CAO Criollo Mancha
Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 5 5/8 X 46
Wrapper: Natural Criollo

From Superior Cigars:
The Criollo seed is rich in the history of cigar making. CAO has found a gorgeous flavorful Criollo '98 crop year wrapper. This Nicaraguan puro is a flavorful marriage of Cuba style and Nicaraguan flavor reminiscent of a bygone era and representing the beginning of a new one.

Reviewed by: MrChef
Date: June 2004
Notes:

I love CAO cigars. And while this was a pretty good cigar it pissed me off so much I would not buy another.

First of all is comes tissue wrapped, which is all well and good but then its got a cloth band that is wrapped with scotch tape. So getting the damn thing unwrapped was more like a career than a simple process.

Upon cutting the tip the “gorgeous” Criollo wrapper started coming unraveled. It went out on me twice…and not from lack of attention either. When it did burn though, it gave up tons of nice thick flavorful smoke. BUT the ash was loose, messy and flaked all over the place. It was just a pain in the ass. It burned for about a half an hour and I was happy to put it down for the final time.

I don’t think a cigar should be annoying, this one was. Almost as annoying as CAO’s new web site. I swear I think they are trying to market to chicks instead of guys. It’s just stupid and hard to navigate. And while I’m bitching, what the hell is a Mancha? Is that really necessary? I don’t think so.

CAO remains one of my favorite lines but I won’t be wasting my time with this particular one again.