Continent | South America
Outpost Field Notes: Brazil
OUTPOST FIELD NOTES: COLOMBIA
When considering premium cigars, Colombia may not be the first country that jumps to mind. But the country's historic tobacco-growing traditions go back centuries. Even before being renowned for coffee and emeralds, Colombia was known as a land where tobacco was cultivated by its Indigenous people for medicinal and ceremonial reasons. When European settlers arrived, they found a readily available tobacco trade that became a significant part of the country’s agricultural backbone.
But just like its famous tobacco-producing brethren in Central America, Colombia’s terroir makes for a great premium tobacco with the right seeds and proper care. Since we’ve made it our mission to explore the path less traveled and craft cigars from overlooked or underutilized territories, Colombia seemed a great spot to set up our next expedition.
Colombian Tobacco-Growing Regions
What makes Colombia’s tobacco so unique? Like any tobacco-growing region, the country’s diverse geography plays a crucial role in shaping the characteristics of its tobacco crop. While many believe Colombia’s tobacco to be tougher and thicker, we believe that crafting every cigar is a balancing act where every tobacco has a place in the right blend. While there are about five regions in Colombia in which tobacco is grown, we narrowed our expedition to three:
- Santander
Nestled in the Andean foothills, Santander is the top premium tobacco-producing region in Colombia. Here, the of high altitude, healthy soil and dry climate yield a tobacco with a rich, robust flavor. Cigars made with tobacco from Santander often claim a complex, earthy profile with notes of coffee and cocoa. - Boyacá
South of Santander, Boyacá is another top-producer of premium tobaccos in Colombia. However, their cooler temperatures often make the tobacco grown in Boyacá smoother and lighter than leaves grown in Santander. - Tolima
Even further south from Boyacá, Tolima has a warmer, more tropical climate. The tobacco from this region is known for its boldness, with spicy notes and a rich, full-bodied flavor.
CAO CIGARS WITH COLOMBIAN TOBACCO
COLOMBIA
The first cigar to prominently feature Colombian tobacco, CAO Colombia uses tobacco derived from an Old-World seed first grown in 1820 called Ica Mazinga. This rare seed is grown in an isolated section of the Santander region of Colombia. Ica Mazinga tobacco is the centerpiece of our mellow-to-medium-bodied blend, which boasts notes of toasted nuts.
AMAZON BASIN
While the Bragança leaf is the star of one of our most sought-after cigars, a Colombian filler leaf plays a very important role in balancing the flavor profile of Amazon Basin. While many of the tobaccos used in this award-winning blend are smooth, exotic and nuanced, the Colombian filler provides a lot of the power and earthy flavor those with a sophisticated palette will pick up on.
CONSIGLIERE
A cigar you can’t refuse, CAO Consigliere is an oft-underappreciated cigar in the CAO lineup. With five countries represented in this medium-bodied cigar, every leaf plays a vital role. But unlike Amazon Basin, the Colombian filler in Consigliere is not there to provide power but flavor, allowing the more robust Nicaraguan filler and bold Brazilian wrapper to take the stage while the Colombian leaf adds nuance and balance to the award-winning cigar.
These are just a few of the many cigars we’ve crafted using Colombian tobacco. Explore our full lineup to learn more.
SIMILAR ADVENTURES
Explore other CAO cigars whose origins began on the same continent.
