CAO Goes All-American for the Semiquincentennial

CAO has released a limited edition of its America line built entirely from U.S.-grown tobacco, timed to the country's 250th anniversary. The CAO America 250th Anniversary keeps the line's signature barber pole construction -- alternating broadleaf and Connecticut shade wrapper leaves -- but this time the binder is a Connecticut-seed habano leaf and the fillers are drawn from Pennsylvania and an undisclosed second state. The vitola is a 5 1/2 x 55 box-pressed robusto at $9.99, made in Nicaragua at STG Danli despite the domestic tobacco sourcing, which is a notable wrinkle. Early reviews describe a full-flavored profile of creamy oak, cocoa nibs, and charred meat that holds up across the smoke, with an all-American origin story that turns out to be more than a marketing premise. The barber pole format has been around since the line debuted in 2007, and the visual identity still earns attention on the counter. At a penny under ten dollars, this is one of the more approachable releases in the crowded 250th anniversary field.