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Hope Jon@CAO can help answer this.......
What is the process to get from the idea of a new cigar line until it finally gets to market? Obviously it takes some time, but is it 1 year? 3 years?
What can you share about the new MX2 without telling company secrets? Can you give us some of the things that happen along the way from "idea" to "reality"?
Thanks Jon!

Thats an interesting question and I'd be curious to know the answer too. Who comes up with the idea, who taste tests it, do you make a sample production and release it to the public to taste test and get their feedback?

I don't know about the new CAO, but to give you an example ...

... the Bucanero 'Z' was 7 years in the works ...

Don't believe this 1 to 3 year nonsense. Thats all part of the sale pitch they want us to think so they can keep the price up for as long as possible. Its usually just a couple of higher up sitting around drinking trying to think up new ways to make additional money for themselves. If they happen to have a stable scource of binder and wrap, they simply mix it together and think up some new cockimaney name and add a little intrigue to it and hope for the moola to roll in.

Thanks for posting that wwjones.

I think its really cool that Jon takes the time to visit these boards and send e-mails to stay in contact with his customers.

I asked Jon a few more questions , here they are along with his response. Good stuff...

So you used existing tobacco and just "blended" several types, as opposed to developing a new leaf specifically for this cigar?

How did you decide on the shape selection, more specifically why only 3 to start? IS that common practice for CAO? If I remember correctly the Brazilia line had 3 shapes to start.

How can I be come a member of the "Focus group" to help with testing your next new cigar?

JON'S RESPONSE: As a manufacturer, we do not "develop" any new leaves/tobacco - that is left for the farmers whose sole purpose is to grow, develop and cultivate tobacco. That said, the blending process can incorporate "existing" tobacco and often times we will seek out new types of tobacco to complete the blend/flavor we are ultimately looking for; case in point: we utilized Peruvian tobacco for the first time in the MX2.

We have very good relationships with the biggest and best tobacco growers (farmers) in the business. As a result, they will often approach us with something unique or special from which we may choose to use in a particular CAO product. For example, we were approached last year with an extremely tasty crop of Connecticut Broadleaf (maduro) that was a 1999 harvest - '99 was arguably one of the best years for this strain of wrapper leaf. We ended up purchasing a very large supply of that wrapper leaf and are using it on our CAO L'Anniversaire Maduro line, produced at CAO Fabrica de Tabacos (Esteli, Nicaragua).

Typically, we will launch a line with 3-4 shapes. This is done so as not to oversaturate the market with a brand new product. This also leaves room to 'pace' that line with future size/shape extensions. For example, we launched Brazilia in 2001 with (3) sizes. Since then, we've added the Piranha and most recently, the Ipanema.

As far as being selected for a CAO 'focus group' goes, this is one of those "don't-call-us-we'll-call-you" sorts of things. I don't mean offence by this, however, we have a core of smokers who we've reached out to over the years whose pallets are established and whose knowledge of tobacco is vast.