HC Confusion

jw517

Maybe somebody can edificate me on this. I got HC Habano cigars in a AJF sampler. I then see a bunch of other HC cigars with different wrappers with no mention of AJF. NOW--- I see Xikar's name on the HC cigars and some without. Are all these the same blend,same maker, or what the heck is going on? 

deadman

I think xikar has them made. Maybe AJ’s factory makes a line? Or maybe he helped to blend one line?

timb

AJ makes the Habano2 for HC Series.

Yakster

It can be tricky tracking down the blender for a cigar.  A cigar brand or line can have several different blenders, here's a Cigar Blender Database on the RobustoJoe site, but I don't see the Habano2 listed for the HC series.

http://robustojoe.com/cigar-blends/

Looks like that list is pretty old.

jw517

Then my question is WHO makes the other HC cigars? Who is Havana Collections?

Yakster

It's listed on the Cigar.com website for each cigar in the series... the one's I checked so far were all blended by Jesus Fuego and here's the cigars he's blended from that old blender database link I posted:

Jesus Fuego

• 777
• Capoeira
• Casa Fuego
• J. Fuego 777 Maduro and Corojo
• J. Fuego Delirium
• J. Fuego Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1
• J. Fuego Natural
• J. Fuego Origen
• Rocky Patel Old World Reserve
• Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 and 1992
• Xikar Defiance
• Xikar HC

More reading material:  https://halfwheel.com/?s=hc+series

jw517

They mention Jesus Fuego a lot but I'm still curious.

timb

If I recall correctly, most of the core HC lines were blended by Jesus Fuego but actually produced by Nestor Plasencia at one of his impressive facilities.  The Habano2 and Maduro2 are made by AJ in Esteli.  In my experience almost all of the HC Series blends are quite good especially for the price, one of those brands that always surprises me when I smoke one on auto-pilot (which is 90% of the time).  I like the Habano2 these best, no surprise... but the Red Criollo and the Black Maduro, both in bundles, are my dark horses.  The Red is crisp, spicy, and a lil sweet, and the Black is also just sweet enough without being cloying, smoother than expected, and a fruity, almost berry like note I've picked up several times separates it from similarly priced options.  Overall nothing that's gonna flip your wig, but solid value buys none-the-less.

jw517

I agree about value! I don't think ANYONE could be dissatisfied with what they get for around two bucks a cigar with HC. The Xikar name was scaring me off though. I thought maybe the blends might have changed.