CigarMind

CAO

Italia

CAO Italia is a medium-full strength cigar made in Honduras at General Cigar Honduras. It pairs Italian Habano wrapper; Nicaraguan binder; Nicaraguan, Dominican filler. The catalog lists 8 sizes, from 5 × 50 to 7 × 50.

Maker
CAO
Wrapper
Italian Habano
Binder
Nicaraguan
Filler
Nicaraguan, Dominican
Country
Honduras
Factory
General Cigar Honduras
Strength
medium-full
Sizes
8 · 5 × 50 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 Italia uses an Italian Habano wrapper. Habano-seed wrappers tend toward pepper, cedar, leather and baking spice. 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: bourbon, rye whiskey, or a black coffee.
  • 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

8 in the catalog
Robusto5 × 50 · Italian Habano›Corona Gorda5½ × 50 · Italian Habano›Toro6 × 50 · Italian Habano›Churchill7 × 50 · Italian Habano›Gondola6¼ × 54 · Honduran›Ciao5 × 56 · Honduran›Gordo6 × 60 · Italian Habano›Piazza6 × 60 · Honduran›

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›CLE CuarentaWhy: habano wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Dunhill HeritageWhy: habano wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Gran Habano Habano No. 3Why: habano wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Nording Hunter SeriesWhy: habano wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Alec Bradley GatekeeperWhy: habano wrapper, medium-full strength, made in Honduras›Rocky Patel ALR Second EditionWhy: habano 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'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 Italia questions

What does CAO Italia taste like?

CAO Italia uses an Italian Habano wrapper. Habano-seed wrappers tend toward pepper, cedar, leather and baking spice. 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 Italia?

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

Is CAO Italia 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 Italia made?

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

What wrapper does CAO Italia use?

CAO Italia uses an Italian Habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder, with Nicaraguan, Dominican filler. Blends can change between releases, so check the band year if it matters to you.

What sizes does CAO Italia come in?

The CigarMind catalog lists 8 sizes: Robusto (5 × 50), Corona Gorda (5½ × 50), Toro (6 × 50), Churchill (7 × 50), Gondola (6¼ × 54), Ciao (5 × 56), Gordo (6 × 60) and Piazza (6 × 60). Each size has its own page with the full blend.

How long does it take to smoke CAO Italia?

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 Italia?

With a habano wrapper, common pairings are bourbon, rye whiskey, or a black coffee. 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 Italia?

Cigars with a similar build include CLE Cuarenta, Dunhill Heritage and Gran Habano Habano No. 3. They share habano 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›