Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The soft box pressed Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 has a medium brown wrapper with some lighter marbling. The seams are smooth, there are some lightly raised veins present and the caps are very well applied. The band is the traditional brown, gold and white design for the brand. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood and tobacco sweetness while the foot brings cedar, stone fruit sweetness and some spice. The pre-light draw brings slightly musty, aged cedar along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: Lovely pressed, the Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 is finished with a Colorado Maduro coloring wrapper. There are some veins throughout, but they are small. Silky in texture. Solid brown throughout, that gives off this chocolate bar like finish. Aromas of cream, cocoa, earth and tobacco. Soft Mexican hot chocolate qualities. Lovely cigar in appearance.
John: The Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 comes in cellophane with a UPC sticker that integrates a tear area to remain intact when opened. The cigar itself is box pressed, and I’m surprised at how understated the band is, given that it’s a Limited Edition. Aromas from the wrapper included old barn wood and sweet wood. From the foot, I smelled sweet hay, tobacco and faint wood.
Jiunn: The Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 has a Colorado Maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head well wrapped. Aromas from the wrapper tell heavy humidor cedar and subtle white pepper spice. Aromas from the foot give intensified white pepper but also a faint cedar and meatiness. Cold draw gives hay, cedar and airy nuttiness.

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar and a sharp black pepper. At a half inch in, the black pepper isn’t as sharp but still has a bit of bite to it. At three quarters of an inch in, some dry earth and light mustiness joins the profile. The retrohale is an even mix of musty, toasted cedar and dry earth with some mild black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the profile is musty, toasted cedar up front with dry earth and black pepper a bit behind. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.
Seth: The Buenaventura has a nice start to it. I am picking up soft earth notes that are paired with sweet baking spices, soft pepper, cocoa, cream and leather. There are coffee bean qualities present as well, and the cigar is smoking around a medium level in strength and body. Subtle licorice notes on the finish.
John: The first third kicks things off with mild hay, wood and chocolate. There is a lingering, mildly dry wood on the post draw. Some black pepper joins the post draw as it progresses, at medium strength. Some fruit sweetness and graham cracker develop through the retrohale. Baking spices join not long after at medium strength.
Jiunn: The first third has a nice oily texture to the smoke. Rarely found in a cigar, and I love it. The flavors matching up to the oiliness works, giving minerals, cedar and a subtle toasted nuttiness. Retrohaling gives a nice pop of white pepper spice and sharper minerals. The finish is decently clean, with the same great oiliness and lasting cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the dry earth becomes even with the musty, toasted cedar up front. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper has mellowed a bit. The retrohale is now an even mix of musty, toasted cedar and dry earth. At an inch in, a light floral note joins the retrohale. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper has left the profile. As the third comes to a close, the profile is an even mix of musty, toasted cedar and dry earth. The strength remains at slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third shows some transitioning, and I am picking up some hazelnut flavors with bits of earth and leather. I am still picking up those licorice and sweet spice notes, and the finish is that of cocoa and coffee beans. Like before, medium in strength and body.
John: The second third leads off with medium strength baking spices, and light-plus pepper. Fruit sweetness remains on the retrohale as some powdered cocoa accompanies it. The pepper moves up to medium as it progresses, lingering into the post draw with some wood and mild dryness on the palate. Light-plus earth defines the center of the profile as the cigar reaches the halfway mark. Mild bitterness finishes the draw as it transitions towards the last third.
Jiunn: The profile holds to the dot. Still medium body and strength with that oily and buttery slickness. Flavors still consist of minerals, cedar and subtle toasted nuts.

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021

Final Third

Aaron: The final third continues on with the even mix of musty, toasted cedar and dry earth. The retrohale remains an even mix of musty, toasted cedar and dry earth with a light floral note. The cigar wraps up with the same even mix of musty, toasted cedar and dry earth. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third delivers a flavor profile of leather, licorice, cocoa powder, coffee and leather notes. I am still picking up those earth and wood notes, and it is really a complete flavor profile. Very enjoyable. Medium in strength and body.
John: The last third opens with baking spices and graham cracker, as a combination of mild bitterness and wood finishes the draw. Earth returns to the finish as well, at medium strength. As the last third progresses, fruit sweetness returns to the retrohale at light plus strength.
Jiunn: The final third tips the scale to being too mineral driven. The other notes are still there such as cedar, toasted nuts and the oily mouthfeel, but just a bit too mineral dominant. Strength and body finishes medium.

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021

Burn

Aaron: The burn was perfect throughout and the ash held on in near inch and a half increments.
Seth: Perfect burn.
John: The burn started straight, as the ash held on up to 1-1/2 inches. The burn continued straight until the last third where it became uneven and required a touch-up.
Jiunn: Aside from a couple quick touch-ups, the burn performance was spotless.

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Perfect draw.
John: The draw was perfect, right in the ideal zone between open and resistant.
Jiunn: The draw was a bit snug for my liking. Most importantly, it did not hinder the flavor experience.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar and a sharp black pepper. The pepper mellowed a bit as some dry earth and mustiness joined the profile. The second third saw the pepper depart and a floral note join the retrohale. Construction was absolutely perfect. The flavor profile of the Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 was average throughout. It started a bit off balance with the black pepper being sharp, but settled in halfway through the first third. After that, the profile was a bit monotonous the rest of the way. The price point is quite attractive, so it’s easy to recommend trying one. It’s just not a flavor profile that garners enough of my attention to want to come back to all that often.
Seth: The Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 was the first cigar that I have smoked in 2022 that is truly complete. Good from beginning to end. The flavors were not overly complex, but they were enjoyable from start to finish. The coffee, cocoa and licorice notes were fantastic, and they were balanced out with some earth and spice notes. The hazelnut qualities in the second third were very fun as well, though I do wish they were present throughout. Great construction and beautiful draw. Really nice cigar. Look at that price too! We need to talk about this!
John: The Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 delivered a consistently good, engaging and balanced flavor profile from start to finish. In the pre-light, I commented that the banding seemed understated for a Limited Edition, but in truth if more manufacturers put more effort into the blends and not packaging, I think the finished cigar would be more likely to deliver great flavors like the Buenaventura BV554. With a flavor delivery that has an attractive price point, these are going to find their way into my regular smoking rotation. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 7 minutes.
Jiunn: I miss quality Curivari offerings. I’ve always loved the way the brand curates cigars based on balanced and refinement. The Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021 is no different. A wonderful oily and slick mouthfeel with some quality spice and soft flavors to match. I will be back for more.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.30

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$1.05

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

7.07

Cost/Point

$1.06

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.57

Cost/Point

$1.14

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Buenaventura BV554 Limited Edition 2021