I am a construction snob. I started rolling and blending because cigars I was getting were way too tight. If the draw isn’t that big a deal for you, then this cigar would have scored higher, and you might like it even more. You’ll love the flavor profile when you smoke it. If you get a “vanilla cupcake” flavor, your pallette is liking the wrapper!
The 10th edition marks a continuation of HVC’s limited edition line dedicated to the American tradition of Black Friday, initiated by Reiner Lorenzo in 2015. Each year’s release varies in size and, since 2017, also in wrapper leaf, offering a unique experience with each edition. The Black Friday 2023 edition features a Petite Gordo size, utilizing fillers and a binder from Nicaragua and a Mexican San Andres wrapper with a milk-chocolate hue. Compared to its medium-bodied predecessor, the 2023 version enhances the experience to medium to full-bodied with a rich flavor profile, including notes of cocoa, baking spice, cedar, and pepper. This edition is presented as an opportunity for those new to the Black Friday line of HVC to engage with it, highlighting the limited availability of this special release.
Wrapper: Maduro, Mexican, San Andres / Binder: Nicaragua / Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Petite Gordo / Size: 4.5×56
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos HVC S.A. de Reinier Lorenzo / Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Musty – Earthy
Chocolate Raisins – Chili Spices
Light Cocoa
Vanilla bean – Black pepper
Coffee w/ heavy cream – Nougat
Burnt caramel – Black pepper – Currant
Score Justification
This cigar had amazing construction. Tight seems and visible veins. It had a great amount of tooth and sand paper feel to it. That texture is always on good cigars. Cap was flawless. Dense pack with no soft spots. They aren’t an issue unless it affects the burn, but this time it didn’t. The only thing that really lost points was the draw. It was a couple notches too tight. When the draw is too tight, you don’t get the intended notes of the blend harmonizing like they aught, and you get muted notes. The first sample was an A+ draw and the 2nd sample was a C-. Although not tight enough for me to put out, it was noticeable. The flavor notes were just as I expected with the wrapper of this cigar. Vanilla and sweetness that bounced off the deep, meaty fillers and binder created a sweet spot for intensity of the retrohale and left my pallette happy. This cigar is worth a shot or two. Perfect for late morning to mid day smoking, especially with a Cafe con Leche.
