HVC First Selection Broadleaf Toro

HVC is one of those brands that continues to impress me. The list of fantastic blends in their portfolio is longer than my… uh… well, we don’t need to get too specific—but it’s long. From the immensely flavorful 500 Years Anniversary, to the delicious Serie A, and the delightful Hot Cake, they never seem to let me down. So I was thrilled when I heard they were going to start experimenting with Broadleaf.

The First Selection Broadleaf first hit the market as a limited-edition release back in 2018. It was available in two sizes and limited to 500 boxes. It was so popular that they brought it back in 2019 and made it part of their regular production.

HVC First Selection Broadleaf Toro Breakdown

Appearance

The look is quite simple. The band is predominantly red, with gold embossing and white text. The secondary band shows the “industry classic” black with gold trim and “Broadleaf” in gold text. The Broadleaf wrapper has a dark, marbled look, with a slight oily sheen. It’s not flashy in the least. It’s almost humble.

Smoking Experience

The Broadleaf wrapper gives off a punch of aroma. Notes of black pepper, fresh soil, oak, mild molasses, and milk chocolate are very present. The cold draw tasted of stewed dark stone fruit (dark cherries, plums, etc.), whole peppercorn, and raisins.

The first puff hit me with a ton of flavor. It was like a churro covered in plum preserves and dipped in dark chocolate. Throw in a note of black pepper and a hot red pepper on the retro and you get an idea of what we’re working with here. The smoke was thick and the flavor was rich.

The middle portion added in some dark, earthy notes, and the churro note became more of a ginger snap cookie. A roasted espresso note joined the show at the midpoint, and we were on our way.

The final third brought the churro back, and the black pepper picked up on the palate. The red pepper heat was still there on the retro, but it lost much of its potency. There was a lot going on in the final third of this beauty, but it maintained balance and was never harsh on the palate.

Would I Smoke This Cigar Again?

Of course. The only thing that will keep me from smoking this on the regular is the availability. I chalk its current hard-to-find-ness up to the pandemic. This is a regular-production cigar, and I imagine it will be easier to find in the coming months.

• Originally released as an LE in 2018.
• Became regular production release in 2019.
• Available in a 4½” x 52 Short Robusto and 6″ x 52 Toro.
• The rare blend out of the Aganorsa Leaf (TABSA) factory to use a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

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