Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 (Jalapa)
Binder: Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
Size: 6.5 x 48 “Toro”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $5.65
Today we take a look at a vanishing cigar: HVC Black Friday.
Thanks to Johnny Piette of Prime Cigar, Brookfield, Wisconsin for the cigar.
BACKGROUND:
The cigars are sold in a handled box that contains 10 bundles of five cigars.
Limited to 5,000 cigars
Release date: November 9, 2015
From the Jack Schwartz Importer web site:
“Reinier Lorenzo and HVC Cigars made these special limited edition cigars to celebrate Black Friday. You don’t have to wait in any long lines. You don’t need to get your face smashed in by someone trying to grab the very last 25 inch television no one will ever use. Simply place your order in the comfort of your own home and we’ll ship these amazing cigars right to you.
“The HVC Black Friday is made entirely with Aganorsa Nicaraguan Jalapa tobaccos. The gorgeous, silky wrapper leaf on the cigars is Corojo ’99. They have a rich, well balanced flavor to them; a bit more spicy and full bodied than most of their other offerings.”
DESCRIPTION:
A very nice looking cigar. Seams are tight. Lots of veins. The wrapper is an oily, medium brown color that is smooth as silk.
The triple cap is perfect. The cigar does not have a cigar band.
AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell sweet milk chocolate, cream, spice, caramel, floral notes, coffee, cedar, and fruit notes.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell graham cracker, spice, chocolate, and cedar.
The cold draw presents flavors of graham cracker, red pepper, chocolate, caramel, coffee, and cedar.
FIRST THIRD:
This was a doozy. I couldn’t find the cigar. I laid it out to dry box for 24 hours in the same place I put every cigar for dry boxing. On top of our four drawer metal filing cabinet next to where I type. It was gone. I spent 15 minutes looking for it.
And then I found it. I had put it where I always take my photos on top of that huge Cult humidor waiting for me to take the photo. Shit. I’m losing my mind. LOL.
The draw is super.
Massive spice bomb to start with.
And then the flavors begin to pour out: Chocolate, malts, creaminess, graham cracker, cedar, and caramel.
Shit. This tastes like an $11.00 cigar..or at least how an $11.00 cigar should taste. But then this only cost Johnny around $6.00. But then he is in the cigar biz so who knows?
Strength is a medium/full from the get go.
I want to thank all those readers that have been so kind and generous to me. I’ve never seen such an outpouring of love.
And then I thought I’d join this cigar forum because they were talking about me and I saw it on my blog’s Site Stats. And they were kind to me. Usually, the forums are pretty brutal when talking about me. I see all their comments because my Site Stats pick them all up.
So, I eased in slowly. And eventually told them my story about my experiences with other cigar forums. They always ended badly with me being labeled a mooch. Back in 2010, I was working for a big online cigar store and they knew I was out of work and broke. They suggested I join the forums, tell them my story, and beg for cigars. Wrong. The forums hate moochers. And in a blink of an eye, I was giant asshole. Nothing was held back. The dumb asses at Famous never warned me. I guess they didn’t know a damn thing about the forums. So, at their behest, I ended up being a pariah. And since most forum members belong to the other forums, word spread. Now this was 5 years ago, mind you.
So this time, I never asked for a godamm thing. But then I forgot I was a member and sort of faded away for a month. Until I received an email yesterday telling me someone commented on my thread. I thought, “Oh shit. I had completely forgotten about the forum. Damn. I should get back and talk a little.”
And then I got a few more emails. They were piling up on me calling me a mooch. Questioning whether I was telling the truth about having Alzheimer’s. So, I went back. I said what I needed to say. Some things never change. No forgiveness after 5 years. But to be honest, some members came to my aid and defended me. But this is why I stay away from the forums. There is always a group of assholes that ruin everything about the experience. This whole thing upset me greatly.
OK. Back to the HVC Black Friday.
Absolutely delicious cigar!!
Flavors spread out. Complexity settles in. The balance is spot on. And the finish is a mile long with the checkered flag waving in the wind.
The spiciness is still very strong. But it doesn’t cover up the other flavors. Lip smackin’ good.
