BBQs, and follows CAO’s Evil Santa and Angry Snowman, two small-batch blends that were extremely well-received by cigar smokers.”

Press Release: CAO Concert – review to come

August 9, 2012 By Kip Fisher

The news of CAO’s September release of the Concert has already hit in various locales around the web, but I wanted to publish the original release from General Cigar in anticipation of the upcoming review I will post this weekend. I was fortunate enough to be furnished some samples of the Concert at IPCPR. I have already smoked one, and will have at least one more before writing up the review this weekend. While I have not always been the biggest fan of General, I have to admit I am very impressed with their recent offerings and their renewed innovation in blend creation and packaging. I have no beef with them…I have just tended to focus on other producers in recent times. Notably, they have garnered my attention with the latest cigars under the Partagas marque, and a couple of others. I find their recent blending more appealing to my personal palate than I have given them credit for for several years. So, here’s the original from General:

CAO CONCERT

From the brand that was launched in Nashville and marches to the beat of its own drum comes CAO Concert, a new collection that celebrates CAO’s ties to music and harnesses the legendary energy of Music City.

“CAO Concert was inspired by the brand’s roots in Nashville,” commented Ed McKenna, CAO’s senior brand manager. “When listening to music at a concert, or even in your own backyard, it’s a great time to sit back, enjoy a great cigar, and enjoy the people you’re with. That’s what Concert is about.”

The four-cigar collection is firmly planted in the full-medium-bodied range, with great harmony of flavor among the tobaccos. CAO’s Rick Rodriguez created the blend which features a special combination of four different Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, not previously used in any other General Cigar offering. Wrapped with a lustrous Ecuadoran Habano Rosado and bound with CT Broadleaf, CAO Concert begins with a kick of pepper, mellows with hints of subtle sweetness and comes to a full-flavored finish.

The quartet of new frontmarks will debut at IPCPR and will be available at retail beginning in mid-September. A rarity in the premium cigar category, each Concert cigar will have the same length of 5.5”. Rick Rodriguez explained, “With Concert, I wanted to bring out a new cigar that has really consistent flavor and body across all of the frontmarks. I believe this particular length works perfectly to maximize the flavor of both larger and smaller ring gauges.”

CAO Concert features these frontmarks: Amp (5 ½” x 46, SRP per cigar is $5.75) Solo (5 ½” x 50, SRP per cigar is $6.25); Roadie (5 ½” x 54, SRP per cigar is $6.75) and Stage (5 ½” x 60, SRP per cigar is $7.50).

True to CAO’s tradition of exciting and unexpected packaging, CAO Concert is presented in an innovative box inspired by a classic Marshall amp, with band art that showcases a guitar pick and Fender-style guitars.

Following its special sneak preview at the CMA Music Festival last month, CAO Concert will be sampled at cigar-friendly live music venues and music-themed events across the country. A schedule of events will be announced in the coming weeks and will be posted on the CAO website at www.caocigars.com.

Ed McKenna promised, “We are going to make an announcement about a very exciting CAO promotion in the coming weeks, so CAO fans should also be on the lookout for that.”

About CAO Cigars

CAO cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., a division of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo®, Cohiba®, La Gloria Cubana, Punch®, CAO, Partagas®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide and also exports select products to 62 countries. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

® CAO, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, La Gloria Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.