CAO

CAO -- The Cigar Legend of a Turkish-American Engineer

"CAO" is the abbreviation of founder Cano A. Ozgener's name -- Cano Ahmet Ozgener.

If Joya de Nicaragua, Padrón, Oliva, and other brands represent "the heritage of Cuban exile families" -- then CAO represents "an innovation legend of a complete outsider entering the cigar industry".

It is one of "the most unusual founding stories in the cigar industry" -- the founder was not Cuban, did not come from a cigar family, and did not even start out making cigars.

Founder Story: Cano A. Ozgener's Turkish-American Dream

Cano A. Ozgener was born in 1939 in Istanbul, Turkey -- into a family of engineers. In the 1960s, he immigrated to the United States, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee.

Cano was an engineer -- but he had a strong interest in "objects that make people think deeply". In 1968, in the garage of his Nashville home, he began making meerschaum pipes -- a founding path previously unseen in the cigar industry.

The First 27 Years (1968-1995): The Meerschaum Pipe Era

From 1968 to 1995, CAO was entirely a "meerschaum pipe brand" -- not a cigar brand:

• Meerschaum is a specialty of Turkey -- a white, porous mineral and a top-tier material for pipes
• Cano combined resources from his Turkish homeland with his background as an American engineer
• CAO meerschaum pipes became one of America's top pipe brands in the 1980s

1995: Transition into the Cigar Industry

In 1995, the "Cigar Boom" swept across the United States -- Cigar Aficionado magazine helped popularize cigar appreciation culture, and Cano saw an opportunity:

"After making pipes for 27 years, it is time to make cigars" -- that is what he told his son, Tim Ozgener.

In 1995, the CAO cigar brand officially launched -- marking the beginning of the legend of "a complete outsider entering the cigar industry".

CAO's "Multi-Origin Strategy"

The biggest difference between Cano and other cigar brands: he did not insist on staying with a single production origin. Other brands (Padrón, Joya de Nicaragua) were in Nicaragua, and My Father was also in Nicaragua -- but from the very beginning, CAO produced cigars in multiple countries:

• CAO Brazilia: using Brazil wrapper from Brazil (launched in 1999)
• CAO Italia: using Ecuadorian wrapper while paying tribute to Italian culture (2003)
• CAO Cameroon: using African Cameroon wrapper
• CAO MX2: the Maduro flagship
• CAO La Traviata: paying tribute to Verdi's opera
• CAO Criollo: traditional Cuban-style

This "multi-origin, multicultural" strategy made CAO one of "the most innovative brands in the Boutique cigar industry".

Detailed Look at the Flagship Series

CAO MX2 (Maduro Flagship)

Double Maduro wrapper -- CAO's exploration of "double Maduro".

• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro (outer) + Brazilian Maduro (inner)
• Strength: medium to full
• Characteristics: dark cocoa, coffee, deep cream, burnt caramel

CAO Brazilia (Launched in 1999)

Using Brazil wrapper from Brazil -- part of the brand's "single-origin exploration" series:

• Wrapper: Brazilian Habano
• Characteristics: South American character, distinctive spice

CAO Italia (Launched in 2003)

A tribute to Italian culture -- though the actual tobacco comes from Ecuador. It represents the brand philosophy of "cultural storytelling".

CAO La Traviata (Launched in 2009)

A tribute to Verdi's opera La Traviata -- CAO's exploration of "combining art and cigars":

• Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
• Strength: medium to full
• Received multiple 90+ ratings from Cigar Aficionado

CAO Cameroon

Using African Cameroon wrapper -- one of the few non-Cuban cigars to use Cameroon wrapper. Cameroon wrapper is scarce in production, expensive, and carries creamy floral flavors.

CAO Flathead (V-Series)

A special "V-Shape" head -- CAO's exploration of "innovative shapes". The head is flat (not traditionally round) -- creating a more distinctive burn.

2007: Acquisition by Scandinavian Tobacco Group

In 2007, General Cigar Holdings under Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) acquired CAO -- the most important turning point in the brand's history:

• STG is one of the world's largest tobacco groups -- investing in CAO's global distribution
• In 2010, CAO was fully integrated into General Cigar
• After 2010, many CAO employees left because they were dissatisfied with the direction of a large corporation -- including Jon Huber and Mike Conder (who founded Crowned Heads in 2011)

This 2007-2010 turning point directly influenced the "21st-century Boutique cigar revolution" -- the birth of multiple new brands such as Crowned Heads came from reactions against the CAO acquisition.

The Legendary Closing Chapter of Cano A. Ozgener

Cano A. Ozgener retired in the 2010s -- handing CAO entirely over to General Cigar:

• His son Tim Ozgener left General Cigar in the 2010s
• In 2018, Cano passed away at the age of 79

Cano's legend: from Turkish engineer -> Tennessee meerschaum pipes -> innovation king of the American cigar industry -- one of the most moving founding stories in the cigar world.

