Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: C.A.T. Tobacco, Miami, FL
Tabacalera: Toraño - Danli, Honduras
Model/Vitola: Carlos Toraño - Exodus 1959 Robusto
Size: 5.0 x 52 (box-pressed)
Wrapper: Honduras Habano (H2000)
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua
Cigar Insider Rating: 90 (2006)
Other vitola sizes available
6.5 x 54 - Torpedo
6.0 x 50 - Toro
5.75 x 50 - Perfecto
7.0 x 50 - Double Corona
All sizes are packed in dark lacquered cedar boxes of 24 with no individual cellophane sleeves. The unique box is a tri-level with lift-out trays ... a very handsome presentation.
The Toraño family
The Toraño family history in tobacco dates back to 1916 in Cuba when Don Santiago Toraño entered the cigar business. By the late 1950's when Fidel Castro's government came to power, the Toraño family was a powerhouse in the Cuban tobacco industry, operating 17 farms and brokering tobacco sales. In 1959 it all came to an end when Castro nationalized the industry, seizing all assets of tobacco families.
Carlos Toraño Sr. left Cuba, taking his passion for tobacco to the Dominican Republic. Even today, growers in the Dominican Republic credit him with introducing the Cuban seed to the Dominican Republic and teaching the farmers there how to grow what is today known as Piloto Cubano. When Carlos Sr. died, the family business was passed to Carlos Jr. and expanded to growing in Nicaragua, Mexico and Ecuador.
Today, after overcoming numerous challenges following flight from Cuba, the Toraño family is the only major cigar manufacturer to operate factories in each of the three leading cigar export countries; Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
Carlos Toraño-Exodus 1959
The Exodus 1959 was introduced in 2001, as a tribute to expatriate Cuban tobacco farmers and cigar makers, who fled Castro’s regime. The line has achieved numerous industry accolades including a 90 Cigar Insider rating for the Robusto in July 2006 and placement as 5th best in the world by Cigar Aficionado for 2006! Smoke magazine rated the Robusto a 4.5 out of 5 back in October of 2002. At the time, one of their highest ratings ever.
Bottom line up front .....
Before I launch into my review I should say thanks to lanshark for providing the sample for this review. It made for a fine afternoon smoke for which I am most gracious.
The CTE 1959 is a decent mid-day medium strength cigar but not a competitor to my favorite smokes. I would certainly put it above yard gar status but not on my regular buy list. The diverse blend creates a rich flavor profile and aroma which is interesting. Although this is stronger than most Toraño fare, I am just partial to stronger cigars.
Pre-light
Wrapped in the “controversial” H2000 leaf and sporting impeccable box-pressed construction, this cigar is pleasing to behold. The very dark, almost maduro looking wrapper has great oils and is quite smooth with very few small veins. H2000 was used widely during the cigar boom in the late 1990’s, where it was often criticized as flame proof and compared at times to asbestos.
H2000 (aka Habana 2000 or now Habano) was originally developed in Cuba as an alternative to the corojo and criollo strains which were very susceptible to various kinds of blight. Agronomists crossed “true” corojo, the trademark wrapper leaf developed by Diego Rodriguez in the 30’s, with Bell 61-10, a type of cigarette tobacco. The new strain resulted in a thick leaf that was indeed more disease and pest resistant, but cigar makers found it difficult to ferment and smokers almost universally complained that it burned badly, sometimes resulting in the binder and filler burning completely and leaving a hollow shell of H2000 wrapper. I don't know about you but I hated when that happened!
Since that time it appears that either the strain has been improved, or processing methods have been developed to persuade the petulant H2000 wrapper leaf to burn properly. But I digress .....
Pre-light aroma is of rich tobacco with a very slight ammonia edge. Leaves the nose tingling. Following a clean clip the draw was very nice. I read some complaints about loose draw but that was not the case with my sample. Lights up very quickly.
The Smoking Experience
First pulls yield a peppery blast but quickly warm to a smooth earthy cocoa and leather flavor with some notes of sweet creamed coffee. The aroma is very pleasant along with a hint sweet coffee on the finish. Burn was very slow and cool with moderate smoke volume in the first third building to clouds the rest of the way. Smoke time was about 70 minutes. The burn line went erratic on me a couple of times requiring torch assistance. Ash was medium gray with some dark gray mottled in and first ash held to the halfway mark. The second third had the nose get creamier with a little less "twang" and the flavor profile with a little more coffee in the mix. The last third ushers in slight pepper on the tongue and flavors darken and grow toasty. Finish was medium in length with some smooth cedary leather on the aftertaste.
My take .....
A medium-bodied, full flavored smoke which did not captivate me but certainly has an interesting flavor profile. Packaging and cigar appearance were fantastic. There is no doubt this is a good looking cigar. Given my affinity for full bodied smokes, I don't think I'll be looking for these but I definitely won't turn one down if offered!
Retail on the Robusto is around $5.80 US but they can be found easily for $3.00 with some sale prices even lower. A great value price for a quality medium-bodied smoke.
Like it ... It was OK
Buy it again ... not for me
Recommend it ... Yes, to those looking for medium body with interesting flavors
| 
| 
