HVC Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf Gran Torpedo

Today, we review the HVC Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf in the Gran Torpedo size. HVC Cigars owner Reinier Lorenzo has certainly chosen one of the longest and most unconventional cigar names in the industry. A key highlight of this name is the word “Broadleaf,” which refers to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that Lorenzo has selected for this cigar. Lorenzo is no stranger to Broadleaf. Before he moved into his factory, Lorenzo was producing his cigars at Aganorsa Leaf. He would release one of the rare Connecticut Broadleaf wrapped cigars out of Aganorsa Leaf with the Cigar Review: HVC First Selection Limited Edition Broadleaf Toro. Now that Lorenzo has his own factory, he has decided to create his own Broadleaf blend, using the Hot Cake Fresh Out Of the Oven Broadleaf.

Closed box of the Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf Gran Torpedo

Hot Cake is a brand that Lorenzo launched in 2020. Hot Cake was initially released as a San Andres Maduro. It’s a bit unclear whether it is a tribute to the popular breakfast food, or simply because the cigar will “sell like hot cakes.”. The Hot Cake traces its origins back to the Aganorsa Leaf factory and was released in 2020. Since then, two other blends have been released from HVC’s factory: the Hot Cake Golden Line (Connecticut Shade) and the Hot Cake Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf. Actually, before the 2020 launch of Hot Cake, HVC released a cigar called Pan Caliente, which is Spanish for “Hot Cake.”

For now, let’s turn our attention to the Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf Gran Torpedo and see what his cigar brings to the table.

HVC Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf Gran Torpedo – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

In addition to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the remainder of the Fresh Out Of The Oven blend consists of Nicaraguan tobaccos for the binder and filler. Production originates from Fabrica de Tabacos HVC, SA, in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos HVC, SA

Vitolas Offered

While the original Hot Cake (San Andres) and Hot Cake Golden Line are regular production releases, Fresh Out Of the Oven is described as a “limited production.” To date, five sizes have been released.

The 2025 releases for the Fresh Out Of The Oven include:

Gran Torpedo: 5 1/2 x 56
Coronas Gigantes: 6 7/8. x 50
Half Corona: 3 1/2 x 44

The 2024 releases for the Fresh Out Of The Oven included:

Torpedo: 5 1/2 x 52
Toro Extra: 5 1/2 x 54

All sizes of Fresh Out Of The Oven come in 25-count boxes.

Appearance (*)

The Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo had a dark brown wrapper with a roasted coffee bean quality. There was quite a bit of mottling on the wrapper (which gave the cigar some charm). In addition, there were also some oils on the surface of the wrapper. The wrapper had some visible veins. Meanwhile, the dark color of the wrapper minimized the amount of visible seams. In terms of the tip, there was a steep taper that converged to a point.

Close-up of the Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf Gran Torpedo

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to commence the smoking experience of the Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo. Approximately half of the tip was removed to ensure a proper tapering effect during the smoking experience. With the tip opened, I proceeded to the pre-light draw experience. The cold draw presented prominent notes of mocha and earth, with the mocha flavor being particularly distinguished. Mocha can be described as a harmonious blend of coffee and chocolate, and the chocolate aspect aptly justifies the name of this cigar. Furthermore, a pleasant mocha aroma was detectable from both the foot and the wrapper, lending additional credibility to the name of this cigar.

Tasting Notes

The Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo opened up with more notes of mocha and earth. Additionally, notes of cedar, classic wood, and black pepper were present. The mocha notes quickly moved to the forefront. The cedar, wood, earth, and pepper settled in the background. The cedar would be the most prominent of the secondary notes. Meanwhile, an additional layer of cedar and pepper was present on the retro-hale.

Later in the first third, the mocha notes became more coffee-centric, but still maintained a slight amount of chocolate cedar. The cedar and pepper notes slowly increased. As the Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo moved into the second third, the mocha was still prominent (and still had a more substantial coffee influence), but the cedar now joined it as a primary note. The pepper notes continued to increase in intensity gradually. Meanwhile, the earth and wood notes remained in the more distant background.

The final third saw the cedar and pepper notes take control. The mocha was still present as a secondary note – mostly coffee, but some amount of chocolate fused in. In the distance, the wood and earth remained in the background. This is how the Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo ended up. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo required frequent touch-ups to maintain a straight burn path and straight burn line. While the touch-ups kept things on track, more touch-ups were needed than I prefer. The resulting ash had a salt-and-pepper complexion with a slight silvery sheen. This was an ash that wasn’t overly firm, but not loose. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were maintained at ideal levels.

Draw

The draw of the Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo was excellent. This is a cigar that had a touch of resistance, which is something that I like. The flavors were easily discernible in this cigar. Additionally, the tip was well-constructed and maintained its firmness during the smoking experience.

Strength and Body

Both the strength and body of the Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo were on the bold side. The cigar started out medium to full in strength and body from the outset. Both attributes increased in intensity, and by the second half, the flavors were full-bodied. The strength didn’t quite reach the medium to full range, but it came close.

In terms of strength versus body, the body maintained a slight edge throughout the smoking experience.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

The bands on the Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf are a variation of the red and gold bands found on the original Hot Cake, but in this case, the red is replaced with black. I really appreciate the combination of black and gold bands, as they contrast beautifully with the wrapper. The cigars come in elongated wooden boxes. While the design is not overly complicated, it reflects HVC’s style, which I believe works well for them. The Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf is no exception.

Packaging of the Fresh Out Of The Oven Broadleaf Gran Torpedo

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

The Fresh Out Of The Oven Gran Torpedo lived up to its name from the aroma, pre-light draw, and the experience of the first third. However, after that, things began to change. The sweetness from the mocha began to decline, while the cedar and pepper notes intensified. This threw the balance off of this cigar, and the experience didn’t end up as expected. This cigar comes in at a $17.00 price point, which is not inexpensive. Ultimately, this is a cigar that I would recommend trying a sample of and seeing what you think. In my case, although I’m not sure I would revisit the Gran Torpedo, I’m open to trying the other sizes.

Summary

Key Flavors: Mocha, Cedar, Earth, Wood, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Medium to Full (1st Half), Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good