Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a milk chocolate brown and feels very smooth. There are a few veins visible due to a lighter color they carry. The seams are very smooth and barely visible. The caps are also expertly applied. The band is very simple and has a crest with the cigar name in white on a dark blue background. There is also some gold bordering along with some pastel red and blue. The aroma from the wrapper is a faint barnyard. The foot gives a sweet hay and white pepper.The pre-light draw is a distinct dry hay.

Pre-light Experience

The HVC San Isidro has a flawless Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. It is silky smooth and no bumps felt from the veins what so ever. The seams are also incredibly tight and smooth. Given the pinch test, the bunch and roll fells well executed providing a firm and even give. The head is finished off with a thick layer of quadruple cap. Pre-light wrapper aromas tells barnyard, flowers and rich and sweet roasted chestnuts. The foot smells of natural sweet tobacco and white pepper spice. Cold draw tells dry minerality, dry white pepper spice and aged cedar.

First Third

Initial draws bring a medium spiced cinnamon and some woodiness. The same cinnamon level is present on the retrohale as well. A quarter inch in, the cinnamon mellows some and evens out with the wood note. A half inch in and the cinnamon moves to the background while the general woody note comes to the front. The retrohale is just a very mild cinnamon. Three quarters of an inch in, the woodiness is becoming very drying. Just past the inch mark a bit of sweetness comes in to join the wood. At an inch and a half, the sweetness has gone away and the drying wood remains. The retrohale has also transitioned to a general woodiness. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

One word comes to mind smoking the first third: decadent. The main note I realize on every draw is a rich, medium-full bodied sweet cream. This is balanced and nuanced wonderfully with a dry roasted nuttiness, sharp oak and dry white pepper hitting the front of my tongue. Through the nose, intensified notes of dry white pepper, sharp oak and dry roasted nuttiness. The finish consists of buttery sweet creaminess, oak and dry white pepper on the rear palate. Body is in between medium and medium-full, and strength is at a solid medium.

Second Third

As this third begins, the woody note is defined as cedar. A quarter inch in and the cedar is a bit drying. The cedar also carries over to the retrohale. At a half inch in, a very mild pepper joins in with the cedar. At an inch in, the flavor becomes fuller. The cedar and mild black pepper are still there and some mustiness joins in. At an inch and a half, a bit of minerality joins in with the cedar, pepper and mustiness. The strength is this third remained at medium.

Second Third

The second third provides overall fuller notes as compared to the first third. Still a plethora of medium-full bodied sweet cream, roasted nuttiness and dry white pepper spice. There is a new note of dry minerality, pairing well with the sharper/fresher oak note. In an intermittent fashion, a floral note is tasted. The retrohale stays the same with intensified dry white pepper, sharp oak and dry roasted nuttiness. The finish consists of medium-full bodied sweet cream, bread, sharp oak and dry white pepper spice on the rear palate. Body stays the same at the medium to medium-full mark. Strength by the end of the second third increases to a medium full.

Final Third

As this third begins, the pepper has gone away and the cedar and mustiness remain with the addition of some cream. A half inch in, all of the flavors begin to mix really well to give an enhanced profile. The retrohale has a mix of the cedar, mustiness and minerality. At an inch in, the mintiness picks up a bit which moves the cedar and mustiness to the background. This is the profile that the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last thirds flavor profile shuffles slightly from the second third. The dominant notes are sharp oak and dry white pepper spice. The medium-full bodied sweet cream becomes a secondary note, although still a distinct note. The dry minerality, intermittent floral note and dry roasted nuttiness is still tasted in the same fashion as the second third. Through the retrohale, still intensified dry white pepper, sharp oak and dry roasted nuttiness. The finish consists of bread, sharp oak and dry white pepper on the rear palate. Body continues to be at the medium to medium-full mark. And strength continues to be at medium-full mark.

Burn

The burn was excellent. A razor sharp burn line and the ashes dropped right at the third marks, so two inches each.

Burn

The burn in every aspect was perfect. Total smoking time clocked in at an impressive 2 hours and 56 minutes. The burn line was razor sharp and even at all times. The ashes were rock solid, averaging 1.5 inch ash marks.

Draw

The draw was just how I like it which allowed lots of smoke on each draw for me to enjoy.

Overall

This cigar never really got off the ground for me. The first portion had some cinnamon which I really enjoyed, but after that it was just wood, sometimes drying until the final third when some additional components joined in. I’ve really enjoyed all of the previous lines I’ve smoked from HVC, so I’m very interested to see what others think of this cigar. At this point, I would definitely revisit to see if I get the same experience, and if so, I probably wouldn’t reach for it too often.

Draw

The draw was ever so slightly snug on the singular example I smoked. But no doubt still very good, allowing me to taste all the flavors without being a major factor.

Overall

I think I just may have found my favorite HVC offering. The cigar was incredibly decadent with great building complexities throughout the entire smoking experience. Compounded by essentially perfect construction, this (as of mid September) will undoubtedly be a top 5 cigar of the year for me. The two and a half years of Reinier’s hard work blending this cigar has paid off handsomely.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.33

Cost/Point

$1.71

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

8.47

Cost/Point

$1.28

Scoring System