Cao cigars has only been around since the 1960s but has already made a name for itself when it comes to fine cigars. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, this family-owned company continues to make sure that its customers enjoy cigar products that are expertly handcrafted and contain only the best materials. With its 30th anniversary mark reached back in 1998, the delicate process that creates each cigar remains unchanged.

The first step in the process of making Cao cigars is to acquire the tobacco seeds, which require being coated with a special substance that makes handling the tiny seeds much easier. In order to produce the best tobacco, the prime seeds are handpicked from the top of the plant then transferred to special plastic trays, where they are planted in order to create the seedlings. The trays are located under greenhouses, which provide the ideal growing environment.

After 60 days, the seedlings are moved from the greenhouse and placed into the fields, where they are ready to complete the rest of the growing process. Four months later the tobacco plants are full grown and ripe. Each part of the leaf contains a special part that is used to create the cigar. The ligero is the top of the leaf and contains the full flavor. The viso is the middle part of the leaf that contains the medium flavor, while the seco is the lower portion that has the lighter flavor filler and binder for the cigars. The wrappers are grown in fields covered with tapado, which is a cheesecloth tent that helps to cultivate the wrapper leaves. To further protect the wrappers, the fields are also shaded with a muslin cloth.