Re: CAO love
Like many, I've sampled the CAO lineup. I like the Brazilias and Criollos the best so far; I just picked up some LX2s and CX2s that I'm looking forward to smoking. I like Italias, too, when I'm in the right mood.
MX2s have some good flavor notes, but they never live up to my hopes because the flavors never quite get there -- the hints of flavor always flit through the background and never quite build to where I want them to be. The VRs have been ok, but I, too, am not a fan of cooked maduros. The Golds and Blacks are just too mild and boring for me.
I've never had a Vision or Soprano -- I'd never pay MSRP -- but I hope to try some someday.
Bottom line, for me: some decent to very good smokes that are well marketed. I hate paying for marketing though, and I don't like when CAO experiments with or changes established blends. So CAOs aren't likely ever to be more than just a stick to smoke when I'm not really paying a lot of attention to my smoke.
Although I am looking forward to trying the LX2s . . .
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