When I was visiting the HVC Cigars booth at the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show, Reinier Lorenzo—founder of HVC—was handing out samples of his newest line to retailers and telling people, “after dinner.” His point is that the HVC Selección No. 1 is strong, and I will certainly agree!
Reinier explained that the Selección No. 1 is the first new cigar line coming out of HVC cigars new factory, Fábrica de Tabacos HVC S.A. de Reinier Lorenzo, which opened its doors in earlier 2022 in Estelí, Nicaragua. He notes that the Selección No. 1 is to pay tribute to the old Cuban style.
The blend of the HVC Selección No. 1 is described as:
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Mexico San Andrés
- Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí & Jalapa)
They are expressed in 3 different vitolas and come packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 52) – MSRP $9.30
- Esenciales (5 5/8 x 46) – MSRP $8.40
- Poderosos (6 x 54) – MSRP $10.40
For this review, I sampled the one HVC Selección No. 1 Poderosos which was part of the Smoke Inn Great Smoke Package.
Pre-Light Examination
The first thing you notice when examining the HVC Selección No. 1 is the cigar’s look and feel. It has a milk chocolate brown wrapper that exhibits a mild toothy feel to it nd a decent oily sheen. The cigar is firmly packed with a decent weight in the hand. There are minimal veins running along the barrel. A well applied triple cap finishes the presentation.
Like most HVC cigars, it is adorned with a single band using a red, white, and gold leaf motif. The center of the band proudly displays the HVC logo and the name Selección No. 1 is printed on the bottom. The left side declarers it hales from Nicaragua an the right denotes that it is hand made.
Running the HVC Selección No. 1 along the nose, I am greeted with pungent fermented leaf notes along the barrel and foot with some added pepper on the foot.
Using my CigarMedics Baller cutter, I opened the cap perfectly and moved on to giving it some cold draw puffs that I found too be full of peppery notes that warmed the tongue, cheeks, and lips on each cold puff.. I feel I am in for a real ride here. Continued puffing brings in a hint of sweetness and earth.
Using my single flame torch, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of rich pepper notes along with sweet oak and cocoa aromas. Follow along a I burn this one to ash!
Cigar Review Notes
- As I am toasting it the smoke wafting off the foot fill the air with sweet oak and cocoa aromas
- Initial puffs offer a pepper sting on the retrohale while the palate is graced with dark cocoa and natural tobacco sweetness
- Leathery notes join the mix early in the burn
- A solid white ash forms on a thick jagged char line
- Strength moves up quickly – slow puff this one
- Fruity notes add to the early pleasure
- A slight off burn develops but no touch up is required
- Ash fell early revealing a satisfactory burn burn cone
- Sweetness builds moving into the second third
- There is a definite smooth strength increase puff after puff as my head gets a bit woozy head deep in the second third
- Continued Fruit notes are present through the second third
- Ash does fall often
- Pleasing almond notes add to the already enticing profile in the final
- Full Strength
- Total Smoking Time as 1 hour and 40 minutes
Final Analysis
The HVC Selección No. 1 Poderosos is a cigar that is not for the faint-hearted. It offers a smooth strength that gradually builds up while delivering enticing flavors and aromas from foot to nub. It strikes a perfect balance between flavor and strength, never sacrificing one for the other. The early notes of cocoa, oak, and sweetness are delightful, while the fruit notes in the second third gradually intensify. The final third delivers a pleasing almond note that lingers until the finish. This cigar is best enjoyed by experienced cigar enthusiasts and may be overwhelming for beginners. This is worth grabbing a fiver of and I rate this 92.
Point Deductions; (-1) Slight Off Burn; (-1) Mild Jag in Burn; (-1) Ash Falls Often
Bonus Points; (+1) Well Balanced and Flavorful
