CAO Pilon

CAO is the little, boutique, premium cigar brand that has defied all odds in the premium cigar industry. It started as a dream by the late Cano A. Ozgener, who incorporated his passion for fine cigars along with his passion for family to create the CAO brand. Together they grew CAO from a local favorite to one of the most widely recognized names in the cigar industry. When the family sold the brand to General Cigar in 2007, many had doubts that the brand could thrive under the corporate yoke. The brand was put in the capable hands of Rick Rodriguez, who had been the heir apparent to Partagas Master Blender Benji Menendez. Those first few years were rocky for CAO and Rodriguez, but he’s hit his stride and continues to churn out spectacular new blends for the brand.

The CAO Pilon is a tribute to the delicate process of tobacco fermentation (an integral part of cigar making). After cigar tobacco is harvested and air dried, the next step is to assemble tobacco bunches and stack them in a special pile called a Pilon. This process generates heat and pressure naturally to ferment the tobacco before it can be aged. Fermentation delivers a taste and appearance that just can’t be reached otherwise. It’s a process that can take anywhere from 3 months to a year depending on the type of tobacco. Using well aged Nicaraguan filler and binder tobacco, the CAO Pilon employs an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Tasting notes include flavors of natural tobacco, cedar, cocoa, and fatty nuts along with hints of pepper, clove, and cocoa.