CAO After 2010: Under General Cigar

After 2010, CAO continued operating within the General Cigar system -- maintaining a diverse spectrum of series:

• New series were introduced: CAO Pilon (a tribute to the Cuban Pilon mountains), CAO Amazon Basin (Amazon River), and others
• Factory production moved to STG's facilities in Estelí, Nicaragua + Danlí, Honduras
• Quality and blends were fully preserved -- Cigar Aficionado continued to give multiple 90+ ratings

Why Taiwanese Enthusiasts Should Smoke CAO

3 reasons:

1. "A legend of outsider innovation": Smoking CAO = experiencing "the innovative spirit of a complete outsider entering the cigar industry" -- one of the cigar industry's most unusual stories
2. Diverse spectrum: from MX2 double Maduro to the operatic tribute of La Traviata -- "one brand that explores a diverse world"
3. Historical influence: the 2007 acquisition of CAO directly gave rise to Boutique revolutionary brands such as Crowned Heads -- smoking CAO = smoking history

Pairing suggestions:

• MX2 + aged bourbon (Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year)
• La Traviata + Italian opera (Verdi's La Traviata) + Italian red wine
• Brazilia + Brazilian sugarcane spirit (Cachaça)
• Italia + Italian espresso

Welcome to W Cigar Bar in Da'an District, where Cigar Prince Wilson Tsai personally accompanies you in experiencing CAO's "legend of outsider innovation".

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Further Reading: CAO's Complete Product Spectrum

CAO MX2 -- Maduro Flagship

Classic formats:

• Robusto (5" × 50)
• Toro (6" × 54)
• Belicoso (5" × 54 pyramid shape)

CAO Brazilia -- Brazilian Wrapper

Classic formats:

• Gol! (5" × 56)
• Anaconda (4" × 60 short and thick)
• Samba (5⅛" × 36 slim)

CAO Italia -- Tribute to Italian Culture

Classic formats:

• Novella (5" × 56)
• Ciao (4¼" × 40 small cigar)
• Positano (6" × 50)

CAO La Traviata -- Opera Tribute

Classic formats:

• Maduro Robusto (5" × 52)
• Maduro Divino (4½" × 40)
• Animado (5⅝" × 50)
• Maduro Belicoso (5⅛" × 52)

CAO Cameroon -- African Wrapper

Classic formats:

• Robusto (5" × 50)
• Toro (6" × 50)
• Churchill (7" × 48)

CAO Flathead -- V-Shape Innovation

Classic formats:

• V554 (Big Block) (5½" × 54)
• V660 (Carb) (6" × 60)
• V770 (Big Block) (7" × 70 huge)

CAO Pilon -- Tribute to the Cuban Mountains

Launched in 2014 -- a tribute to Cuba's Pilon mountains.

CAO Amazon Basin -- Amazon River

Launched in 2014 -- the blend contains rare tobacco from the Brazilian Amazon River basin.

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Collection and Aging Suggestions

Entry Level (NT$3,000-10,000)

• CAO La Traviata Maduro Robusto × 5
• CAO Italia Novella × 5

Advanced (NT$15,000-50,000)

• CAO MX2 Toro × 5
• CAO Brazilia Gol! × 3
• CAO Flathead V660 × 3

Collector (NT$100,000+)

• CAO Pilon limited collection
• CAO Amazon Basin full box
• CAO Cameroon complete vitola set

Aging Suggestions

• MX2: recommended aging 2-3 years -- allowing the depth of the double Maduro to unfold
• La Traviata: can be smoked immediately -- the opera-tribute flavor is fresh and full
• Flathead: can be smoked immediately -- the innovative shape is best experienced fresh

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The Cigar Prince's "CAO Advanced Appreciation Path"

Stage 1: Understanding (Cigars 1-3)

Start with La Traviata Maduro Robusto -- experience CAO's philosophy of "artistic tribute".

Stage 2: Diverse Spectrum (Cigars 4-7)

Move into MX2 + Italia + Brazilia -- experience the brand's "multi-origin, multicultural" strategy.

Stage 3: Innovative Shape (Cigars 8-10)

Smoke Flathead V660 -- experience CAO's exploration of "V-Shape innovation".

Stage 4: Limited Collection (Cigar 10+)

Smoke Pilon + Amazon Basin + Cameroon -- enter CAO's complete world of innovation.

Welcome to W Cigar Bar in Da'an District, and experience the complete spectrum of the "legend of outsider innovation" together with the Cigar Prince.

W Cigar Bar is an authorized dealer of Pacific Cigar Company PCC (PCC is the official regular import channel of Habanos S.A. Cuba in Taiwan) -- and also provides the Taipei experience of CAO's complete spectrum.

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CAO's Historical Influence on the Boutique Cigar Revolution

The 2007-2010 acquisition of CAO by Scandinavian Tobacco Group -- was the true fuse of the "21st-century Boutique cigar revolution".

If CAO had not been acquired, and if Jon Huber and Mike Conder had not left -- perhaps there would have been no Crowned Heads (2011), Foundation (2015), Warped, and many other new Boutique brands.

CAO's true historical contribution is not only its own cigar products -- but that it gave rise to an entire generation of the Boutique cigar revolution. This influence goes far beyond the scope of "a single brand"; it is an important watershed in the direction of the entire cigar industry in the 21st century.

Enthusiasts who smoke CAO should know: what you are smoking is not only a cigar, but a story that changed the history of the cigar industry.

Welcome to W Cigar Bar in Da'an District, where Cigar Prince Wilson Tsai personally accompanies you in experiencing the complete CAO spectrum -- while also understanding this brand's historical influence on the "21st-century Boutique cigar revolution".