CAO

CAO takes its name from the initials of its founder, Cano A. Ozgener, an Istanbul-born engineer who started the company in Nashville, Tennessee, making pipes and humidors. The first CAO cigar, made in Honduras, came in 1995, and the brand went on to build a reputation for adventurous blends with tobacco from around the world, including Brazil and Italy.

CAO Gold is the mellow, creamy side of the range. Brazilia pairs a dark Brazilian wrapper with Nicaraguan tobacco for a fuller smoke, Cameroon brings natural sweetness and spice from its wrapper, and Flathead's box-pressed, flat-capped cigars deliver a wide ring gauge. Italia, CX2 and other lines widen the choice further.

With options for newer smokers and for experienced palates looking for something different, CAO balances accessibility and experimentation as well as any brand.