Back in 2016, Reinier Lorenzo, founder of HVC Cigars, gifted the cigar world with this delicious Nicaraguan puro we all love and known as the HVC Pan Caliente cigar.
A Little Background on the HVC Pan Caliente
The name “HVC” pays homage to Lorenzo’s hometown, Havana City, Cuba. The latter part of the name “Pan Caliente” translates to “hot bread”, which is supposed to insinuate that this delicious smoke should “Sell like hot cakes” and that they do!
Lorenzo’s family has been working for Eduardo Fernandez of Aganorsa cigars for quite some time. When Fernandez noticed Reinier’s love and dedication to tobacco, he invited him to Aganorsa’s distribution center in 2009 to start collaborating on a blend.
Between scoring an 89 on halfwheel, and the HVC Pan Caliente cigar gaining popularity throughout the industry, both Fernandez and Lorenzo are like proud parents of the HVC Pan Caliente and are excited for the future of the cigar line.
Cigar Specs
- Country of Origin: Honduras
- Strength: Medium
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan (Criollo ’98)
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan
- Sizes Available:
- HVC Pan Caliente Robusto (5 x 50)
- HVC Pan Caliente Toro (6.25 x 52)
- HVC Pan Caliente Double Corona (5.62 x 55)
Cold Draw
The first two times I smoked this cigar, I didn’t do a cold draw test. I jumped right into it and was immediately hit with a one-two punch of spice, specifically black pepper.
So, this time around for the HVC Pan Caliente review, I was anticipating my mouth to be numb from the abundance of spice on the cold draw.
As I snipped the cap off and took a few cold draw puffs, there was little to no spice to be found. I was in shock. I did however taste a touch of cinnamon and dried fruit (specifically raisins). I was pleasantly surprised and excited to see what else I had in store for me as I made my way throughout this Nicaraguan puro.
First Third
The cinnamon and dried fruit I tasted in the cold draw were extremely present in the first third. The combination was doing wonders to my palate. As I was ten minutes into my smoking session, the Pan Caliente opened with a lot more sweetness than I expected.
As I was finishing up the first third, a touch of syrup, roasted nuts, and hay came to the forefront. The syrup was note was a real treat that I was not expecting.
Second and Final Third
I decided to merge my notes for the second and final third of the cigar because the flavor profile of this gem really didn’t change.
Besides a dash of cocoa and coffee at the tail end of the second third, all the luxurious notes such as the syrup, cinnamon, and hay remained. The ensemble of all these complex notes played a huge part in my enjoyment of Pan Caliente from HVC.
Overall Strength
Although the wrapper is a bit on the darker side, don’t let it fool you. I keep anticipating darker wrappers to be fuller than not. However, this cigar was extremely medium-bodied and the perfect smoke to have right before bed.
Most cigars, specifically cigars featuring all Nicaraguan tobaccos, get the juices flowing and have me sweating like I just got done playing two hours of basketball. But the fact this was true to the medium-bodied status it was perceived to be, the Pan Caliente was an enjoyable smoking experience from a strength standpoint.
Pairings
This was my third time trying this cigar and I went with a completely different paring than my other two smoking sessions.
My first time smoking this gem, I enjoyed it in the evening, all while drinking a bourbon on the rocks. The overall experience was extremely intense in a good way.
The second time I smoked the Pan Caliente, I went enjoyed it midday after lunch. I brewed myself a cup of coffee to pair alongside it and the two went together like two peas in a pod.
This time, I smoked it right after dinner, all while complementing it with a few pieces of chocolate and a glass of red wine. This was the go-to pairing for this specific cigar. The syrup notes I detected in the second third paired almost too perfectly with my beverage and food choice.
If you find yourself trying the HVC Pan Caliente, make sure to pop open a bottle of red, alongside your favorite chocolate candy treat.
In Conclusion
With each size under the HVC Pan Caliente cigar coming in a box of 25 for about $140, each individual cigar is priced a little under $6.00 per cigar.
With all due respect to Lorenzo and Aganorsa cigars, that’s highway robbery for all the greatness you’re getting with this cigar.
I recommend adding any size of the HVC Pan Caliente to your humidor. If you’re a fan of a medium-bodied, Nicaraguan puro with pure spice and complex flavors, then this is the cigar for you.