CAO Mx2 Belicoso - Pack of 5

I've got to begin by saying that CAO is one of my favorite and most purchased cigar brands over the years. For my money, they are constantly producing interesting smokes in various fun packages (like the Flathead series) with vivid imagination, all offered at reasonable prices. I particularly enjoy the Brazilia line...but this time I tried something different. The Mx2 (double maduro) caught my attention because I tend to gravitate to dark and rich flavors. To begin, this belicoso is on the large end, 7" and 56 gauge, so it requires a bit of a commitment. Each one that I've had so far has been particularly veiny. Big, bold veins run through a milky chocolate looking maduro wrapper that has a fair amount of grit to it. All in all, the construction is on the low end of acceptable. This stick wants to be firm, but I have noticed inconsistencies with a fair amount of soft spots, which has led to inconsistency in the draw. This is where this cigar starts to lose me. The flavor, while not as deep and complex as I would have hoped for in a double maduro, is crisp and straightforward. I'd say it leans toward spicy wood, but it lacks the kind of character that makes the afore mentioned Brazilia or Flatheads interesting. I've had to be careful not to cut these too deep as the draw tends to be loose, so be careful there. Dry grass notes and thin stovetop coffee creep through on the palette. A month in the humidor didn't seem to have any noticeable impact on the flavor and draw. In summary, this is not a bad cigar by any means. I've enjoyed what I've found here and I never regret trying new lines. But for the price, and compared to other CAO labels or even just maduro figurados in general (my stomping ground), I'd say it left me with a little bit to be desired. Still a huge fan of CAO and their products, and I encourage you to explore their vibrant line of good smokes.