Best Broadleaf Cigars
Cigars blended with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper display a particular flavor profile, one that leans in a dark and sweet direction. We’ve already outlined the top Maduro cigars you can buy, but not all Maduros are finished in an authentic Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, so we’re going to narrow things down a bit further by focusing on Broadleaf cigars. Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco is grown in the state of Connecticut. It’s cultivated from a resilient, stalk-cut plant that can handle a longer fermentation period, resulting in a taste that’s very distinct from the golden-blond Connecticut Shade tobacco the state is also known for. Here are six excellent Broadleaf cigars to put on your shopping list if they’re not already resting in your humidor.
1. Ashton Aged Maduro
Ashton Aged Maduro has been a pillar in the iconic Ashton portfolio for nearly forty years. This mild to medium-bodied cigar comes in eight popular sizes that deliver creamy and balanced notes of dark chocolate, almond, molasses, and maple with a subtle undercurrent of spice. The key here is that the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is fermented for three years before it’s drawn over a vintage interior of Dominican long-filler tobaccos blended by Carlito Fuente. Savor one of the greatest Broadleaf cigars ever created with the 92-rated Ashton Aged Maduro.
2. Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial
An oily, dark-brown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper surrounds a meaty core of aged Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos grown and matured by the Garcia family. Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial was an early hit in the My Father portfolio, proving that Jaime Garcia, the son of legendary cigarmaker José ‘Pepin’ Garcia, is an equally gifted blender. Full-bodied notes of leather, black pepper, dark cocoa, and earth layer the palate throughout an intense but smooth smoke presented in several classic cigar sizes. To top it off, Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial cigars are priced at a solid value.
3. La Aroma de Cuba
La Aroma de Cuba is a world-renowned Cuban-legacy cigar dating back to the late 1800s when Winston Churchill counted it among his favorite brands. Today, Pepin and Jaime Garcia produce this award-winning collection, and it’s become immensely popular for its quality, consistency, and price. The original La Aroma de Cuba blend consists of vintage Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos finished in an oily, medium-brown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. It comes in a wide range of sizes too. The critics in Cigar Aficionado rated La Aroma de Cuba 93 points and ranked it as the ‘#1 Cigar Industry Best Buy’ over twenty years ago. Notes of cedar, cocoa, earth, and molasses mingle with a hearty spice in a versatile and attractive smoke.
4. AJ Fernandez Enclave Broadleaf
Cigarmaker AJ Fernandez produces a massive collection of premium cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua. Enclave Broadleaf showcases his talent for coaxing the sweet and peppery tasting notes Broadleaf tobaccos are known for from a mature and complex blend. AJ created this bestselling cigar in collaboration with his father, Ismael Fernandez. Robust notes of cocoa powder, leather, and earth mingle with hints of vanilla bean before a deep finish blesses the palate. Explore a dark and succulent Broadleaf cigar rated 93 points in Cigar Aficionado from AJ Fernandez.
5. Arturo Fuente Añejo
Arturo Fuente Añejo is one of the rarest cigars on our list, but that’s not surprising considering it’s blended from coveted Dominican tobaccos that are normally reserved for Fuente Fuente Opus X cigars. Arturo Fuente Añejo is basically an Opus X cigar reblended with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that’s been fermented in a Cognac barrel to impart even more sweetness than what a typical Broadleaf delivers. World-renowned cigarmaker Carlito Fuente created Arturo Fuente Añejo cigars in the aftermath of Hurricane Georges in 1998. The storm destroyed multiple tobacco barns in the Dominican Republic where he had been aging precious Opus X wrappers grown on the Chateau de la Fuente estates. To compensate for the temporary loss of Opus X production, Carlito introduced Añejo cigars with a savory, full-bodied Broadleaf wrapper and a resonant profile of dark cocoa, molasses, and cedar with a deep, buttery spice from beginning to end. Pull the trigger when they’re in stock. We sell out fast.
6. My Father Limited Edition Pepin Mania
Every year, we host a big event at Holt’s with our friends at My Father Cigars. It’s become so popular that the Garcia family blended a special My Father Limited Edition Pepin Mania cigar to commemorate the occasion. This super-premium gem is only available once a year, and it’s reserved for the My Father event. A toothy and decadent Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper covers a mature blend of Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos in a 6-by-52 box-pressed Toro. Full-bodied notes of black pepper, leather, and espresso bean mingle over a malty foundation of dark chocolate. Keep your eyes on the Holt’s calendar for our annual event schedule and be prepared to strike the day of our My Father event when you want to buy a box of Pepin Mania cigars.
