STG introduces CAO Session in Europe
STG introduces CAO Session in Europe. The Scandinavian Tobacco Group is bringing the new cigars from CAO to Europe. The cigars were introduced to the American market after the IPCPR 2019, last July. And some international markets, like New Zealand, already received the brand as well.
Rick Rodriquez
“Some of the best times in my life happened over cigars in my garage in Tampa,” says CAO’s Rick Rodriguez. For his latest creation for CAO, Rick Rodriguez decided to create a cigar for the everyday smoking occasions. Inspired by his early days of blending in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Rick started with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper from the USA, selected a Dominican binder and paired them with a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. “I wasn’t going for a full-bodied cigar. I wanted Session to be a medium-bodied smoke with a great taste and a lot of complexity and I feel like I’ve hit the mark with Session.”
The sizes are named for places where Session is perhaps best enjoyed. Packed in bright orange boxes that hold 20 cigars each, the boxes and bands really give a bright contrast to the cigars.
Different compared to the version introduced in the USA is the sliding lid box construction. This change in construction makes sure that all markets in Europe can be delivered in the most effective way with regards to the application of the health warnings without losing any of its eye-catching character.

Sizes
For now, Scandinavian Tobacco Group opted to introduce only two sizes to the market. Those are the 5 ¼ x54 CAO Session Garage and the 6×60 CAO Session Shop. The cigars are produced at the General Cigars factory in the Dominican Republic. The line is a collaboration between Rick Rodriguez and Yuri Guillen. Guillen is the factory manager of General Cigars Dominicana.


