A pilon is a pile of "hands" (a bundle of bound, harvested tobacco leaves) that are laid on each other in such a way as to create a great deal of pressure on harvested tobacco. This pressure, which kickstarts the first natural fermentation of cigar tobacco, creates a high enough temperature at the heart of the pile to evaporate moisture inside the tobacco leaves. This pilon is flipped multiple times, and the hands are re-configured so that all get a chance to sit at the center under the highest temperature. Dating back to 19th century Cuba, this method of natural fermentation maximizes the flavor of the leaves to deliver a taste unattainable through other methods. The CAO blending team opted to apply this time-honored method exclusively to the silky Cuban seed Ecuadorian wrapper of CAO, the latest addition to its Classic line. The result is a collection of cigars that bear a deep, rich color and an incredible depth of flavor with notes of wood, spice and a touch of sweetness.