The chocolate and creaminess tastes exactly like exquisite chocolate mousse. Or my favorite candy bar as a kid: U-NO.
I’ve smoked a few HVC blends but so far, this is the best. It has a high premium quality to it. I still have the HVC Edicion Especial 2015 to review that Carter Tinsley gave me.
Construction and the char line are impeccable.
I prepper this review about 7-10 days ago and I just checked Jack Schwartz Importer and they are still selling the cigar for $27.00 in a 5 pack or $5.65 for a single. I cannot find any other online store that still has them.
This is a very slow going smoke. Fine with me.
Now, I’m having real problems in my head over the price point. How the hell can this quality be sold for only $6.00? Or less? Impossible. The HVC Edicion Especial 2015, I mentioned earlier, goes for $9.00.
This is the killer deal of the month. Only 5000 cigars produced and released a month ago. And yet one store still has them. The HVC Black Friday is definitely flying under the radar. Or smokers are too lazy to go out and hunt for them.
SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 25 minutes.
Once again, flavors: Creamy, chocolate, strong malts, graham cracker, caramel, strong vanilla, raw cashew, toasty, dried fruit, cedar, and a vegetal note.
Wow. I just went to the Jack Schwartz Importer site to see how much shipping is.
12 fucking dollars for 5 cigars!! No way dudes. That is the cheapest way you can go. Are these people nuts? No wonder they still have the HVC Black Friday for sale. And they are out of 5 packs but you can purchase as many singles as you like at the 25¢ more per stick price than the 5 pack price. Rip-off artists!
OK. I’m calm now. I use the method Moe did on Curly. Vigorously tapping his head while chanting: “Cheese, cheese, cheese, etc.”
I self-tap. But no hair on these palms.
I guess I should talk about the HVC Black Friday.
Transitions occur just like a great big expensive blend. Complexity ain’t goin’ nowhere son. Wonderful balance. A killer finish.
HVC did its customers a real solid by releasing these cigars at the crazy price of less than 6 bucks. Maybe, someday, they will bring them back.
Each puff produces enough smoke to trigger the smoke alarm. Really. Thank goodness the alarm is a good 20 feet away.
I cannot think of a single blend, at this price, that is anywhere as good. The only way to make buying from Jack Schwartz viable is to buy 20 cigars. $113.00. This makes me laugh out loud. If I had the dough, I wouldn’t hesitate. Even with shipping, it still makes the cigar only $6.25 each.
Did you see my latest endorsement on the right side of the page, on top of the others? Jalal Haidar is CEO and Managing Director of World Aviation Forum in Washington D.C. And a really nice man. He writes beautifully. Never got such an important man to contact me before.
No change to the flavor profile. As far as all the ingredients are in place and in the same order. The only change, though, is that the spiciness is on the wane. It will pop up again in the last third.
I’ve chucked my method of torching the cigar that I’ve written about ad nauseum.
Now I use my right angle single torch lighter to hit the center of the foot while rotating. And then I just leave it on the center of the foot until it glows. Somehow, this seems to have solved my burn issues. As soon as the foot is cherry red, I sit it down in the ashtray and wait a few minutes. And from that point forward, no burn issues. Unless, of course, the cigar was rolled for shit.
I’ve hit the halfway point.
Smoke time is 45 minutes. By the look of the cigar, I didn’t expect it to go over an hour at best. Fooled me.
Creaminess and milk chocolate are riding herd over the other flavors.
Strength is a very smooth medium/full.
It is 9:19am and the sun is out and so bright that even with my ball cap on, I am nearly blinded by the light. Oh shit. Close the curtain, you fuck nut.
Jeez. This is what a fucked up brain does. Never occurred to me til now to do this.
Much better.
HVC Cigars doesn’t have a web site. Only a FB page. Strange.
I looked hoping to find their retailer page. So maybe you could find a B & M that carries them and give them a call. Or even better, they might have a web site. I try to message them and find that I contacted them in May to give them the link to the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.1 review. They didn’t even acknowledge me or put a link to my review on their timeline. So fuck ‘em. I think I will give the Edicion Especial 2015 a ratty review out of spite. LOL.
