Cigar Review: CAO Arcana Series Firewalker
Vitola: Toro Grande- 6.5” x 56 ring gauge
- ~$14
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
In 2021, CAO Cigars introduced a new line, the Arcana Series. The declared goal at the time was to “highlight the secrets and traditions of old-world tobacco processing methods, passed from generation to generation to bring out the best in native tobaccos from across the globe.” The Mortal Coil was the first in the Arcana line, highlighting Andullo processing, which I understand is fairly common for pipe tobacco coming from the Dominican Republic, but has only sparingly been used in cigars.
For the second Arcana installment, CAO released Firewalker early in 2022. It features “a rare chincagre tobacco – the result of a traditional Nicaraguan technique that buries the leaf beneath the hot, volcanic soils to ferment.” The refer to this tobacco as their Nicaraguan Masatape filler, add a Nicaraguan Habano binder, and finish it with an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado leaf (and their website seems to be contradictory, with one place indicating that binder and filler origin…and another saying Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan wrapper…whatever).
Like the previous release, the Firewalker is available in a single size and in boxes of 20. I bought mine at Burns Tobacconist and this is the second one that I’ve smoked.
Prelight
They continue the style of the Mortal Coil boxes with the Firewalker release. It’s a different box style and does look good, although it doesn’t exactly lend itself to easy placement on most stores’ shelves. The band is steel gray with black foil and red foil, which makes for a rather striking appearance. Overall, it’s a good look.
The wrapper leaf was a medium brown with a moderate oiliness and a barnyard earthy aroma. The head was finished in a twist and the foot had abundant earthiness, along with notes of bell pepper and cedar.
After clipping, the cold draw was very good and had mildly sweet grassiness, a touch of citrus, and a vegetal note.
Flavor
The Arcana Firewalker started off with notes of cedar and hay, a sweet note that had touches of citrus in it, and a mix of white and black pepper that lingered for a long while after I blew out the last of the smoke. Further puffs gave up a little roasted nuttiness and the retrohale had a medium-roast coffee and red pepper flake note. The first third burned along nicely at the lower end of medium in body. It produced a lot of smoke and a really nicely complex flavor profile.
The second third saw an increase in the citrus sweetness and an extra lemon zing to the proceedings. I got more pepper on the palate and the continuation of it on the nose. The wrapper did start to show how delicate it was, though, with a little peeling and a couple cracks in evidence.
In the last third, the CAO Firewalker had more citrus and pepper, but both diminished a bit as woody notes came through more prominently. It finished with a really nice medium body.
Construction
I had a great draw, even enough burn line, and solid ash throughout.
Value
The cigar was very good, so even though the price tag is a little elevated for a General Cigar product, I found it worth the price of admission.
Conclusions
I liked the first Arcana Series, the Mortal Coil…but this Firewalker was an excellent follow-up that I enjoyed even more. It was complex and enjoyable end to end, with a medium body that never threatened to overwhelm the senses. The flavors changed up, increasing and decreasing as I went and just left me with a sense that I really wanted more.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
