Review; Curivari Buenaventura BV500

[Awesome1]

5.2x50 slightly box pressed with a dark brown Nicaraguan wrapper and Nicaraguan filler as well.
After lighting the aroma is the 1st thing that strikes you as very pleasant. Like a sweet cedar with a hint of chocolate.
Flavors are similar to aroma. Pretty mild to start out. Retro is pure cedar

A third of the way in and it's required a touchup to even out the burn. Ash it still hanging on. Started out dark gray for the 1st inch and is now turning mostly white with a little gray mixed in. Flavors and aromas are the same but with more intensity. It's move into medium bodied territory now.

Around the half way point and the cedar is accompanied by hints of pepper and a little leather joins the flavor profile as well. Retro has some mild pepper thrown into the predominantly cedar profile.

Last third. Little cedar tingling on the lips. Like a cuban but in a mild way but very welcome to my pallet. I wish that was present for the entire cigar. Aroma has lost the cedar and is more chocolatey now. Very nice. Pepper has taken center stage on the retro with a mild cedar in there as well. Thats pretty much how this finished up. Cedar on the front of the pallet and more pepper in the last third.

Overall a very nice smoke if you like those flavor profiles. At less than 5 bucks a stick, well worth the money.

 

[CigarGavin]

The mini BV was my go-to smoke for under 20 degree weather for many years. Surprising pepper at times, and nice sweetness depending on the batch. Always a good smoke, nice review

 

[Awesome1]

I just discovered the Curivari brand. This was my 3rd one and least favorite. The Reserve Limitada Classicas are my favorites so far. Thay have that Cuban profile to them with a little saltiness and zing on the pallet which I really crave from the Cubans. Anyone know if anything else in the line is similar in profile? Selection Privada maybe?

 

[Texican]

I'm a big fan of the Gloria de Leon.

 

[CigarGavin]

I just discovered the Curivari brand. This was my 3rd one and least favorite. The Reserve Limitada Classicas are my favorites so far. Thay have that Cuban [rofile to them with a little saltiness and zing on the pallet which I really crave from the Cubans. Anyone know if anything else in the line is similar in profile? Selection Privada maybe?

I feel like around 2013 when they were coming up/gaining popularity the claim to fame was that they were all “Cubanesqe” in profile, which isn’t a problem per say but I feel like more often than not leads to disappointment when expecting something. It’s been a while since I had them but I feel like I enjoyed more fresh then with age, and the Buenaventura was one of the few that sat down nicely. Obviously JHMO

 

[CigarGavin]

I enjoyed the mini BV as a quick smoke during winter that was also only three bucks, and I didn’t mind pitching after 15 minutes if my fingers were falling off of my body

 

[Awesome1]

I feel like around 2013 when they were coming up/gaining popularity the claim to fame was that they were all “Cubanesqe” in profile, which isn’t a problem per say but I feel like more often than not leads to disappointment when expecting something. It’s been a while since I had them but I feel like I enjoyed more fresh then with age, and the Buenaventura was one of the few that sat down nicely. Obviously JHMO

Maybe the one I had will get better after a little rest. Only been in house for about a week. The reserve Limitada was excellent though, and just what I was looking for, so I figured the others might be as well. I have my finger on the trigger to buy others but figured I would see what other people have tried and liked. I'll give the mini BV a try. Always a time for a short smoke.

 

[CigarGavin]

Maybe the one I had will get better after a little rest. Only been in house for about a week. The reserve Limitada was excellent though, and just what I was looking for, so I figured the others might be as well. I have my finger on the trigger to buy others but figured I would see what other people have tried and liked. I'll give the mini BV a try. Always a time for a short smoke.

if the regular Buenaventura wasn’t your favorite the BV won’t change it, if anything it might be lacking compared to the larger one. I just found them all to smoke slightly better fresh, and good value for money considering the cost. It’s been a while since I revisited any of them. If the Reserva hits the profile your looking for it’s always nice to find a smoke at a decent price that hitsthe nail on the head Keep the reviews/comparisons coming

 

[Awesome1]

I grabbed another one of these on the 4th. Drove into town for the fireworks and lit it up. What a difference a few weeks makes. The cubanesque flavor profile was there in a very big way. I was finishing it on the ride home and thinking I was smoking a Cuban. If someone handed this to me blind I would for sure think it was a Cuban cigar, probably a custom rolled since I didn't recognize the flavor profile of any other Cuban cigar.
I ordered 4 more boxes today. With taxes it works out to 5 bucks a stick.

My quest has been to find a brand that can satisfy my craving for Cuban cigars. Obviously because of the cost of Cubans. The last few months I have been buying and smoking a lot of different NC from all different price points. Some great NC cigars out there but nothing else has hit the nail on the head like the Curivari line. For me anyway.
Thats not to say that there are not better NC cigars out there. If you are into NC's and not a fan of Cubans I get it. Dunbarton, West Tampa, My Father and a few others are outstanding. I have a lot more resting for now that will get reviewed in the near future so maybe there are others besides this brand but at this point, this is exactly what I have been looking for.

On a side not, they also have a selection privada line which I had to try the next morning. Only been in house for 2-3 weeks but I was curious. Last 3rd on it also hit the palate just right. Few more weeks and it will be ready for a review but looks like it will also have the right stuff I am looking for. Higher p[rice point though.