CigarMind

CAO

America

CAO America is a medium-full strength cigar made in Honduras at General Cigar Honduras. It pairs Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade wrapper; Brazilian binder; Dominican, Italian, Nicaraguan, American filler. The catalog lists 10 sizes, from 5 × 42 to 7 × 50.

Maker
CAO
Wrapper
Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade
Binder
Brazilian
Filler
Dominican, Italian, Nicaraguan, American
Country
Honduras
Factory
General Cigar Honduras
Strength
medium-full
Sizes
10 · 5 × 42 to 7 × 50

Blend details are claims from manufacturer and trade sources. Blends can change between releases.

What it tastes like

what the wrapper usually brings

CAO America uses a Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade wrapper. Connecticut broadleaf wrappers tend toward dark chocolate, molasses and a heavy sweetness. That is the leaf's general character, not a tasting note for this cigar.

How to smoke it

rules of thumb
  • Time: plan on about 1 hour to 1 h 30 min for a 6-inch size.
  • When: Medium to full: best after a meal, when you can give it your attention.
  • Pair with: port, stout, or a sweet bourbon.
  • Pace: about a puff a minute keeps it cool and lets the flavors change from third to third. Do not inhale.
  • Before lighting: cut just above the cap line, toast the foot evenly, and take a cold draw to check it.
How to cut a cigarWhere the cap line is, and which cut suits this size›How to light a cigarToast the foot for an even burn, with a guided timer›
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Sizes

10 in the catalog
Potomac5 × 42 · Connecticut Shade›Monument7 × 48 · Connecticut Shade›Robusto5 × 50 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Corona Gorda5½ × 50 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Toro6 × 50 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Churchill7 × 50 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Monument6¼ × 54 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Potomac5 × 56 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Gordo6 × 60 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›Landmark6 × 60 · Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade›

What to try next

matched on wrapper, strength, origin, factory
A step milder: CAO Pilonmedium · Ecuadorian Habano Viso›A step fuller: CAO Flathead V19full · Connecticut Broadleaf›Camacho American Barrel-AgedWhy: broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Alec Bradley Double BroadleafWhy: broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Bolívar Cofradia OscuroWhy: broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›My Father BlueWhy: broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Punch DeluxeWhy: broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Rocky Patel The Edge MaduroWhy: broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›

From the desk

reads and news on CAO
Seven Hundred Fifty Cigars, One Price Increase, and a Tariff Bill That Keeps GrowingRead · 2026-08-20 · Scandinavian Tobacco Group raised prices across nearly 750 SKUs on August 3, the broadest single-day hike in recent memory. The increase hits Alec Bradley, CAO, Macanudo, Cohiba, and half a dozen other brands. But the wholesale bump is only half the story. A separate import charge, tied to tariffs, climbed from 6 to 7 percent the same day, meaning even cigars whose base price did not change now cost retailers more.›Two Hundred Fifty Candles, Lit at Both Ends: The America 250 Cigars Worth ChasingRead · 2026-07-08 · The semiquincentennial has its own cigar category now. Here is every commemorative release we can verify, what is actually in them, and which boxes deserve a spot in the humidor after the fireworks fade.›Waiting On The Box: Rocky Patel And The America 250 MomentRead · 2026-07-31 · A crowded field of semiquincentennial cigars is about to gain a release from one of the most prolific blenders in the business. Here is what we know, what we can infer, and why this toro matters even before the bands arrive.›The Maestro Steps Out Front: Esteban Disla and the Rise of DomainRead · 2026-07-17 · For decades his blends carried everyone else's logos. With Domain, the man behind some of boutique's cult favorites finally put his own name on the band.›CAO Goes All-American for the SemiquincentennialNews · 2026-07-17 · CAO has released a limited edition of its America line built entirely from U.S.-grown tobacco, timed to the country's 250th anniversary.›CAO Puts American Tobacco Front and CenterNews · 2026-07-15 · The original CAO America line has been running since 2007 on a blend that pulls binder from Brazil and filler from four countries.›CAO Rolls a Cigar Built Entirely From U.S. TobaccoNews · 2026-07-12 · Scandinavian Tobacco Group's CAO brand has quietly shipped one of the more interesting America 250 commemoratives on the market: a barber pole toro that uses…›

CAO America questions

What does CAO America taste like?

CAO America uses a Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade wrapper. Connecticut broadleaf wrappers tend toward dark chocolate, molasses and a heavy sweetness. That is the leaf's general character, not a tasting note for this cigar; log a smoke in CigarMind to record your own.

How strong is CAO America?

CAO America is listed as medium-full strength. Medium to full: best after a meal, when you can give it your attention.

Is CAO America good for beginners?

It is a stronger cigar. Most newer smokers are better served starting milder and working up to it. Smoke it slowly, a puff a minute or so, and do not inhale.

Where is CAO America made?

CAO America is made in Honduras at General Cigar Honduras, according to manufacturer and trade sources.

What wrapper does CAO America use?

CAO America uses a Connecticut Broadleaf / Connecticut Shade wrapper over a Brazilian binder, with Dominican, Italian, Nicaraguan, American filler. Blends can change between releases, so check the band year if it matters to you.

What sizes does CAO America come in?

The CigarMind catalog lists 10 sizes: Potomac (5 × 42), Monument (7 × 48), Robusto (5 × 50), Corona Gorda (5½ × 50), Toro (6 × 50), Churchill (7 × 50), Monument (6¼ × 54) and Potomac (5 × 56), and more. Each size has its own page with the full blend.

How long does it take to smoke CAO America?

For a 6-inch size, plan on about 1 hour to 1 h 30 min. That is a rule of thumb of 10 to 15 minutes per inch at a relaxed pace, a puff about once a minute.

What drink goes with CAO America?

With a broadleaf wrapper, common pairings are port, stout, or a sweet bourbon. Match the drink's weight to the cigar's: lighter drinks for milder cigars, darker spirits for fuller ones.

What cigars are similar to CAO America?

Cigars with a similar build include Camacho American Barrel-Aged, Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf and Bolívar Cofradia Oscuro. They share broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras. Similarity here is by wrapper, strength, origin and factory, not by a tasting panel.

Smoking one?

Scan the band and log itRecord your own notes by third; your Palate DNA learns from them›Every CAO line›