We have two great cigars to review today, beginning with the CAO Black Bengal and ending with the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco.

CAO Black Bengal

The CAO Black is supposedly one of the best lines from the brand. That’s saying a lot, since CAO has put out plenty of top-notch cigars over the years. The CAO Black has managed to receive high ratings from critics, so apparently there’s something to this buzz about the cigar. Exclusive in aura and limited in production, the CAO Black has me tempted, so I decided to smoke one of its Bengal offerings for this review.

The CAO Black Bengal measures 6 x 50. CAO also offers the line in the following sizes: the 5 x 50 Storm, 6 x 42 Mosaic, 6 x 52 Gothic, and the 7 x 50 Frontier. Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Mexican tobaccos occupy the cigar’s filler, which is concealed by a Nicaraguan Habano Seed binder. Last, but certainly not least, is an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The tobaccos used to construct the CAO Black are said to be only of the top-tier and have also been aged extensively. In terms of strength, the Black is said to be medium to full-bodied.

CAO is known for wrapping eye-catching bands around its cigars, and the Black helps to strengthen that reputation. The band near the head is full of color and gives the cigar a nice aesthetic touch. The gold, black, red, and white colors look great and really make the classic CAO logo stand out. A nice cedar sheath covers most of the cigar, and a shiny black band tops off the presentation near the foot. Moving on to the actual cigar, its wrapper has a medium-brown color and is somewhat oily. The Black Bengal appears to have superb construction. I see no major imperfections, and just a few small veins can be seen by the naked eye. The cigar feels smooth and firm to the touch. I detect an sweet scent prior to lighting, while the cold taste is peppery.

After lighting, the CAO Black Bengal burns like a quality cigar should. The draw is just right. The burn is even from beginning to end and solid gray ash is produced. Plenty of thick smoke fills the room. The cigar also manages to stay lit without the need for extra maintenance.