CAO Flathead V660 Carb Review

Overview

The CAO Flathead V660 Carb is a cigar that wears its inspiration on its sleeve—or, more accurately, on its band. Named for the flathead V-twin engine that powered early American motorcycles, this 6 x 60 Gordo is part of a line that launched in 2013 and quickly became a staple for smokers who value substance over style. Yet beneath the mechanical nomenclature and the machined-metal band lies a blend that is anything but brute force. At its heart is a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper of deep Colorado Maduro hue—rich milk chocolate brown with a subtle oily sheen—that immediately signals refinement. Grown in the shade and prized for its natural sweetness, this wrapper is the defining voice of the cigar, a counterpoint to the boldness of its dimensions. The binder is Honduran, the filler a marriage of Nicaraguan and Dominican longleaf, all assembled at General Cigar's HATSA factory in Danlí, Honduras. The result is a medium-full smoke that punches decisively above its everyday price point, marrying a blue-collar ethos with the kind of complexity that commands attention. From the first draw, the Flathead V660 Carb announces itself with a quartet of flavors: roasted coffee, dark cocoa, cedar, and a restrained pepper that lingers just beneath the surface. But it is the sweetness of the Mata Fina—notes of dried fig and milk chocolate—that elevates the opening, preventing the profile from becoming merely aggressive. As the cigar progresses into the second third, the palate is treated to a deeper, more layered experience. Leather and toasted almond join the cocoa foundation, while a subtle earthiness reminiscent of damp forest floor emerges, intertwined with dried cherry and cinnamon spice. The Mata Fina continues its balancing act, its characteristic sweetness cutting through the savory elements with precision. In the final third, the cigar builds to a richer, more commanding conclusion. Espresso and dark chocolate take center stage, backed by a persistent leather note. Black pepper returns with greater warmth, yet the finish remains smooth and cohesive, never tipping into harshness. The retrohale is long, sweet, and spiced—a fitting end to a smoke that rewards patience. In construction, the V660 Carb is a marvel for a 60-ring gauge. The draw is open and effortless, producing thick, creamy smoke that fills the room. The burn line is even and self-correcting, the ash firm and salt-and-pepper in color, holding past an inch. This is CAO at its most confident—a big, blue-collar cigar dressed in the quality of Brazilian Mata Fina that consistently outperforms competitors at twice the price. It is, in the end, a cigar for the aficionado who finds the marketing gimmick irrelevant but the smoke impossible to dismiss.