HVC celebrated its 10th anniversary and released the original blend and size back in 2021, now they have added a vitola extension to the line for 2023. Reinier has been using the Aganorsa factory and their tobacco since the start but back in 2022 he opened his own factory, but still utilizes Aganorsa tobacco. This 10th anniversary blend is utilizing a brand new tobacco from Aganorsa the corojo 2012. It is a Nicaraguan puro with a corojo 99 wrapper, and fillers of corojo 99, criollio 98, and the new corojo 2012.

Under the Lid

• Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua Corojo 99, Corojo 2012, Criollio 99
• Vitola: 5 x 54 Robusto $13.90 (Box of 10 $139.00)
• Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos HVC S.A
• Release Date: May 2023
• Number of Cigars Released:
• Number of cigars smoked for this review: 3

The cigar is a nice medium brown color with a smooth texture, minimal veins, and tight wrapper seams. The cap was applied well. The band is a beautiful combination of gold, black, and red with some minor embossing. The wrapper during prelight had notes of mild must, the foot added a note of citrus to the mustiness, and the cold draw presented with a bready note with mild sweetness.

Performance Notes:

First third: The HVC 10th anniversary 54 opened up with notes of pepper, mushroom, stewed fruit, mild bread, and oak. The overall flavor profile feels complex and well balanced. The pepper, mushroom earthiness, and fruit like sweetness are upfront on the profile while the breadiness and oak are more in the background and finish of the cigar. As the first third progresses the oak becomes more prominent on the palate with the mushroom notes falling to the background. The rest of the flavor notes hold true to when things were first lit. The first third finishes off quite consistently with all the previous flavor notes mentioned still present. The retro hale adds more bread, mild sweetness, and a hint of pepper. Strength and body are in the medium range and the flavor profile is definitely medium plus.

Second third: The second third continues to be very consistent with all the core notes of oak, bread, pepper, and sweetness with a mild mushroom note in the background. Occasionally each puff brings on a slightly different foreword note playing between oak, and pepper as the main focus on the palate. Luckily the cigar is not overly drying but occasionally I find myself reaching for water if the finish becomes too oaky to cleanse the palate. The final part of the second third starts to lose a bit of complexity and gain a mild bitter note. The retrohale offers bread, mild sweetness, and mild pepper. The strength and body are medium and the flavor profile is medium plus.

Final third: As the final third starts a musty note starts creeping into the profile alongside the oak, pepper, and bread, there is also a lingering bitterness on the finish. The profile overall becomes a bit linear and the complexity and balance drop off quite a bit. Luckily the retrohale is still quite consistent with bread and mild pepper. As the final third comes to an end the profile is bitter oak and pepper forward with hints of sweetness occasionally.

Core flavor notes were oak, pepper spice, stewed fruit sweetness, and bread

• Strength: Medium
• Body: Medium
• Complexity: Medium-Full

Smokin Experience: HVC has done a great job with this version of the 10th anniversary offering a pleasant smoking experience from start to finish. I think Reinier did a great job blending a 10 year anniversary cigar that stands a step above most regular production offerings but is approachable and well balanced that I wouldnt be too afraid to recommend this to a newer smoker. I also believe the switch to his own factory is adding some extra quality control with the products and its showing, the burn was great with only 1 or less minor touchup needed from each cigar and no issues on the draw.

Purchase Recommendation: Grab a 5 pack

Smokin Facts:

• The actual 10th anniversary for HVC was in 2011
• The first vitola released in the line was a 6 1/2 x 50
• This is the first HVC cigar to utilize Corojo 2012 as a filler

Smokin Wrap

Cigars smoked for review: 3

Average smoking time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Score: 89

Mitchell Santaga – Product Reviews and Content Creator

Mitchell Santaga started his journey into tobacco in 2010 by trying different flavored and machine-made cigars while enjoying a handle of Jack Daniels. Shortly after that he yearned for a more premium experience and dove headfirst into pipe tobacco that his local tobacconist blended, and shortly after started trying premium cigars.