CAO Amazon Basin 6 x 52

For the third year in a row, General has begun the calendar year by shipping a limited run of the original Amazon Basin to retailers. First released in 2014, the cigar comes in a single 6 x 52 toro size and features an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder. Its filler blend draws from tobaccos cultivated across Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Production takes place at STG Estelí in Nicaragua, the factory responsible for most CAO releases.

At the heart of the blend is Brazilian Bragança tobacco, a rare varietal grown deep within the Amazon rainforest. According to General, these plants are harvested on a three-year cycle and spaced significantly farther apart than standard tobacco crops—approximately one yard between plants. After harvesting, the leaves are tightly rolled into cylindrical bundles known as carottes and left to age for six months. When Amazon Basin first launched, General noted that this tobacco was transported out of the rainforest by boat, underscoring the remote nature of its origin.