Meanwhile, the HVC Black Friday is doing just great. Not much to say as this blend ambles along its journey pumping out wonderful flavors both bold and nuanced.
The nuttiness rises to the surface. The spice has ratcheted up. The graham cracker makes me want a glass of milk.
There are other very delicate flavors I can’t put my finger on. All part of the complexity, I guess.
I don’t need to finish this cigar to tell you I highly recommend it. The hard part is finding them. If you want to give Jack Schwartz $12 for shipping, go for it.
Oh wait. I have a great idea. Call Johnny Piette at Prime Cigar here in the Milwaukee area. See if he still has them and tell him the Katman sent you. Their phone number: (262) 754-5220.
The HVC Black Friday is truly impressive.
The strength rescinds on medium/full and settles back into medium body.
I forget to eat now. Every day. I find that very strange. I depend on my Atkins Shakes to keep my blood sugar normal and give me some pep from all the protein in it. So I buy it en masse. I get a real deal from Amazon. But I buy a month’s worth at the start of every month when I get my social security. The UPS guy hates me because the boxes are extremely heavy. He yelled at Charlotte last month. Fucker.
The HVC Black Friday has only required one minor tune up on the burn line.
The blend seems similar to the Ezra Zion Bee’s Knees. Without the honey element.
LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 10 minutes.
Feels like I’ve been sitting here all morning.
No significant changes to the flavor profile. I’m glad the spiciness has returned.
The creaminess is like drinking heavy cream right from the container.
And then Pow! The flavor profile breaks free of its chains and soars like a drone.
I can’t thank Johnny enough for sending me this cigar. What an unexpected treat.
I’d list the flavors but they haven’t changed. Just bolder.
The HVC Black Friday fades away without a hint of harshness or heat. Good to the last drop.
RATING: 91
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
Cigar Reviews by Phil 'Katman' Kohn 
Screw a forum, Katman! We know where we can get an honest, well-written review and some great humor to boot. Kohnhead.com! Countless are the times I have followed your advice and ended up with a super bargain or a fantastic cigar I never would have tried. Your efforts are appreciated by many more than you would believe!
Forums are just for people who no longer have anyone in their life that wants to hear their bullsh!t in person.
Great review as always here in Milwaukee little Havana on greenfield ave has them and prime cigar in Brookfield also has the HVC Black Friday
Sorry about the “forum” experience…I’ve never had any problems in 10+ years on a few forums I’m a active member on, but I do occasionally see it happen. I do know Mr. K that I did hear a few things on a couple of forums regarding complaints about a Secret Santa one year, saying you complained about what you received as a SS gift, but nothing too nasty. I think if you just join a community, participate regularly and make friends you dont need to tell a story or explain your situation to be treated well (on most forums) but there are always the occasional asshole that can ruin you freaking day.
I’ve managed to patch things up. It’s all OK now.
Yeah. I did. I kept a record of it. I got sent four $2.50 cigars. And the schmuck I am, I sent about $60 worth of cigars. And then I see all the pics posted by recipients who got boatloads of cool stuff.
I got fucked. So if the assholes that said I was out of line for complaining, well they can go fuck themselves. There is always two sides to every story. Some asshole spent more on shipping than the cigars were worth (And those prices I detailed were MSRP)….and then probably got a bunch of really nice sticks and paraphernalia. I promised myself I will never do that again. People can’t be trusted. And instead of bitching about my complaint, someone should have been a man and stood up for me.
I did that another time, before this, and I sent a 10 pack of Undercrown Gordos to a guy that if you spend enough time on FB, you know who he is…a black guy that looks all gangsta’ retrohaling basically covering most of his face while he is driving looking all tough and mean…what does he send me? Yeah you know. A small handful of unhumidified cheap fucking $1 cigars. What a dick!
I will never do a blind exchange again. I made that promise to myself. Too many assholes ready to take advantage.
And the forums are full of remora fish that climb on the back of some asshole bullying you. You can have the cigar forums. Once in a while, I take a chance, and it always ends badly due to bullying and assholes. I’m too old for that shit.
Carter said it better than I: “Forums are just for people who no longer have anyone in their life that wants to hear their bullsh!t in person.”
