Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)
The sophomore release of HVC Cigars’ Selección No. 1 is now heading to stores.
The company is beginning to ship the HVC Selección No. 1 Natural, a new line that is the follow-up to last year’s Selección No. 1, the first new blend from the company’s new Nicaraguan factory, Fábrica de Tabacos HVC S.A. de Reinier Lorenzo. Like the original No. 1, the No. 1 Natural is made at the company’s factory in Estelí. It uses an Ecuadorian habano 92 wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Estelí and Jalapa, Nicaragua. By contrast, the Selección No. 1 uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Estelí and Jalapa.
Both cigars are offered in the same three vitolas:
HVC Selección No. 1 Natural Short Robusto (4 1/2 x 52) — $9.30 (Box of 20, $184)
HVC Selección No. 1 Natural Esenciales (5 5/8 x 46) — $8.40 (Box of 20, $168)
HVC Selección No. 1 Natural Poderosos (6 x 54) — $10.40 (Box of 20, $208) REVIEWED TODAY
“For us, the blend is medium full body cigar with rich flavors and a clean finish to the palate,” said Reinier Lorenzo, HVC’s founder, in a press release.
The cigar is well made and had a nice feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, citrus peel, pear, brown sugar, and a lot of leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. Nice start.
At the first third (35 minutes) the cigar continued to be very good. I had much the same notes but there is a lot of earthiness which combines with the leather. It muffles the sweeter flavors but the interesting thing is it works. There are flashes of toffee here and there. The cigar is close to full bodied so I'll call it medium to full, but it's just about full bodied. The finish is leather with very good lingering black pepper. The notes work well together. I rated the first third 94.
As I moved through the second third (1 hour 9 minutes) some of the earthiness pulled back allowing the sweeter notes to improved. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The decrease in the earthiness was nice but I liked the cigar with the earthiness and I like it now so I'll maintain the score of 94 for the second third.
The cigar lasted 1 hour 34 minutes. There's much more of a citrus and brown sugar note now. And of course you have plenty of leather. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar has made several changes along the way but nothing major. I held the score of 94 for the final third. I like this cigar much better than the original maduro version.
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