In 2011 Reinier Lorenzo sought to pay homage to Havana City, Cuba, his home prior to coming to the United States, by founding HVC Cigars. Lorenzo has solidified HVC Cigar’ place in the industry and celebrated the company’s 10 year anniversary with the release of a cigar fittingly called the HVC Cigars 10th Anniversary. Making 10 years in the cigar industry is a feat worth celebrating and Lorenzo is doing it in style with what I believe is their highest priced cigar to date, coming in at $15.00 per stick. Also notable is the use of the Corojo 2012 varietal on the filler. This leaf is beginning to gain some traction with its introduction to some blends coming out of the TABSA factory in 2021.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacos Valle de Jalap S.A.
Wrapper: Nicaragua Jalapa Corojo ‘99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaraguan (Corojo ‘99, Corojo 2012, and Criollo ‘98)
Vitola: 6 ½ x 50 Toro
Price: $15.00 MSRP
Release Date: Sept. 2021
Company Website: Company Facebook
Expectations
I am expecting some nice citrus sweetness, toast, light earth, pepper, and maybe some nuts and cream. I look for medium-full flavor and maybe medium strength, but easily this could creep into the full strength realm. I get the impression this cigar will have some good burn time as well.
Prelight Characteristics
I like the simplicity of the band and I like the color scheme and placement of the “10th Anniversary” part. I like the red burst, but I am not as big a fan of the cold. The cigar has a slightly spongy pack. The wrapper has a cloth-like texture with rustic seams, veins, and imperfections. The cold draw is creamy peanut butter and some berry sweetness. The cigar smells like toffee or maybe peanut brittle.
First Third
First light reveals full body smoke with medium full flavors of earth, toast, and charred wood. The retrohale is pepper and creamy leather. Early on it’s requiring more frequent puffing to stay lit. The body and flavor are full with draw flavors still of earth and toast, but the wood is no longer charred. Instead there is a bit of a tannic quality to it. The finish is a drying nuttiness. Halfway into the first third the cigar is still fighting me to stay lit. The smoke is getting into my throat a little bit. It’s making me wonder if maybe the tips are blended towards the foot. It’s starting to canoe and needs a touch up. Upon ashing I see a hole in the pack. Maybe that explains some of the burn issues. The flavors are the same, but become a bit muddied because of the constant puffing and laborious burn. Ending this third the cigar has started smoking a bit better.
Second Third
This third opens up with medium flavors of earth, nuts, and a bit of tannins and spice. The retrohale is pepper, a bit of cream, and a vegetal note. A small touch up required on a slow burning piece of the wrapper. Approaching halfway there’s some pepper coming in and maybe a touch of creamy cocoa. I had to touch up a tunneling burn at around the halfway point. I guess this cigar will fight me the whole way. Approaching the end of this third the main note is a dry nut, then there’s a touch of earth and spices, and maybe a little pepper. The smoke is medium-full in flavor and body. The retrohale is still some cream and pepper with a bit of wood.
Final Third
The pepper is amping up and there’s some more tannic wood. It needs a touch up for a canoe again. Hitting the band point the flavors are unchanged but it went out spontaneously. I relit it and continued onward. After the relight the profile hasn’t really changed except the addition of a red wine like sourness. The smoke is quite oily. The cigar went again with about an inch of smokable length left. I’m not relighting it for fear of it getting harsh.
Overall Experience
This was certainly a disappointing experience. The cigar struggled to stay lit and whenever it did stay lit, the burn line would waver or canoe pretty badly out of nowhere. Regarding flavor, there were never any “off” flavors, but the profile was just generic and did nothing to “wow” me. This very likely could have been the result of the burn issues experienced throughout, but then again, the burn issues this cigar had usually cause harshness and/or bitterness which I did not get. So I can’t help but be skeptical of the flavor profile being a standout. The overall smoking time was an hour and 28 minutes, and had I relit the last inch or so, it could have easily gone another 15 minutes I’d say. It is a shame because an anniversary cigar is meant to be something special, but all too often they just fall flat. Now, poor performance happens from time to time, even with quality products, because they are handmade. However, it is hard for me to want to make multiple attempts at a $15 cigar that didn’t really show me anything that would make me come back.
Try the cigar yourself at Small Batch Cigars and let me know what you think! Use code “Whiskey” to get 10% off your entire order. Plus, sign up and begin earning 5% back in rewards points with each purchase.
Feel free to reach out to me with questions, concerns, criticisms, or just to talk at @guitarsandcigarsfarm on Instagram, or via email at trevor@whiskeyandwhitetails.com.