Brief History of CAO Zocalo
Paying homage to the vibrant Mexican city square known as “Zocalos”, the CAO Zocalo is a true celebration of Mexican culture and flavor. Hand-rolled at the well-known STG Esteli Factory, the Zocalo is one of the latest innovative smokes of CAO that falls under their “World” cigar line.
The Zocalo follows a number of cigars under the line such as the Orellana, Amazon Basin, Brazilia, Italia, and many more. CAO believes boundaries are meant to be broken. So, while they create each stick under the “World” line, they feature tobaccos that hail from the country each stick is representing.
Released in 2018, the Zocalo arrived in only 3,500 boxes in the 6 x 60 size we know as the “Gigante” today. CAO’s Rick Rodriguez was blown away by how the Zocalo took the industry by storm.
Rodriguez quickly answered the demands of his loyal customers and made this limited release a full-line production in early 2021. With a slight tweak in the branding, the Zocalo arrived in a 5 x 52 Robusto, and a 6.25 x 54 Toro size, which is the one we’ll be reviewing today.
This was one of my favorite cigars that came out in 2021. I had three Robusto’s throughout the year and each one got better than the next. I was very excited to try the Toro for this review and was curious to see if there would be any differences between the Toro and Robusto.
Cigar Specs
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoke Time: 75 Minutes
Sizes Available:
- CAO Zocalo Robusto (5 x 52)
- CAO Zocalo Toro (6.25 x 54)
- CAO Zocalo Gigante (6 x 60)
Thoughts on the Cold Draw
At first glance, the CAO Zocalo is visually striking. The Mexican San Andres cloaked around this bad boy gives off a scent of brown sugar.
I used a V-Cut on the cap of the Zocalo for maximum smoke outpour during my smoking experience. With a few puffs of the cold draw, the brown sugar I detected by smelling it first was there.
First Third Impression
About ten minutes into the smoke, I was thoroughly enjoying it much like I’ve enjoyed the Robusto in the past. The first few puffs of the Zocalo produced an abundance of black pepper, a flavor note that didn’t show up in the cold draw.
The brown sugar that was extremely present in the cold draw disappeared once I lit the cigar up. A few minutes later, the Black Pepper dissolved rather quickly, and hints of cherry and chocolate took over my taste buds.
Second Third Impressions
As I entered the second third, the cherry flavor note was no longer a lingering taste, yet the chocolate notes were still at the forefront.
Other flavors that came into play as I got deep into the second third were oak and nutmeg. The combination of oak and chocolate really did a number on my palate in a good way. This balance was something I didn’t really pinpoint the previous times I smoked the CAO Zocalo Robusto.
Final Third Impressions
When I reached the final third, the cherry flavor came back into the equation, and I was extremely thankful for that. The mixture of cherry and oak, with the addition of chocolate and oak made for a wonderful smoking experience.
One thing I wish remained constant was the brown sugar I detected in the cold draw. I think that would have kicked up the flavors an extra notch!
What To Pair with the CAO Zocalo
When the Zocalo first was released, Rick Rodriguez came out and said this smoke would pair nicely with either a Cognac, Latte, or Stout. For this review, I went with neither. I paired it alongside with…you guessed it; a cold brew iced coffee. I’m a glutton for a refreshing iced coffee, even in the wintertime.
Since I plan on smoking the Zocalo at least a half-dozen more times, I’ll be trying this gem alongside a Stout or Latte when the time is right. From experience, you cannot go wrong with any form of coffee alongside the Zocalo. The Nutmeg pairs perfectly with the sweetness of a coffee bean.
Final Thoughts
A box of 20 is priced anywhere between $124 and $144. So, an average for a single stick of the Zocalo ranges anywhere from $6.00-$7.00. That is a steal if I ever saw one!
The quality of this smoke for that price is something you really can’t pass up. CAO has been on a tear as of late and the Zocalo is a perfect example of that. If you’re a lover of Mexican San Andres tobacco and affordable cigars, then the CAO Zocalo deserves to have a spot in your humidor today!