Toraño Exodus robusto

[TommyBB]

On yet ANOTHER not-to-be-missed, almost-spring afternoon, Jefslat's "March is For Robustos" contest beckons again. OK, I needed an excuse. The supper prep work has mostly been done; the meatballs are rolled and in the oven for an as-yet-to-be-made pot of Sicilian-American red gravy, and my delinquent conscience nags at me.

Some of us here in the Cigar Weekly Community have been generously graced over the past two years with cigars from the IPCPR show. We are to review them. I have shirked this duty, often enough, in favor of other cigars. It is beyond time to accept and live up to my responsibilities. Here goes.

Most of us who pay attention to the business of cigars, following the industry in order to know about our hobby (passion,) learned in 2014 that the Toraño family, Carlos, Charlie, et. al. sold their operations and name to General Cigar as developments in government regulations, already-imposed taxes and possible new ones were in the works or taking their toll on smaller companies.

Carols Toraño was already a well-known and well-loved company here at CW. This was cemented in 2005 by the introduction of the original Toraño Exodus 1959 line which commemorated the emigration, or "exodus" of many Cuban cigar folks, farm owners, tabaqueros and so many others involved in the business. So many left their homeland, as that year, 1959, saw the Castro-led government nationalize the cigar industry, thus seizing all their lands, homes, barns, workshops, and other concerns. CWers and everyone else got their first look of this new line at the 2005 RTDA show here in New Orleans, a mere three weeks before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina (which wiped out The Camp where CW had its memorable RTDA party.)
by YmmotBB, on Flickr
That cigar was made with a pan-Caribbean blend of filler leaves (from nearly every tobacco-producing country in the basin,) Honduran binder and Nicaraguan wrapper. However, that 5" x 52 robusto saw a major revitalization, being introduced anew at the 2016 IPCPR show in Las Vegas, where our correspondent Jefslat procured these samples for us to review.

The "new" Toraño Exodus had grown in girth to a 54 ring gauge, while maintaining the same length of 5 inches. The blend, however, is much different. The filler is still multi-national with a blend of Dominican, Honduran and Mexican tobaccos. The binder is Connecticut Broadleaf and there are wrapped, according to my research, in a capa, San Agustín from Honduras.
by YmmotBB, on Flickr
****ACTUAL SMOKING BEGINS****
Again, the wrapper seems, from research, to be considered or classified as natural, but it is dark and a bit toothy. Despite another windy afternoon, the cigar with its new branding and contemporary-styled band, lit easily with one match. My initial impressions head toward flavors of sweet, dark roasted coffee and a touch of leather. It's pleasant. I find the ample smoke to be quite medium-bodied, at most, with newly perceived lavender in the draw, also.
by YmmotBB, on Flickr
So far, a few minutes and about half of an inch gone, this is pleasing. I am only now after writing all of the above, feeling the need to sip my iced tea as the sun sinks and a slight chill from the wind is present.
by YmmotBB, on Flickr
Some more web research indicates that these may have been discontinued by General. Yet two of the larger online retailers show them to be readily available. one sells them in packs of ten for $59.99 and another in boxes of twenty for $77.95. For the straight burn, generous amounts of smoke that reward me, that box price of under eighty dollars ($80.00) is quite fair, if I am honest. It sure smokes better than a $4.00 cigar. The wind attacked my ash just as I wrote this last bit, but the cigar would still be fairly priced, in my estimation, at $6.00 to $9.00.

As I smoke on, the finish gets more sweet and coffee-like, while the clear herbal flavor continues with pleasant prominence in the actual smoke.

The 2016 version of the Toraño Exodus, curiously missing from General's Cigar World website under brands, is a Cigar Weekly Four Star Cigar. ****


EDITED TO ADD: still no sign of Reese, the Incontinent Dachshund. Think I may go find her just to be a nice guy.

EDITED TO ADD #2: Despite the previous paragraph of the actual review, the burn line has completely corrected itself from when the ash fell, and it's straight and true. It's another sign, I suppose, along with the fine flavor that has not become harsh. It's a worthy cigar.