Sippin' with Stogies
FEBRUARY 2022
CAO Amazon Basin
Origin Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Colorado Ecuador Sumatra
Binder and Filler: Brazilian Bragança, Nicaraguan, Colombian and Dominican
Vitola: Toro, 6 x 52
Price: $13.00
What makes it special:
The tobacco twine used in lieu of a traditional ring (which is not to be removed) obviously sets the CAO Amazon Basin apart visually, but what lies within is what really sets it apart. Having reviewed the CAO Pilón, I know CAO is no stranger to unique tobaccos and laborious fermentation processes, and the Amazon Basin takes those qualities to a limited edition status. The organically grown Bragança tobacco that makes it renowned can be harvested only once every three years. Unlike most tobacco farms where plants are in uniform rows, CAO’s Bragança plants are spaced at least a yard apart from one another for maximum sun exposure, halving the amount harvested even more. The tobacco literally must be hand-carried from within the rainforest to the nearest river after fermentation, then transported via canoe to the mainland before traditional transportation gets it to Nicaragua for rolling. Only 6,000 (18-count) boxes of this year’s release made it to the U.S. market. Eight years after its original release in 2014, is it still worth the hype?
What strikes me:
The CAO Amazon Basin is yet another cigar that proves the price doesn’t always represent the cigar experience. For a cigar that touts a 5-country blend, the price point makes it difficult to believe that it’s quality, not marketing, that make the Basin such a hot topic in cigar shops everywhere. Let’s find out…
Visual / Pre-light Draw
While the wrapper shines with oils and no visible flaws, per se, I’d have to describe the CAO Amazon Basin’s appearance as “rustically perfect”. It’s certainly toothy, which makes me eager to taste what lies beneath this shiny-but-velvety wrapper. The aroma is distinctly that of cocoa powder, and that’s nothing to complain about in my book. There may be a hint of cinnamon hidden within the cocoa smell, but if there is, it’s masked by the smell of chocolate. The pre-light draw is where it gets interesting; I taste unique spices not usually found in cigars, and my curiosity grows. A few more draws before lighting and I’m sure I taste anise seed and something floral! A complete curveball before the match is even struck…
First Third
I was advised to light the Amazon Basin naturally, with either a long-stick match or even cedar. I’ve taken just enough good puffs to get the cigar fully lit and I understand why – this is a seriously complex cigar. It’s my first time smoking the Basin, and already I can tell that it would be a crime to interfere with the merging of flavors right from the start. The cocoa from the wrapper is blending with something floral but with a savory aftertaste, and I’m now sure it’s anise. I would never imagine this as a good blend for a cigar’s palate, but this is one of those times when I’m happy to be wrong. Interestingly, the retrohale seems to isolate the floral note at first, but before the first third is over, the retrohale evolves into a blend of the cigar’s overall flavors.
Second Third
The draw is perfect, and while the burn is a bit uneven, that’s something I expect when lighting with a match. I did use a butane torch to even the burn, as the CAO Amazon Basin is rumored to taste better when the burn is kept even. I believe that rumor to be true, as after the touch-up I began to taste a bit of cinnamon and spice… not a peppery spice, this is more of a combination of allspice, clove and a nutty cumin. The cigar is rich and full of flavor; not strong enough to break out of the “medium” bracket, but its palate again sets it apart and almost warrants its own place on that continuum. The ash is thick and solid, and the lines that were visible in the wrapper are still there once good and grey. While the anise in the overall palate is no longer as prominent, the retrohale now isolates the anise instead of the floral note. The Amazon Basin is full of surprises!
Final Third
The palate has again changed... notes of cocoa have returned while the floral notes have dissipated. The taste is more so that of cocoa powder used for baking, not that of a chocolate bar. The cigar’s overall body and palate has richened throughout, but somehow remains medium-full. The baking spices haven’t lost their savory touch, which keeps the flavor fascinating and yet familiar enough to please. Don’t remove the ring! That tobacco twine is meant to be smoked, and just as I’d often expect a cigar to lose some of its character closer to the nub, the twine ring delivers a flavor blast! Cocoa, nuttiness and a hint of raisin or dried cranberry sweetness exude from the ring, as if the characters of the show came out on stage to take a bow and get their much-deserved applause. To answer my opening question, yes, the CAO Amazon Basin IS worth the hype!
The Pairing:
I needed a good whiskey that would both complement the cigar and impart a sense of warmth during a nor’easter, and I found that in Belle Meade Reserve. The nose is sweet and bright, but also warm and it reminds me of fall/winter flavors – cornbread, pie crust and caramel apple… even a hint of plum. The palate is nearly as complex as that of the Amazon Basin, but with caramel and baking spices taking the spotlight. The finish reveals brown sugar, caramel and vanilla, with the plum (and perhaps some apricot) making a gentle return after the primary notes pass. The 54.15% ABV is noticeable on the palate and delivers the warmth I was looking for, but the finish is long, smooth and sweet. All that said, the Belle Mead Reserve is not a bourbon reserved only for the colder months. Just as pleasantly surprising as the CAO Amazon Basin, the Belle Meade Reserve is a fabulous sipping whiskey in any weather.
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