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CAO Italia Piazza Cigar Review
Written by Bobby Rica, Wednesday, 26, November 2008
- Brand: CAO Italia
- Shape: Toro
- Wrapper: Honduras
- Ring: 60
- Filler: Nicaraguan/Italian/Peru
- Size: 6
- Binder: Honduras
Review
Like all CAO cigars, Italia’s are made in Honduras, from Honduran wrapper and binders. It's the filler that's unusual here and gives the line its name: Habano seed, but grown in Benevento, southern Italy, exclusively for CAO (or so they say). This is blended with tobacco from Nicaragua and Peru to make the filler.
Now whether this really makes a difference or is all hype, I don't know. But I have found the various CAO Italias to have a distinctive, full-bodied flavor that's made the line a staple in my humidor. It's a cliché, but the Italia really is the cigar I can't refuse.
Comments
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Nicole Durante
30 Nov 2008
07:43 (EST)The big boy of CAO’s Italia range, with the company’s usual ace construction: great aroma, flawless wrappers, even burn, firm ash, easy draw. Medium –bodied shading into full, ripe with subtle trace notes I don’t usually find in cigars (meaning, I don’t know what they are but I like ‘em!). Not an every day smoke, but I’d definitely keep one on hand for the little moments worth celebrating.
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Herbert Barnes
30 Nov 2008
05:54 (EST)Been there, done that—the best way to describe my whole experience with this cigar. I used to like this over other brands, but sadly, the flavor has taken on the nature of an aging movie star. Everything was just weak and lackluster—except for its looks. It was still great-looking, but that can’t make up for the bad performance.
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Bryan Keen
28 Nov 2008
10:17 (EST)Based on appearance, the Piazza is a fat toro-shaped stick with handsome construction. The stogie possessed mild earth tones that produced a one-dimensional smoke. Not bad by any stretch, but the flavor loses out as the smoke progresses, and the bitterness gets stronger at the end. Nonetheless, the rich aroma of the smoke remained consistent despite the drastic changes in the flavor. There are no burn issues with the stick as it even produced white ash. There's a lot to like in this smooth and mild smoke, but if you want a stick that packs a more flavorful punch, then the Piazza can be skipped.
