24. CAO Zócalo
General Cigar Co.
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Factory: STG Estelí
- Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés Morron)
- Binder: Cameroon
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Length: 6 Inches
- Ring Gauge: 60
- Vitola: Gordo
- MSRP: $8.49 (Boxes of 20, $169.80)
- Release Date: April 2018
- Number of Cigars Released: 3,500 Boxes of 20 Cigars (70,000 Total Cigars)
- Original Score: 91
This past year, CAO became the second largest brand in the General Cigar Co. portfolio as far as sales are concerned. If you asked people back in 2010—when General was integrating CAO into its company—if that would have ever happened, internet commenters would have told you "impossible, General will run it into the ground."
But they haven't run it into the ground. In fact, CAO is the shining star of the General Cigar Co. portfolio as far as ratings on this site are concerned. The CAO Zócalo, named after a famous plaza in Mexico City, uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan fillers.
As with most products from General, the most impressive feat is the value. It's $8.50 for a flavorful and complex 6 x 60. — Charlie Minato.
