CAO Flathead V624 Torpedo Review

Overview

In a world of cigar branding that often trades on old-world aristocracy, nautical heraldry, or self-serious luxury, the CAO Flathead line arrived in 2013 with a deliberate, almost defiant blue-collar ethos. Its inspiration draws not from Cuban legends or European dynasties, but from the visceral, chrome-and-rumble world of American hot-rodding — each vitola named after an engine displacement code, each box press designed to evoke the squared-off heft of a V8 engine block. The Flathead V624 Torpedo, at 6 inches with a 24/64 ring gauge (their equivalent of a 60-ring), is one of the line’s larger statements, and its presentation — a dry, toothy Colorado wrapper sheathed over a box-pressed body — telegraphs a different sort of ambition. This is a cigar that wants to be respected, not revered. It asks for your time, not your pretension.

From the first light, the V624 announces itself with a growl that is more tuned exhaust than roar. The opening third delivers a robust blast of toasted cedar, raw cocoa, and a distinctive earthiness reminiscent of wet clay after rain. White pepper immediately engages the retrohale, persistent without being punishing, while a subtle caramel sweetness threads beneath the surface as a counterweight. The Honduran Habano wrapper — a Colorado-shade leaf with a slight tooth and minimal sheen — contributes a woody, almost hickory-like complexity that becomes more pronounced as the cigar progresses. It is a combination that signals confidence: this blend knows what it wants to be and does not feel the need to apologize for its directness.

The second third is where the V624 earns its complexity. Leather and espresso bean take center stage, while the earlier cocoa deepens into a darker, more bitter dark chocolate character. The Nicaraguan filler’s natural spice collides with the woody wrapper, and a creaminess begins to develop mid-palate — a nod to the Dominican binder’s smoothing influence. This section reveals the blend’s architecture: not a simple punch of strength, but a layered evolution that rewards those who smoke slowly and pay attention. The final third pushes further into full-bodied territory. Dark roast coffee, charred oak, and a sustained peppery finish define the home stretch. The initial sweetness has largely burned away, replaced by a satisfying, dry earthiness that is both clean and authoritative. Strength and body peak here but remain controlled, never crossing into harshness — a testament to the aged long-fillers and considered blending.

To dismiss the V624 as a gimmick — a hot-rod themed oddity in a humidor otherwise filled with mahogany and gold leaf — is to mistake marketing for matter. This is a working man’s premium: unpretentious, consistent, and built to satisfy without demanding a second mortgage. The Flathead line has quietly become a staple among smokers who value construction reliability, bold flavor, and a price-to-complexity ratio that shames many more expensive offerings. At $11 to $15 per cigar, the V624 sits comfortably in the premium tier, but it smokes as though its ambitions reach higher. It is a cigar that bridges the gap between everyday excellence and special-occasion indulgence, and it does so with a wink, a rev, and a trail of blue smoke that lingers longer than you’d expect.