CigarMind

CAO

Gold

CAO Gold is a mild-medium strength cigar made in Nicaragua at General Cigar / STG. It pairs Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper; Nicaraguan binder; Nicaraguan filler. The catalog lists 9 sizes, from 3½ × 20 to 7½ × 54.

Maker
CAO
Wrapper
Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder
Nicaraguan
Filler
Nicaraguan
Country
Nicaragua
Factory
General Cigar / STG
Strength
mild-medium
Sizes
9 · 3½ × 20 to 7½ × 54

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

What it tastes like

what the wrapper usually brings

CAO Gold uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Connecticut shade wrappers tend toward cream, cedar, nuts and a light, smooth finish. 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: Mild to medium: an easy daytime smoke and a gentle step up from a first cigar.
  • Pair with: coffee with cream, a light beer, or a sparkling wine.
  • 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›
Cloth Skies Over Connecticut: How New England Wraps the Mildest CigarsA river valley in Yankee country out-farmed Sumatra by building itself an artificial climate.›Smoke Born of Volcanoes: Why Nicaraguan Cigars Taste Like Their DirtThe boldest tobacco in the Americas grows in ash that used to be a mountain.›The Secret Math on Your Cigar: What 52 Really MeansThe numbers on a vitola are a fraction in disguise, and they quietly predict how your cigar will taste.›Your New Cigars Are Sick. Rest Will Cure Them.The trade has a name for a freshly rolled cigar's rough early months, and it is not a metaphor.›Canoes, Tunnels, and Other Ways a Wet Cigar MisbehavesMost burn problems are not the cigar's fault. They are your humidor's.›

Sizes

9 in the catalog
Minis3½ × 20 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Corona5½ × 42 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Churchill7 × 48 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Robusto5 × 50 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Toro6 × 50 · Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed›Corona Gorda6½ × 50 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Torpedo6¼ × 52 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Double Corona7½ × 54 · Ecuadorian Connecticut›Gordo6 × 60 · Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed›

What to try next

matched on wrapper, strength, origin, factory
A step milder: CAO Moontrancemild · Cameroon›A step fuller: CAO Pilonmedium · Ecuadorian Habano Viso›RoMa Craft Intemperance EC XVIIIWhy: Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua›Drew Estate ACID BlueWhy: Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua›Southern Draw Rose of SharonWhy: Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua›La Aroma de Cuba ConnecticutWhy: Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua›Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary ChampagneWhy: Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua›Espinosa CremaWhy: Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua›

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's Cult Amazon Basin Gets an Extra Year of SleepNews · 2026-09-26 · One of the most talked-about blends of the past decade is back in rested form.›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 Gold questions

What does CAO Gold taste like?

CAO Gold uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Connecticut shade wrappers tend toward cream, cedar, nuts and a light, smooth finish. 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 Gold?

CAO Gold is listed as mild-medium strength. Mild to medium: an easy daytime smoke and a gentle step up from a first cigar.

Is CAO Gold good for beginners?

Yes. It is listed as mild to mild-medium, which is where most smokers start. Smoke it slowly, a puff a minute or so, and do not inhale.

Where is CAO Gold made?

CAO Gold is made in Nicaragua at General Cigar / STG, according to manufacturer and trade sources.

What wrapper does CAO Gold use?

CAO Gold uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder, with Nicaraguan filler. Blends can change between releases, so check the band year if it matters to you.

What sizes does CAO Gold come in?

The CigarMind catalog lists 9 sizes: Minis (3½ × 20), Corona (5½ × 42), Churchill (7 × 48), Robusto (5 × 50), Toro (6 × 50), Corona Gorda (6½ × 50), Torpedo (6¼ × 52) and Double Corona (7½ × 54), and more. Each size has its own page with the full blend.

How long does it take to smoke CAO Gold?

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 Gold?

With a Connecticut shade wrapper, common pairings are coffee with cream, a light beer, or a sparkling wine. 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 Gold?

Cigars with a similar build include RoMa Craft Intemperance EC XVIII, Drew Estate ACID Blue and Southern Draw Rose of Sharon. They share Connecticut shade wrapper, mild-medium strength, made in Nicaragua. 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›