Cigar Extra: CAO Flathead Steel Horse

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  Image courtesy CAO/General Cigar

  Vitola: Apehanger

• 5.5” x 58 ring gauge
• MSRP $8.99
• Received from General Cigar

Background

I said I wouldn’t do any “full reviews” of IPCPR samples, but some of those samples were just too good to ignore and wait for the shipping cigars, so I compromised…I decided to feature a couple that I got multiple samples of in a Cigar Extra setting. First up is the Flathead Steel Horse by CAO.

To review, the Flathead was the 2014 release from CAO and it has done quite well in the marketplace. I’ve called it the “best thing CAO has done since General took over.” It’s a flavorful and enjoyable smoking experience at a very good price tag. As a followup, the minds at CAO decided to do a version to appeal to motorcycle riders, especially after finding out that there is a “flathead” engine in a bike.

This version features Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, a Brazilian Arapiraca binder, and a “proprietary” Connecticut Habano Grueso wrapper. While it has the flat head like the original release, this version is not box-pressed, but round in shape.

Notes

Following my usual practice with the Flathead lines, I double-punched this cigar, with the result looking like a double-barrel shotgun. I feel like it’s the only way to deal with the very flat surface on the smoking end of the cigar.

Initial puffs on the Steel Horse featured flavors of oak, earth and a dark fruit sweetness. There was a touch of white pepper on the retrohale, along with more oak notes.

I paired the Steel Horse with the last of my Old Fitzgerald Bourbon. It adds to my theory that just about any cigar can pair with just about any Bourbon, although this cigar would have gone better with perhaps some Laphroiag Scotch or a spicier rye whiskey.

In the second third, I did get more pepper spice, but also some notes of cinnamon along with the oak and earth.

As I got toward the end, the flavors got a little sour and I found myself not enjoying it as much. It was still good, but not as good as I initially said.

In my opinion, what’s really missing from the Steel Horse release is a smaller ring gauge version. Even something like a 50 would allow for a brighter flavor profile that might really work. At this point, though, we are stuck with two sizes of 58 and 66 ring gauge. Hopefully that’s something CAO and General will rectify soon.