CAO 'VR' Mural

The CAO ‘VR’ maduro blend is CAO’s newest and potentially best cigar yet. With its slight box press and its dark, oily Brazilian Maduro Arapiraca wrapper, the ‘VR’ is a beauty. It comes to you from the CAO Fabrica de Tabacos factory in Danli, Honduras, hand crafted—as are all club offerings—with the utmost in care and attention to detail. The blend is a mix of well-aged Nicaraguan and Mexican long-fillers which create a robust, full-bodied and slightly spicy profile. Its special Maduro wrapper adds both balance and a hefty dose of rich-sweet flavor. A pre-light sniff of the foot (with its own Jackson Pollock-esque band) delivers a highly pleasurable blast of spice to awaken your senses. Trust that size is no measure of complexity, which the ‘VR’ offers in spades. Upon lighting, a burst of peppery goodness may surprise you but that will smooth out almost immediately as the Brazilian wrapper throws its sweet, leathery character into the mix. If you’ve ever wanted to know what people mean by ‘leather,’ CAO ‘VR’ is a great way to discover this flavor. It’s almost unmistakable. Look for a distinctly leathery aroma as well, with a slight spice through the nose. The ‘VR’ delivers a steady dose of cedar as it burns and gets progressively heavier in body while managing to retain a smooth, creamy core. A few months of additional box-aging will turn this highly enjoyable smoke into a supremely pleasurable one. After a great meal, enjoy this one for a good hour and a half with a full tawny port or a VSOP cognac.