C.A.O. America potomac

[Don Fernando]

This cigar is a looker and lives up to the America name because both wrappers are American. The dark wrapper is a broadleaf Connecticut while the lighter wrapper is Connecticut and both are grown in the United States. The binder is Brazilian and the filler, all ligero, comes from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Italy and the United States. I smoked the Potomac, a 5x56 cigars that I got a few years ago from Eric from Kioki Cigars as a welcome gift when I signed up for Club Stogie (lowland louie, rest in peace)



The wrapper is beautiful, and instead of making a straight forward barberpole the people at C.A.O. created an unusual pattern with the two different wrappers, it is more like a lighter colored pinstripe on a dark cigar. The cigar has a mild smell of wood. The construction feels good. The bands support the whole America theme of the cigar. The predraw is on the loose side and tastes like spicy raisin.



I taste a bitter and musty coffee flavor with something sweet and that sweetness becomes dominant after a few puffs. After half an inch I taste some wood, some herbs, lots of sweetness and those flavors are mild spicy.



After an inch and a half the flavors are sweet with herbs, burned wood and a hint of chocolate. Halfway the sweetness disappears and now I taste burned and mild spicy herbs. After two thirds I taste a mild salty licorice flavor with burned herbs and wood.



This cigar has a smoke time of an hour and ten minutes. I got a lot of thick white smoked. The light colored as is firm. The burn is crooked. This cigar is full flavored and medium to full bodied.



Would I buy this cigar again? No, this cigar reminds me of an old girlfriend. Both looked good but both left a bad taste in my mouth.

Appearance: 8 / 10
Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Burn: 6 / 10
Smoke & ash: 7 / 10
Aroma first part: 5 / 10
Aroma second part: 6 / 10
Aroma third part: 5 / 10