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CAO Lx2 Rosado Especial Cigar Rights of America Limited Edition

At just a little over seven inches, this Cigar Rights of America Special Edition cigar from CAO is a great looking cigar. The first thing you notice is that there is a heavy sheen of oil glistening on the reddish brown wrapper. Even the feel of it is slippery. There are some veins, it is a smidge misshapen in places and it is packed very tightly. As I pull out my cutter I find myself thinking about how oily this cigar is again. It truly is one of the oilier cigars that I have ever seen. Fighting through my awe and wonderment I successfully cut the cigar and take a pre-light draw. The draw is good and the flavors center on a core of spice. Upon lighting the CAO Lx2 Rosado Especial you are hit with just a ton of robust cigar flavors and (unfortunately for my eyes) a ton of cigar smoke as well. The flavors are awesome. A spice that kind of tastes like a candy cane but manlier and a whole lot spicier and there are also some leather flavors. While I do love the flavors the burn is atrocious at times. A couple of major touch ups have been made and I am barely at the halfway point. Another nit that needs picking is the poisonous smoke that wafts from this cigar. Never have had a cigar that actually made my eyes water. Well, at least no cigar that has made my eyes water this much. After the halfway point the robust spice becomes somewhat less robust. Of course by less robust I mean still very robust but not as glaringly so. Actually, with the power backing off ever so slightly it has become a much more complex cigar. The final throes of this cigar have a cherry oak flavor mixed in with the peppermint spiciness. It really is a very good cigar, very enjoyable. Full bodied with a nice draw (bad burn though) is always good for something in my book. And this CAO Lx2 has great flavors as well. As is the case with all the other cigars from the Cigar Rights of America sampler I will not be scoring this one.

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Asides

• Pre-Smoke Silky, light brown Connecticut wrapper. Oily, veiny and there are a couple of dark color splotches. The feel of the cigar is a little spongy. For this review I am smoking the churchill (7" x 50) vitola. It costs about $7.00. Smoke A burnt oak flavor is the first and main flavor to start off and it is pretty good. It burns evenly and the draw is great. The cigar stays very consistent throughout. Oak is the mainstay and, if you like that flavor a lot, then you will like this cigar a lot. It ranges from burnt to sweet but it's oak all the way. After-Smoke For the Oliva Connecticut the complexity is confined to its oak flavors. It's a fine cigar and an enjoyable enough cigar. Now, if you are thinking there are going to be a lot of flavors then you need to look elsewhere. 3 points #
• Pre-Smoke The light Connecticut shade wrapper that adorns this cigar has some discolorations. This Perdomo is packed nicely but there is not that much oil on it. Other than that, it looks like a well made cigar. Beside the American wrapper, the filler and binder tobaccos are grown in Nicaragua (Esteli, Condega and Jalapa). For this review I will be smoking the robusto (5" x 52), which retails for around $6.00 (the rest of the line will cost you more). Smoke Creaminess is the first noticeable flavor followed by oak. Those are the main flavors but there is also burnt toast in the background. It is a relatively smooth cigar but there is just something in the background that wants to burst out - sort of like a caged tiger or something like that. At times I can almost taste the spice breaking through and then the mellow oakiness takes back over. Not a bad cigar by any means. It's medium-full bodied, has a good draw and an even burn. And, truthfully, this cigar is growing on me. It's laid back flavor profile is endearing. After-Smoke Overall, it is an enjoyable smoke. The flavors are more than adequate but there is not a lot of complexity with this Perdomo. I will say this: it is better than most of the Perdomos that I have smoked. 3.5 points #
• Pre-Smoke The Tatuaje Series P is significantly cheaper than the other lines from Tatuaje. The robusto costs between $3.00 to $4.00 per stick, depending on how many you buy at one time. So, is it as good as it's much higher priced brethren? Just based off of looks and feel I would have to say no. It looks like a dried out leaf with only a slight sheen of oils. Beyond that, it does feel a little squishy to the touch. Not a good start for this Nicaraguan puro. Smoke With a good draw and burn and a medium body this cigar is starting off alright. While I don't think it measures up to the premium Tatuaje lines (which is an unfair expectation considering the price) it is actually a somewhat enjoyable smoke at the beginning. A slight amount of spice, a decent helping of maple sweetness and woody flavors. Working against it is that it is not a smooth cigar and the flavors don't meld all that well together. In fact, as the cigar progresses it does get harsh and then it gets better and then it gets harsh all over again. Basically, it's an inconsistent cigar that does have a couple of kind of good moments. In addition to the aforementioned flavors there is a nuttiness and meatiness to it. After-Smoke Upon reflection, the best way to describe this cigar is that it is dry. The flavors are there but they are intermittently harsh. It's a cheap cigar and it shows. 1.5 points #
• Pre-Smoke The 460 (4" x 60 ring gauge) Nub Maduro is a good enough looking cigar. Not too tightly packed, somewhat veiny, no glaring imperfections. Smoke Due to its large ring gauge, it does take a little bit longer to light than most cigars. The predominant flavor is espresso with a good helping of a low-octane spice (i.e. not very spicy spice - if that makes sense). After the one-inch mark the flavor profile makes a dramatic shift towards earthy/grassy flavors. However, it appears that was nothing more than a brief intermission since the spice and espresso return. It's an up-and-down cigar as far as flavor goes. The flavors alternate between being crisp and muddled. On the bright side, the draw is good (maybe a smidgen too tight for my liking) and the burn is for all intents and purposes, even. It is a medium bodied cigar. After-Smoke The Nub Maduro was one of those cigars that I don't have any real negative or positive feelings for. It's a fine cigar but, as I was merrily puffing along, I found that I was waiting for the end of the cigar to come along. It's just a boring cigar. 2.5 points #
• Pre-Smoke Sitting in my humidor this cigar did not look like much. The band is unassuming and the cigar is well crafted but rustic. Some oils on the dark US Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper give me hope even though the cigar seems a touch too soft throughout.There seems to be a slight box press to this cigar. I am smoking the La Riqueza #4, which is a robusto measuring 5" x 48. The binder and filler come from Nicaragua. This cigar should cost you about $9.00 per stick. Smoke Leather and tobacco with a meaty aftertaste. After the halfway point there is an herbal flavor. Some bitterness is evident on the tip of my tongue - not a negative in this case. It starts out a lot better than it finishes. The beginning is an explosion of flavor that is very enjoyable. The second half becomes harsh at times but it still has it moments. This is a medium bodied cigar with a good draw and an uneven burn. After-Smoke Truthfully, after the first couple of inches I was getting really excited about this cigar. The flavors were very enjoyable. I just guess I was expecting more from a cigar that costs nearly ten dollars. 3.5 points #