Currently Empty: $0.00
The CAO Flathead V642 Piston is a box-pressed 6 1/2 x 42 Lonsdale with a dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, a Connecticut Habano-seed binder and Nicaraguan filler, rolled in EstelÃ, Nicaragua. Cigar Aficionado scored it 91 points in August 2026, and we sell it as singles.
21 in stock
Description
The CAO Flathead V642 Piston is a slim, box-pressed Lonsdale measuring 6 1/2 x 42, wrapped in dark Connecticut broadleaf over a Connecticut Habano-seed binder and a Nicaraguan filler that Cigar Aficionado says also carries some Dominican leaf. It was the slimmest of the four launch sizes in CAO’s engine-themed Flathead line.
What It Tastes Like
Cigar Aficionado gave the V642 Piston 91 points in its August 2026 issue and rated it medium-full. The tasters found an earthy start that moved into tart citrus, molasses and espresso, closing with a flavor like chocolate-dipped almonds. In October 2020 the magazine scored it 90 and called it full, picking up dark chocolate, deeply roasted coffee and a touch of red pepper.
Who It’s For
- Thin-gauge smokers who want broadleaf richness without a 54 or 60 ring.
- Box-press fans who like how a squared cigar sits in the hand.
- Flathead regulars curious how the blend reads in a narrow ring.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 91 points from Cigar Aficionado (August 2026)
- Dark broadleaf wrapper in a slim 42 ring
- Two Cigar Aficionado scores of 90 or higher (October 2020 and August 2026)
Cons
- Strength can surprise: Cigar Aficionado’s October 2020 tasting rated it full
- The 2026 tasters noted a lumpy head, so cut with care
About the CAO Flathead Line
CAO introduced Flathead at the 2013 IPCPR trade show as its first line made entirely in box-pressed shapes, according to Cigar Coop. The launch sizes were named for engine parts, and Cigar Aficionado reported that the boxes were designed to resemble engine blocks.
Pairing and Storage
With its coffee and chocolate notes and a medium-full to full rating, this Lonsdale fits the aged rum end of our cigar pairing guide.
Compare Similar Cigars
- CAO Flathead V554 Camshaft: the same Flathead blend in a 5 1/2 x 54 robusto.
- CAO Flathead V770 Big Block: the line’s widest size at 7 x 70, for a much bigger smoke.
- CAO FASA Noche Gigante: another Connecticut broadleaf CAO from STG EstelÃ, in a 6 x 60 with a Cameroon binder.
CAO Flathead V642 Piston FAQ
How strong is the CAO Flathead V642 Piston?
Reviews split between medium-full and full. Cigar Aficionado called it full in October 2020 and medium-full in August 2026, and JR Cigar lists it as medium to full, as does Cigars International for the Flathead line.
What size is the V642 Piston?
It measures 6 1/2 inches with a 42 ring gauge, a box-pressed Lonsdale.
What tobacco is in the V642 Piston?
Cigar Aficionado lists a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, a Connecticut Habano-seed binder and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. JR Cigar and Cigar Coop’s 2013 preview list the filler as Nicaraguan only, and that preview, citing CAO’s brand manager at the time, gave the binder as Ecuadorian Connecticut.
Where is the CAO Flathead made?
Cigar Aficionado reported in 2013 that the line is rolled at Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s factory in EstelÃ, Nicaragua.
Browse the rest of the Flathead garage and other CAO blends on our CAO cigars page.
Additional information
| Packaging Type | Single |
|---|---|
| Strength | Full |
| Origin | |
| Shape | Lonsdale |
| Wrapper | USA Connecticut Broadleaf |
| Binder | Connecticut Habano |
| Filler | Nicaragua |
| Length | 6 1/2" |
| Gauge | 42 |
