HVC Havana City Seleccion #1 Maduro 6×54

Okay, it’s time to talk HVC cigars. This is a brand, I feel, is way too slept on at OGT cigars. HVC’s portfolio is a list of amazing inflections of Nicaraguan tobacco and, more specifically, Aganorsa Leaf tobacco. Among Reinier Lorenzo’s blends that have gained notoriety, like HVC Hot Cake, First Selection Broadleaf, and HVC 500 Aniversario, a new release was announced earlier in the year. It wasn’t until this week that I was afforded the opportunity to smoke it. It now rests comfortably on the shelves of Oak Glen Tobacconist. I am talking about none other than his NEW HVC Havana City Seleccion #1 Maduro (That was a mouth full), but so is the flavor on this cigar.

Wrapped in a very textured and even rustic looking San Andres Maduro wrapper from Mexico, the new Havana City is a bold-tasting cigar with an elegant balance of strength. I always talk about the difference between body and strength on a cigar. This blend is a great example of that. While the smoke is thick and textured, the strength sits in the back and allows you to feel that fullness and flavor without a head change. The binder and fillers are Nicaraguan and complement the wrapper well. The HVC Havana City Seleccion #1 Maduro was the first that Reinier released from his new factory, Fabrica de Tabacos HVC. He is big on tradition and the heritage of Cuban cigar making, which is indicative of the packaging on this release.

Regarding tasting notes, I would say you will land somewhere on that cocoa or Mexican hot chocolate plain. The chocolate on this blend is pretty prominent, with a hint of white pepper at the first light-up. There is some definite wood, maybe oak element, and mixed notes of espresso that finish on the earthy side. The complexity is something special, while the tobaccos work together to form a prominent, sweeter tone. HVC Havana City is not a blend to be missed and is one of those cigars that I would suggest a creamed coffee or a barrel spice forward Bourbon.