The HVC 500 Years Anniversary Selectos is a cigar that the brand has released to celebrate the five centuries since the foundation of La Habana. The brand usually pays homage to the culture and know-how of the Cuban Tabacalera (HVC is an acronym that stands for Havana City and is also where the founder of the brand is from).
In 2019 Reinier Lorenzo, founder and owner of the brand, thought of a cigar that celebrated 500 years of the Cuban capital with a limited edition cigar, using leaves grown by Aganorsa in Nicaragua. From this successful edition (a Toro size), other formats were then released, among which there is this Selectos, a Nicaraguan Puro made from Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 tobacco seeds. Twelve thousand cigars were produced and sold in 15-ct boxes.
The cigar is wrapped in a shiny Colorado wrapper with brown reflections. It is extremely smooth to the touch, with no veins. The filling is uniform, the general construction is great, and the draw appears slightly open.
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Size: 46 x 142 mm (5 3/5″)
- Wrapper: Jalapa (Nicaragua)
- Binder: Jalapa (Nicaragua)
- Filler: Estelì, Jalapa (Nicaragua)
- Price: $ 10 | € –
HVC 500 Years Anniversary Selectos: very intense aromas of cocoa and nuts are perceived in the cold draw, followed by less evident hazelnut notes and spicy nuances.
Once lit, the smoke is tangy and slightly sweet on the palate. It expresses notes of nuts and wood, enriched with mineral nuances. Strength is medium (3/5).
In the central section, the cigar loses the slightly sweet nuance of the previous third. The aromas confirm the wood and the entry of spices, both medium and of equal intensity. The strength is unchanged (3/5).
In the final third, the aromas show an increase in the intensity of the woody notes that outclass the new components of earth and camphor. Strength increases, becoming medium-full (4/5).
Overall, this HVC 500 Years Anniversary Selectos is an interesting smoke. The aromas are well distributed throughout the smoke, and the balance between these and the strength is well managed. It drops in flavor intensity in the second third.