CAO Italia Novella

Squeezing in cigars whenever I can as we are getting into the end of smoking season in Canada.  I don't find myself wanting to sit outside for 45 minutes or longer when the temperature dips below 15 degrees.  The good news is, it's a great time to stock up the humidor and let your sticks rest over the winter, for optimum smoking come the warm spring and summer months.  I cut into a CAO Italia a few weeks ago.  This one was in their Novella size, a corona corta.  It featured a medium coloured wrapper, and when straight cut, the cold draw gave up a nice chocolate and coffee flavour.  Was really surprised to light this one up and taste very woodsy smoke, filled with thyme like herbs, and black pepper spice.  The 45 minute burn didn't transition much, but kept a consistent profile.  Earthy and old world, lots of leathery tobacco notes.  Fairly well constructed, the burn only needed minor touch ups. Good flavour, but lacked the complexity and transitions you might see in a larger vitola. CAO offers great QPR, I very much enjoyed a toro sized version of the CAO Brazilia earlier this summer, but didn't review it.