CAO Amazon Basin Extra Anejo 2023 (AshWRC)

[Grimlock]

This is my double Amazon review featuring the CAO Amazon Basin Extra Anejo along with my cheapo Amazon purchased ash tray. The ash tray cost me $6.99 and came with a free cutter. The Extra Anejo is the 2023 release where the some of the previous Amazon Basin batch was held back and aged an additional 2 years before being released.

On to the review.

The wrapper is chocolate brown and the foot smells of licorice. The foot aroma reminds me of the old Sen Sen candy. The same notes are on the cold draw along with some dried figs. 1/3 the licorice notes mix with cedar and baking spices. The spice is present on the retro but is far from a strong pepper blast. The burn is fairly slow and even. The smoke output is plentiful. There are some additional notes on the retro that I can't put my finger on. Best comparison I can give is some of the scents that are present in Christmas time scented candles. The unique flavor profile keeps this stick in my monthly rotation. The ash is still holding on at the 30 min mark at around an inch and a half.

I knock it off to start the 2/3. The burn has been perfect up to this point as has the draw. The cedar and licorice notes remain but are not as bold as in the first. There are subtle dried fig and toast notes mixing in. The spice on the retro has mellowed out quite a bit. Small touch up needed on one side to even out the burn. I'm smoking this a bit faster than normal as rain is on the horizon. As strange as this sounds, the aroma reminds me of Old Spice Swagger. At the 60 minute mark the 2/3 comes to a close with another inch and a half ash stacked up before I knock it off.

 

3/3 one small touch up to keep the burn straight. The cedar and toast notes dominate the final third. The licorice notes are very subtle at this point. At the 80 min mark the burn line is at the rings. 

As the burn hits the rings the licorice notes intensify briefly. The burn line starts to show at the top ring. Touch up needed in this area as has been the case with most of these. Set the nub down at the 105 minute mark.

I don't have much to say about the ashtray. It is made from silicone and has been out in the elements for a couple years. It doesn't show any signs of breaking down so far so it has been a solid purchase up to this point.

[GVan]

Good review, I was wondering about this cigar. I was playing golf at Streaming in FL last summer and a bunch of guys sitting around the fire smoking cigars in the evening were talking about this cigar. When I said that I've never had one, several encouraged me to try one. I read in a review that the '23 batch is not as good as the original release (which happens often). Did you smoke any of the original release and have an opinion???

 

By the way, Congrats on the win!

[Grimlock]

6 hours ago, GVan said:

Good review, I was wondering about this cigar. I was playing golf at Streaming in FL last summer and a bunch of guys sitting around the fire smoking cigars in the evening were talking about this cigar. When I said that I've never had one, several encouraged me to try one. I read in a review that the '23 batch is not as good as the original release (which happens often). Did you smoke any of the original release and have an opinion???

 

By the way, Congrats on the win!

Thanks! I did not try the original release. I just did a search and came across the review of the original release at Halfwheel. The the original batch was rated pretty low but was re-rated  two more times and it got better with age. I can only compare the extra anejo 2023 batch that was aged two years against the 2024 batch that just came out. I had one 2024 with no rest and it is strong with the licorice notes all the way through. In the aged batch those notes taper off in the second half and are not nearly as strong in the first half. I'm happy to smoke through the 2023 batch first, I think they provide a better experience at this point.