Toraño Exodus 1959 Silver Torpedo

Rounding out Carlos Toraño’s extremely successful Exodus 1959 series is the Silver edition. This premium 100% long-filler, handmade cigar honors the Cuban cigar families who escaped Castro’s takeover of their lands and factories in 1959. Its well-aged filler combination of Costa Rican, Honduran and Mexican tobaccos is held together by a Cameroon binder, then encased in a handsome Honduran Criollo ‘98 wrapper. Look for a moderately oily sheen on this firm and substantial cigar. We found it burned evenly to the very end and never needed relighting. We also found this medium-to-full-bodied smoke notably smooth. So did Cigar Aficionado, who rated it an impressive 92. Look for substantial spice in the flavor, with notes of black pepper, leather, cedar and undertones of nuts in this complex smoke. We found the finish spicy and the tobacco flavor prominent. We recommend pairing it with a Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 or your favorite Cabernet.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.