Resonator 860 review by Don José
Hey team, Don José here back with another review.
Today we have the
Resonator 860
by CAO
If this is your first time here, my reviews rate each cigar on 10 factors and each factor gets a rating out of 10 giving me an overall out of 100. The 10 factors are: Construction, Draw, Burn, Flavour, 1/3 overall, 2/3 overall, 3/3 overall, Journey (how well it flows), Complexity & Value for money.
Overview
Every Christmas day I light up a CAO Big Block, for around 4hrs of cigar enjoyment. The Big Block is 7x70 box press and its a hefty smoke. The Resonator however is a 8x60, which if my math is correct, is roughly that same amount of tobacco, just in a different format.
I have always been a big fan of CAO, especially the flathead line, they have always been tasty, long lasting and amazing value for money.
Given that the Big Block 770 is a flathead, and all the flatheads are said to have the same blend I was a bit surprised by this release, I'm even more surprised by some oof the marketing I've seen around it calling it the "longest and fattest flathead release", Did the world just go and forget the 770 exists?
Either way, I'm not complaining and I'm excited to light this thing up!
Details:
Brand: CAO
Size: 8x60
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Connecticut Habano
Fillers: Dominican Piloto Cubano, Ligero, Nicaragua
About the wrapper.
Connecticut Broadleaf is grown in the open sunlight, mostly in the Connecticut River Valley. It grows as a short, bushy plant with very wide leaves, hence the name, and being grown fully exposed to the sun causes the leaf to grow thick and full of sugars.
After curing they get very dark so it is among the prized wrapper leaves used to make many maduro cigars.
The plants are stalk cut meaning the entire plant harvested at one time.
let's get into the review.
First thoughts
A nice, big box-pressed cigar, super dark wrapper, like the rest of the flathead line, a little less oily to touch than some, but with a wrapper leaf this. size thats expected I guess.
Construction
Perfect construction, classic Flathead - very dense to feel, if I hadn't smoked so many I'd be worried about the draw, but I'm not.
Burn & Draw Perfect Burn and Draw, razor sharp burnline, plenty of thick smoke.
Flavour & Complexity Again, pretty classic flathead - Cocoa, coffee, spice and cream with a touch of leather.
Strength 86% - Full, nice bold and tasty.
Enjoyment / Journey Such a good smoke and for damn near 4 hrs too!
Overall Another fantastic stick from CAO and a great addition to the line, I just hope it doesn't. mean the end of the 770? But maybe it is and I've missed that somewhere?
I rate this cigar 91 points!
A look at the numbers.
Construction -- 10/10
Burn -- 10/10
Draw -- 9/10
Flavour -- 9/10
Complexity -- 8/10
First 1/3 -- 8/10
Second 1/3 -- 8/10
Third 1/3 -- 9/10
Journey -- 10/10
Value -- 10/10
About the author
Joe Murdie aka Don José has been reviewing cigars in New Zealand for over 10 years now, originally as a writer for NZBlokes, a mens magazine.
Outside of Cigars Joe is an international award winning film-maker based in Wānaka, OTA.