Glad to hear that other people have forum and cigar exchange issues. Carter’s comment is dead nuts right on about some of the ‘characters’ i have experienced using a certain forum/app. I had some guy jump around and scream like a little girl saying how i kept ‘asking’ for cigars and he hates moochers. I had not been smoking long, using the app long or even knew the knucklehead. The only comment I made was simply, “That cigar looks good, I need to pick some up”. They would also get red hot when I told them that the $25 stick they were smoking wasn’t worth the price of it’s label, & the $5 smoke I was chomping on blew it out of the water (thanks to your reviews) and it always did.
They always hate when you tell them don’t buy the hype.
Some guy saw that I liked a cigar and he didn’t and still had some on hand so he told me he needed nothing in exchange and would send what he had no questions asked pronto. In the meantime I gathered what I thought was a really nice variety pack and mailed away. His cigars showed up a week late, and well the box was sealed stone cold empty, but didn’t look tampered with at all. He emailed me relentlessly and didn’t believe it the box was empty until I took the picture. I asked around and he basically forgot to mail the cigars or it was some inside joke I haven’t a clue. I finally got a replacement package and in it was 1 cigar of the kind we discussed and 4 dog rocket’s. He left me a note saying how sad it was the others got “lost” since their were cubans in the mix but enjoy those. I have since seen him smoking his “real cubans” all over the app and they were fake as all get out. Thanks for the reviews again and this one was spectacular.
Man oh man….it’s like you and I live in a parallel universe. I’ve had enough bad experiences with cigar forums to fill a book.
I don’t want to write about them here because there are a lot of good people out there. Just like anything, a bunch of bad bananas can ruin the whole experience.
Those kind of people are just what I suspect.Internet gimps. They don’t go to social groups with live people.If they tried that shit in a bar their attitudes would get them ( as Katman says) a ” Bluestar Adjustment” in the back alley. So they insult and peck away hidden away and safe. “Eff ’em in the neck”. Long live the Katman!
LMAO!!!!
Right on brother!
Phil
You know how all those asshole hiding behind there computers are their just little ass bags that would get the shit kicked out of them if they went out in public pay them no mind I went out today s picked up a fiver of the black Friday’s at little Havana in west allis for $29.95 you hit the nail on the head about this cigar as you usually do thanks again and fuck those forum idiots you rock
There were several good guys in that forum. And I bet they are reading all these comments.
But maybe it’s good they do..I’m glad I could provide a place for ex-forum users to vent. Because they had similar experiences to me based on the vitriol coming from everyone.
I get shit from all around me. Every single reviewer hates me. You will never find my web site in any blog roll on another reviewer’s web site.
They fucking HATE me!! LOL..And I know why. But it rolls off like water on a duck. It only means I’ve hit a nerve. And at my age, and my current illness, ask me if I give a fuck what other people think of me? It’s called Free Fucking Speech.
So this may turn out good or it will cause a shit storm of bad mouthing me and my readers. Really, who gives a shit? Get a life.
I feel ya Uncle K! They are hit or miss…I guess I’m truly blessed that I’ve met many fine BOTL on forums and have taken part in many great blind trades/bombs. That really is fucked up to join a SS knowing you only have a couple of dog rockets…that is bull shit! But like I said, in 10+ years I’ve never been screwed or thought I was “ripped off” in any way and I’ve had great experiences with forums but then again, Reddit, Cigar Federation and BOTL dont attract too many scumbags, they get weeded out very fast!
Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a common malady among forum-squatters. It’s entertaining, in a clinical way, to watch them battle one another for positions of authority and prestige. Inevitably self-appointed enforcement squads develop, and with them all the familiar cliques and hecklers, each one attempting to outdo the other with impotent and clichéd insults and one-liners. As true narcissists, these forum-squatters love to see their own words on the screen, and consider a 40,000-comment total as some sort of accomplishment. Like fire ants, members of these “communities” band together and attack any and all intruders who would challenge the content of their make-believe world. Better to remain an individual than become a member of one of these silly, malicious collectives.
Hi Ed,
That’s one of the best, most succinct descriptions of some cigar forums I’ve read.
Cheers
Phil