Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos HVC in Estelí, Nicaragua
Size: 6½”x50
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Jalapa Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo 99, Criollo 98, Corojo 2012
Presented in boxes of 10
In 2021, HVC Cigars celebrated their 10th anniversary with the release of a limited edition cigar. Simply titled the HVC 10th Anniversary, it was an all-Nicaraguan blend rolled in a Toro Extra shape of which only 200,000 were made. Handcrafted with Aganorsa Leaf-grown tobaccos, the blend includes Corojo 2012 tobacco, a unique-tasting Cuban-seed varietal developed by Aganorsa Leaf. This is the same leaf used in the Guardian of the Farm Cerberus. Said to have “more character and strength,” Corojo 2012 is used in the filler core of the HVC 10th Anniversary. Earlier this year HVC released the HVC 10th anniversary 54, a 5”x54-ring Robusto rolled in a Nicaraguan Rosado wrapper instead of the Corojo 99 used on the HVC 10th reviewed here.
The cigar is extremely well-made and firmly rolled. The Corojo 99 wrapper is evenly dark brown in color with a few veins here and there, but they don’t distract from the cigar’s overall appearance. The wrapper also offers a pleasant, sweet tobacco aroma. The cap is a textbook triple seam, and the cigar is completed with a red, gold, and black band with an embossed gold border. After cutting, the draw was very good and issued a sweet tobacco taste.
The cigar lit well issuing a peppery, nutty-tasting start. It settled into a medium-bodied smoke fairly quickly, showing early signs of a sharp and even burn that continued for the duration of the session. The initial flavors were nuts, earth, some natural tobacco sweetness and a lingering white pepper finish. (Think nut and honey cereal sprinkled with white pepper.) Later on, I noticed a pleasant floral note that had a lavender aroma and flavor. Further along, the smoke was creamier on the palate and medium-plus in body and strength. By the midsection, cedar and leather notes had emerged.
Deep in the heart of both my HVC 10ths, the body remained medium plus as the strength began to build slightly. A nutmeg note dropped into the mix, and at this point the cigar was chugging along with a very creamy, balanced, and what I determined was a very Cuban-like character. (I wondered if it was the result of the Corojo 2012.) All I knew was the cigar had really blossomed at its midpoint.
During the cigar’s final inches the cigar remained balanced and medium-full in body. The honey-nut sweetness, most of the aforementioned flavors, and the lavender floral note remained, but the peppery finish was. . .finished. All-in-all, both of my HVC 10th Toros were impressive in both performance and taste.
Most definitely. Especially if you like to discover new tobacco varietals. Well balanced between the sweetness and spice, the Cubanesque floral aroma and flavor were a welcome surprise. I believe it was due mostly to the Nicaraguan Corojo blend, especially that Corojo 2012, so let’s give Nicaragua a little credit here, right? Also, like some anniversary cigars, this Toro is a little steep in price, even for me. Yet having checked every box, not just once but twice, I can make the case for it. On top of that, it’s made me want to smoke the HVC 10th Anniversary 54. So, if you love Nicaraguan puros, this selection is a must-smoke.
Executive Editor
Gary Korb has been writing and editing content for CigarAdvisor.com since its debut in 2008. An avid cigar smoker for over 30 years, he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as a Sr. Copywriter, blogger, and Executive Editor of Cigar Advisor. A graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, prior to his career in the cigar business, Gary worked in the music and video industry as a marketer and a publicist.
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