PCA 2023: HVC Cigars

I remember the early days of HVC Cigars, including Reinier Lorenzo selling cigars literally out of his car. Those days coincided with the early days of halfwheel, so it’s been enjoyable to watch HVC—and Reinier—grow into what the company is today.

My time in the booth was briefly interrupted by some Middle Eastern distributors that wanted international pricing. No matter how serious they may or may not have been, it’s a reminder of how far not only HVC has come but also how big non-U.S. markets are becoming for non-Cuban brands. Again, that loosely mirrors something that I see here at halfwheel.

As for the booth, I believe HVC has been using this setup since 2019. It’s a wide booth with rented cabinets. While the cabinets may not be the prettiest-looking things, they are functional and work quite well for photographs. That is, at least, if the photographer gets the focus right.

HVC Hot Cake Golden Line

The HVC Hot Cake, which is one of the company’s best-selling lines, is getting a milder option. I have not smoked the cigar, but given the combination, I’d guess that the company has high commercial hopes for this release. This is made at HVC’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua and will begin shipping in a couple of weeks.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí & Jalapa)

• HVC Hot Cake Golden Line Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46) — $8.30 (Box of 25, $207.50)
• HVC Hot Cake Golden Line Laguito No.4 (4 1/2 x 52) — $9 (Box of 25, $225)
• HVC Hot Cake Golden Line Laguito No.5 (6 x 54) — $10 (Box of 25, $250)
• HVC Hot Cake Golden Line Gran Cañon (6 x 60) — $11.40 (Box of 25, $285)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2023