HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary Magnificos Prelight
Reinier Lorenzo founded HVC Cigars in 2011. Lorenzo is a Cuban national whose goal is to continue the rich traditions of Cuban-style cigars. HVC stands for Havana City, Cuba, and the cigar vitolas, bands, and names are homages to their namesake.
The HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary debuted in 2025 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original La Rosa 520, which was released in 2015. The number 520 is significant to Reinier Lorenzo as it was the street number for his childhood home in Havana, Cuba. The 520 10th Anniversary is offered in two vitolas, a 5.5 x 54 Toro “Originales” and a 6.5 x 52 Double Figurado “Magnificos”. The blend details are an Ecuadorian Habano 92 wrapper over Jalapa, Nicaragua binder, and Nicaraguan filler leaves from Estelí, Jalapa, and Ometepe. The cigars are rolled at Reiner Lorenzo’s factory, Fábrica de Tabacos HVC S.A., in Nicaragua.
The wrapper is an earthy brown with green undertones and a strong oily sheen. The aromas are of sweet cedar and black pepper. The draw is perfect with notes of sweet hay, and cedar.
HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary Magnificos First Third
The HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary starts with medium-plus smoke output. The palate notes are crusty bread, minerality, and some sweet cedar. The retrohale is showing tones of vanilla, cream, light roast coffee, and bright black pepper. The strength of flavor is full. The finish is medium with notes of coffee and black pepper. The overall profile is powerful with an excellent juxtaposition of sweet and peppery flavors. The ash, burn, and construction have been flawless so far – tight ash and a fantastic burn line.
HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary Magnificos Second Third
I’m picking up on a melange of old wood, sweet hay, and green bell pepper on the palate. The retrohale notes are light roast coffee, dark chocolate, and bright black pepper. The strength of flavor has decreased slightly to medium plus. The smoke output remains at medium plus. The finish also remains at medium with notes of coffee and dark chocolate. The pepper has subsided a bit, leaving room for the woody and chocolate tones to shine. The construction remains flawless.
HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary Magnificos Final Third
The palate notes are remaining consistent with a melange of old wood, green bell pepper, and sweet hay. On the retrohale, I’m seeing vanilla, cream, bright baking spices, and a tingle of black pepper. The strength of flavor remains at medium plus. Smoke output also remains at medium plus. The finish remains at medium with notes of bright baking spices and old wood. The profile has gotten significantly sweeter, and the bright baking spices are a very welcome addition to the flavors. The construction remains flawless. Past the band, the sweetness has subsided, but is still very much enjoyable. I put this one down with about an inch left.
HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary Magnificos Conclusions
Something I’ve always admired HVC for is their bright and lively flavor profiles. The 520 La Rosa 10th Anniversary pairs that signature brightness with classic flavors of hay, wood, vanilla, and chocolate, depending on where you are in the cigar. The transitions were so much fun on this stick. The construction also impressed, especially considering the Double Figurado vitola can be tough to get right. At $14 this cigar has some substantial value, and I’d be happy to have this as a mainstay in my collection. If you’re into blends that can be sweet, decadent, and powerful, I’d give the 520 La Rosa 10th Anniversary a try.
