MAYANS by CAO Gordo

A few years back, CAO did a line of smokes based on the award-winning show Sons of Anarchy. Its spin-off show, Mayans M.C., now has a special one size cigar as well. If you don’t know anything about the show, FX Networks describes it as: “Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (JD Pardo) is a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. Once the golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp, EZ is trying to reconcile with his brother “Angel” (Clayton Cardenas) while searching for the truth behind their mother’s death. Meanwhile, their father “Felipe” (Edward James Olmos) is struggling to lead his sons down a righteous path.”

Handmade in Nicaragua, Mayans by CAO features a tantalizing blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican fillers, a zesty Brazilian binder and a golden brown Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. Medium to full in body, this smoke will lend flavors of wood, earth, black pepper and spice. This smoke is limited, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. So grab yourself one and pair it with a bold shiraz.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.