2010 Cigar of the Year Countdown: #6: CAO La Traviata Maduro

#6 CAO La Traviata Maduro

There are six cigars to go in "30 Cigars in 31 Days" - my review of the Top 30 Cigars for 2010.  Today's installment is the 25th of the series, this leaves the Top 5 to go.  As I've also mentioned - each of the cigars in the Top 7 were up for the #1 spot at one point or another.

At #6 is the CAO La Traviata Maduro.   Last year, my #2 Cigar for 2009 was the original CAO La Traviata.  When I smoked the new Maduro version of this stick, I proclaimed that this cigar was better than the original.    I still stand by that proclamation, but because of the high level of competition among the cigars this year, this stick comes in at #6.

The blend is a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper combined with  a Cameroon binder, and a blend of Pueblo Nuevo Nicaraguan filler Dominican filler.  In fact the only difference from the original La Traviata is that the original La Traviata featured an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.   That Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper really makes this cigar shine.

There was wonderful complexity with the La Traviata Maduro.  It featured flavor notes of coffee, caramel, tangy flavors, and baking spices (nutmeg was prominent), and chocolate.    The chocolate flavor will really become dominant as the smoke progresses and in a lot of ways it reminded me of the rich chocolate that the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor produces.  Overall I categorize the strength and body as Medium to Full.


A full review is available here for more details on my experience with this cigar.

Recommended Vitola: Radiante (6 x 52)