CAO Orellana

Cigar ReviewNicaraguan CigarCAOOrellanaToro

8 Jan

Written By Ray Prodanov

📌 Brand: CAO
📌 Line: Orellana
📌 Size: Toro (6" × 52)
📌 Weight: 19.7 g
📌 Age: 7 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua

Tasting Notes

Black Pepper – Sharp, aggressive spice
Bitter Cocoa – Dry and edgy rather than sweet
Charred Wood – Prominent as combustion struggles
Sour Earth – Appears during burn corrections

First Impressions

The Orellana looks bold and rustic with a dark, coarse wrapper and visible veins. Pre-light aroma shows pepper, damp earth, and bitter cocoa. Cold draw is open but uneven, hinting at combustion problems ahead.

Smoking Experience

First Third – Immediate pepper blast with harsh edges. Burn line starts crooked almost from the light.
Second Third – Harshness increases; bitter cocoa and char dominate. Very uneven burn requires multiple touch-ups.
Final Third – Smoke overheats, earth turns sour, and balance never recovers. Burn remains unstable to the end.

Pairings

Alcohol – Barbeito Sercial 10 Year Madeira - High-acid, bone-dry Madeira with citrus peel and saline notes that cuts through harshness and refreshes the palate instead of adding weight.
Tea – Japanese Hojicha (Kyoto roast) - Low-tannin, roasted warmth calms bitterness and prevents pepper fatigue.

Music Pairing

“The Host of Seraphim” – Dead Can Dance
Brooding, atmospheric tension matching the cigar’s harsh evolution.

Final Thoughts

CAO Orellana aims for bold exploration but suffers from excessive harshness and a very uneven burn that derails balance and complexity. While powerful in intent, the execution here feels raw and unresolved.

Final Score: 6/10
Why not a 10?
Overwhelming harshness and unstable combustion prevented flavor clarity and progression.

Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.