HVC Black Friday 2020 Limited Edition
Posted on March 08 2021
Vitola: 5.625x46 | Smoking Time: 80 min | Cigars Smoked: 3 | Body: Medium+ | MSRP: $7.50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Café | Binder: Nicaraguan Criollo 98/Corojo 99 | Filler: Aganorsa Ligero
HVC (Havana City) was founded in 2011 by Reinier Lorenzo, paying homage to the traditional Cuban way of making cigars with predominantly Nicaraguan tobacco. The Black Friday has been released annually since 2015.
Visual Inspection: Soft medium brown wrapper with strong aroma of caramel, pine, leather, and earth. Firm with no soft spots. Ample tooth, visible veins, clean seams, and a strong cap. Cold draw: cherry, nuts, damp earth.
First Third: Powerful at first light, then quickly calms. Cream, pepper, vanilla, almond, and whole grain bread up front. Retrohale amplifies almond and cream. Flavors shift toward breakfast pastry — apple, vanilla, and walnuts.
Second Third: Power dwindles to a smooth cream bomb. Trace hints of pepper, apple, and honeysuckle. No draw issues. Oil appears around the clean burn line. A good example of Nicaraguan volcanic soil showing its character.
Final Third: Pepper becomes more prominent in the retrohale and finish. Almond, walnut, honey, and apple alongside. Earth notes arrive, leading to a smooth vanilla and cream finish. Draw tightens slightly from oil build-up — purging loosens it back up.
Final Thoughts: No shortcuts taken despite the price. Draw is exceptional, wrapper quality is great, and this cigar put me in a good mood. Demonstrates all the desirable traits of a Nicaraguan cigar. Received great feedback when included in our December Platinum box.
-Sam
Frequently asked questions
What is HVC Cigars?
HVC (Havana City) was founded in 2011 by Reinier Lorenzo — a Cuban-born blender with deep ties to the Aganorsa tobacco family. Their cigars are made with Aganorsa leaf, one of the most respected Nicaraguan tobacco operations, explaining the quality at HVC’s modest price points.
Is the HVC Black Friday 2020 still available?
This was a limited 2020 Black Friday release. Availability is likely very limited — check our current HVC selection for the brand’s latest offerings.
Is $7.50 a good price for an HVC cigar?
Excellent value. The reviewer notes no shortcuts despite the low price — draw is exceptional, wrapper quality is excellent, and the Aganorsa Ligero filler delivers real strength and flavor over 80 minutes.