CAO l’Anniversaire Cameroon Review

For years my friends have referred to the CAO l’Anniversaire Cameroon as one of their favorite smokes. This robusto is a sweet, delicious little box pressed stick. The wrapper is a West African Cameroon that is a light shade of brown and the binder and filler is made up of Nicaraguan longfillers. Its rich and oily with a barnyard aroma.

Light: Spice and Cameroon. Cameroon has such a distinct flavor and it is definitely prominent in this cigar. The spice blast tames a little as we get into the first third. Its instantly smooth with a prominent butteriness.

First Third: The cigar has a delicate flavor. The taste is complex and ranges from light woodsy to sweet Cameroon. The burn is a bit jagged but does not detract from the experience. The construction of the cigar is holding up nicely and the cigar puts out a nice amount of smoke for such a small stick. There is a slight tingle on the tongue that is enjoyable.

Second Third: I do not anticipate the flavor of this cigar to change much. The sweetness of the Cameroon picks up a bit. While the ash doesnt hold on for any significant amount of time, the burn has now become razor sharp. This cigar keeps getting better and better. A berry, or floral aroma becomes present at the halfway point, really piquing my interest for this cigar. An almost yeasty taste comes and goes, like that of a dark ale. Maybe I was wrong, this is turning out to be quite the complex little stick.

Last Third: The flavor has really kicked up! Notes of pepper, leather and of course the sweetness of the Cameroon are present. This tastes like it would cost at least twice of the actual price. I taste fine aged tobacco, maybe just a hint of leather. The burn seems to have slowed down here towards the end. The flavors have ramped up with the original flavors becoming more prominent. The ash burns dark grey and doesnt hang on for long but it doesnt seem to be a problem. With half an inch to go the cigar still tastes fantastic. A slight bitterness is coming and going but I’m really impressed with this smoke.

Final Thoughts: Its important to keep in mind that this stick has been aging in my humidor for two years, so your actual experience may differ. At around $8, this isnt exactly a discount stick but its on the cheaper end of premiums. I recomend it for the price because this stick is good all the way down. If you’re a fan of sweet, Cameroony goodness; this is a smoke you will enjoy. This cigar is downright delicious, all the way to the unbitter end.