Cigar Review: CAO MX2

Box Press, 5.5" x 55 ring gauge, $7.65
The MX2 is one of the first CAO cigars I can remember smoking. I loved its fullness of body and richness of flavor from the beginning, but the one thing I did not like about it was it propensity to have a lousy draw, reportedly due to the fact that it has a maduro binder in addition to the maduro wrapper, which hold more moisture longer and cause the cigar to draw poorly if not allowed adequate drying time. I was excited to see the new Box-Press shape for the MX2; that same shape has provided the best vitolas of Brazilia, Italia and America cigars.

The MX2 is composed of filler from Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic and Peru--combining sweet and spicy--a maduro binder from Brazil and a maduro Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. This cigar is seriously dark, like one of those extra dark, high cacao-content dark chocolate bars they have come out with. The wrapper is silky smooth with no prominent veins. The aroma from the body is hay and barnyard; from the foot there is semi-sweet chocolate. The unlit draw is firm, but not tight; the flavor was primarily cocoa.

Unlike some MX2s I have had in the past, this one was quite easy to light and the draw was good from the beginning. First flavor inpression was of black coffee, which is nice because that was what I chose to pair this stogie with. The Eight O'Clock Coffee French Roast and MX2 pair very, very well. During the first third, the cigar was full-bodied, drew well and burned evenly. When I tapped ash, it left a perfect cone in the middle--a sign that the stick was well-made. The flavors of coffee were augmented with some cocoa and just a little spice on the finish.

The second third progressed much as the first, except the spicy finish faded away. The smoke continued to be thick and heavy and the cigar packs plenty of punch in the strength department. Coffee is probably one of the better things I have ever drunk with an MX2, although adding a dash of whiskey (Jack Daniels or Maker's Mark spring to mind first) would not be unwelcome.

The last third of the cigar kept the promises made during the beginning--a full-bodied, strong smoke with plenty of flavor and complexity. The flavors became more leathery as it progressed, but never fully lost the coffee and cocoa notes. All in all, this is a great cigar with none of the draw issues that seem to be common in other MX2 vitolas. At under $8 per stick, it is also affordable as an everyday cigar.

Body: 8/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10