Did you know that almost half of Michigan is comprised of water? And except for Alaska, Michigan has more shoreline than any other state? With 3,177 miles of Great Lakes shoreline it is easy to see why Michigan supports a flourishing recreational industry, and leads the nation with approximately one million registered pleasure boats. [Netstate.com]. Speaking of pleasures, this past holiday weekend – Saturday July 3rd to be exact – I had the pleasure of spending the evening on my brother-in-law’s boat, the Island Girl. It’s a sweet 30-footer with one two-person sleeping compartment, a galley, head (that’s a bathroom for you landlubbers), flying bridge and lots of other bells and whistles. (Seriously. I am not joking. There are actual bells and whistles.) We were anchored along with hundreds of other boats in the north channel of the St. Clair River. The channel runs between the City of Algonac and Harsens Island, Michigan. It was a gorgeous summer night and everyone was gathered to watch the Algonac fireworks display. Sound like a nice setting for a cigar? I would say so! I wanted to smoke a reliable cigar for such an occasion. Something I’d had in the past and knew would not let me down. With a nice comfortable glow settling over me from several cocktails, and the fading dusk turning into night, I unlatched my Model 1120 Armored Humidor Systems* travel humi and chose CAO’s La Traviata Divino (5x50).
Pre-light/pre-cut assessment displayed an oily black, vein-laced oboe of a cigar. Firmly constructed, it felt solid in my hand and looked like it meant business. The regal-looking band consists of mostly gold embossing with some reddish-brown accents. CAO unveiled their La Traviata cigar brand at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association's annual convention, last August 2009. The La Traviata is billed as a re-boot of a turn-of-the-20th Century Cuban blend: “…A full-bodied, full-flavored cigar that combines an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Cameroon binder and incorporates two different ligero leaf [top of the plant] filler tobaccos...” Sounds like a powerhouse to me, and the aquatic air had me in the mood for something brawny. I made the cut and took a pre-light sip. The cold draw was a little firm for my preference, nonetheless the flavor profile revealed a pleasant distinct pepper and rawhide nose. I settled in and lit the fuse…
Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™! Inaugural puffs repaid me with rich notes of cedar, licorice and leather. A barrage of woodsy earth tones assailed my palate – and I mean that in the best way. The nasal exhale produced that nice sinus cavity buzz which portends the start of a good smoke. My timing was perfect – a few loud salvos signaled the beginning of the fireworks show. Into the mid-stick sweet spot the cigar transitioned into a lush and velvety affair. I would still call it full-bodied but without any harshness. As anticipated, the draw loosened to ideal as the cigar continued to burn. The leisurely burn line held razor-sharp as I coasted into the finish. Down to the nub the flavor profile remained balanced and enjoyable; notes of coffee and cocoa, with just a touch of cinnamon creeping in. As I enjoyed my final puffs the pyrotechnics display was in full effect. Bouquet blossoms of light filled the sky and reflected off the water, and along with the lights on all the boats the channel was lit up like… well, like the Fourth of July! The sights and sounds of liberty were in the air and all was well with the world.
To sum up: CAO’s La Traviata brand represents a bit of a departure for the company best known for cutting-edge cigars with brightly-colored bands. It’s an all-around excellent cigar priced in the $6.00 to $8.00 range. I bought this cigar from my local tobacconist roughly 30 days prior to smoking. Other than a slightly dense draw (most likely remedied with a little more humidor time), it suffered no major construction or burn issues. For a medium-to-full-bodied cigar, and at this price point, I consider CAO’s La Traviata worthy of humidor space. They have already become part of my rotation.
Grade: B+
Good day sirs!
*There are plenty of travel humidors on the market these days, but one of the first companies I came across, way back in the early 90’s, was Armored Humidor Systems. Their cases are watertight, impact-resistant, and humidity-controlled. I've had my Model 1120 for 16+ years and it has been all over the country with me. Perfect for camping, boating, road-trips and vacations. Their website (along with video of a Jeep running over one of their cases) can do a better job of showcasing these damn-near bulletproof cigar vaults than I can. Check ‘em out: http://www.armoredhumidor.com/index.html
Pre-light/pre-cut assessment displayed an oily black, vein-laced oboe of a cigar. Firmly constructed, it felt solid in my hand and looked like it meant business. The regal-looking band consists of mostly gold embossing with some reddish-brown accents. CAO unveiled their La Traviata cigar brand at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association's annual convention, last August 2009. The La Traviata is billed as a re-boot of a turn-of-the-20th Century Cuban blend: “…A full-bodied, full-flavored cigar that combines an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Cameroon binder and incorporates two different ligero leaf [top of the plant] filler tobaccos...” Sounds like a powerhouse to me, and the aquatic air had me in the mood for something brawny. I made the cut and took a pre-light sip. The cold draw was a little firm for my preference, nonetheless the flavor profile revealed a pleasant distinct pepper and rawhide nose. I settled in and lit the fuse…
Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™! Inaugural puffs repaid me with rich notes of cedar, licorice and leather. A barrage of woodsy earth tones assailed my palate – and I mean that in the best way. The nasal exhale produced that nice sinus cavity buzz which portends the start of a good smoke. My timing was perfect – a few loud salvos signaled the beginning of the fireworks show. Into the mid-stick sweet spot the cigar transitioned into a lush and velvety affair. I would still call it full-bodied but without any harshness. As anticipated, the draw loosened to ideal as the cigar continued to burn. The leisurely burn line held razor-sharp as I coasted into the finish. Down to the nub the flavor profile remained balanced and enjoyable; notes of coffee and cocoa, with just a touch of cinnamon creeping in. As I enjoyed my final puffs the pyrotechnics display was in full effect. Bouquet blossoms of light filled the sky and reflected off the water, and along with the lights on all the boats the channel was lit up like… well, like the Fourth of July! The sights and sounds of liberty were in the air and all was well with the world.
To sum up: CAO’s La Traviata brand represents a bit of a departure for the company best known for cutting-edge cigars with brightly-colored bands. It’s an all-around excellent cigar priced in the $6.00 to $8.00 range. I bought this cigar from my local tobacconist roughly 30 days prior to smoking. Other than a slightly dense draw (most likely remedied with a little more humidor time), it suffered no major construction or burn issues. For a medium-to-full-bodied cigar, and at this price point, I consider CAO’s La Traviata worthy of humidor space. They have already become part of my rotation.
Grade: B+
Good day sirs!
*There are plenty of travel humidors on the market these days, but one of the first companies I came across, way back in the early 90’s, was Armored Humidor Systems. Their cases are watertight, impact-resistant, and humidity-controlled. I've had my Model 1120 for 16+ years and it has been all over the country with me. Perfect for camping, boating, road-trips and vacations. Their website (along with video of a Jeep running over one of their cases) can do a better job of showcasing these damn-near bulletproof cigar vaults than I can. Check ‘em out: http://www.armoredhumidor.com/index.html
Excellent review as always ....so please tell me- how does one develop a sophisticated palate like yours? I mean you taste coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, earth tones,lillacs, french toast, etc. in these cigars...and I think its just amazing !! Keep up the good work....
ReplyDeleteNice review, and I love these things! Keep the blog running.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliments. As far as my refined palate goes, cigar smoking is an acquired taste so much of the experience is subjective (although I must admit I have never tasted “lilacs” or “French toast”.) Other than that it comes with smoking a variety of cigars and really paying attention while you smoke.
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