HC Series
Criollo
Strength: Medium-FullIn stock
About this cigar
HC Series is a Nicaraguan cigar house associated with the Xikar portfolio. The Criollo Toro uses a Nicaraguan Criollo 98 wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler, producing a medium-to-full-bodied smoke with earthy spice, cedar and roasted notes.
Tasting notes
earthcedarblack pepperroasted coffeetoasted almondspice
Available sizes
5 options3 in stock2 backorderedSelected size
Robusto
4.7" × 52 · Box of 20
In stock
$120.00Retail $226.50Save $106 (47% off)Retail = MSRP + 8.25% tax + $10 shipping$6.00 / cigarTax & shipping includedAdd
Pairs well with
aged rumbourbonespressoportersingle-malt whisky
At a glance
- Made in
- Nicaragua
- Strength
- Medium-Full
- Sizes
- 5 available
In plain English
What to expect
Smoothness
Balanced
Strength
Medium-Full
Richer and more assertive, but still approachable.
Flavour
earth · cedar · black pepper · roasted coffee
Tasting profile
How it tastes
Primary
earthcedarblack pepperroasted coffeetoasted almondspicesweetnesspepper
Secondary
leathercocoanutscedartobaccocoffee
What each note tastes like
Sweetness4/5
Cocoa, dried fruit, molasses
Spice5/5
Pepper and warmth on the finish
Creaminess1/5
Soft, smooth, milky texture
Earthiness5/5
Soil, leather, forest floor
Wood5/5
Cedar, oak, toasted timber
Read from this cigar's own tasting notes, strength and wrapper — not a published score.
Earth & leatherearth · leather · tobacco
Dry, savoury depth — the backbone most aged tobacco is built on.
Wood & cedarcedar
Clean, resinous notes that come forward as the cigar warms up.
Pepper & spiceblack pepper · spice · pepper
The tingle on the retrohale; usually strongest in the first third.
Cocoa & coffeeroasted coffee · cocoa · coffee
Roasted, faintly bitter sweetness that builds through the middle.
Sweetnesssweetness
Sugars from the wrapper and long-leaf filler; often on the lips.
Nut & graintoasted almond · nuts
Toasted, bready notes — almond, cashew, fresh bread, cereal.
Blend & origin
How it is built
- Made in
- Nicaragua
- Sizes (length × ring)
- 4.7–7" × 48–60
Explore this blend
Where it sits in the collection
made in Nicaragua · medium-full in strength · pairs with aged rum, bourbon, espresso
Compare sizes
Every size side by side
| Size | Length × ring | Pack | Per cigar | Price | vs retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robusto | 4.7" × 52 | Box of 20 | $6.00 | $120 | −47% |
| Belicoso/Torpedo | 6" × 54 | Box of 20 | $7.05 | $141 | |
| Toro | 6.5" × 52 | Box of 20 | $7.15 | $143 | |
| Churchill | 7" × 48 | Box of 20 | $7.15 | $143 | |
| Grande | 5.7" × 60 | Box of 20 | $7.25 | $145 |
Aging & storage · Guidance
How to keep it
General humidor guidance for this cigar, based on its wrapper, strength, ring gauge and packaging.
Storage
Hold the box at 65–70% relative humidity at 65–70°F (18–21°C). Steady humidity matters far more than the exact number — swings are what crack wrappers.
Rest after delivery
Thicker ring gauges hold shipping moisture longest — give these boxes three to four weeks in the humidor before the first one.
Aging window
Full-bodied blends reward patience: a year or two of quiet aging typically trades raw power for depth.
In the box
Age them in their own box where possible — the cedar keeps the cigars marrying together instead of taking on the flavour of everything else in the humidor.
From the community
Member reviews
Be the first to share what you found in the smoke.
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