Stogie Reviews: Toraño Exodus Silver Corona Grande
1 Nov 2006
I still vividly recall the pleasure of the first Toraño Exodus 1959 Silver Edition I smoked a couple of years ago in the hospitable lounge at Cigar Central in Clearwater, Florida. Since then, I’ve had most, if not all, of the Toraño lines, and the Silver remains my favorite. The latest, smoked on my deck, was every bit as satisfying as the first. Like good music, the Silver repays the careful attention it deserves. But relegate it to the background and you’ll waste the opportunity to enjoy an intricate, subtle performance.
Toraño prides itself on blending diverse tobaccos; the Silver is no exception. While it shares some of its name with the original gold band Exodus, they are very different cigars. My recent Silver Corona Grande (six and 1/8 inches by 46 ring gauge) was a complex smoke, with tastes of pepper and sweetness, coffee and chocolate, that emerge, blend, and fade on the tongue and the finish. The taste of fine tobacco was always present, shifting from dominant to supplemental.
The draw was easy. Smoke was abundant, thick and creamy from the first puff to the last.
The cap was small and I worried about clipping too much with a cutter. So I used a punch, which was no problem. The foot toasted nicely, and the burn was straight and clean throughout the hour or more I smoked the Silver. I can’t recall having had a burn problem with any Toraño I’ve smoked.
Some will be put off by the Silver’s appearance. The Criollo wrapper, a lovely shade of brown, can appear mottled. Fans of a long ash are also likely to be disappointed with the loose, somewhat crumbly and gray one that the Silver produces. These issues matter little to me. My biggest complaint is Toraño’s propensity to use too much glue applying the bands.
On its website, Toraño calls the Silver medium- to full-bodied. But it’s so smooth, I’d be more inclined to rate it mild to medium, while noting that it presents a full flavor profile without any harshness.
I think most buyers will find an individual Silver Exodus reasonably priced at their local shops. A spot check of online dealers shows that a box of 25 Corona Grandes runs from about $85 to $100, plus shipping.
Obviously, I’m a fan. Not everyone is. Better, though, to set aside some time for contentment and sample one of the Silver’s four vitolas yourself. I hope you enjoy the experience. At four out of five stogies, I sure did.
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How does this compare to the Torano Exodus Gold?
I find the Gold to be a bit heavier, somewhat sharper and a little drier. While I think the Gold is a satisfying smoke, to me the Silver is more complex cigar.
I'm a big fan of the Torano line myself. I think the Sliver is a much smoother smoke then the Gold series. I tend to favor the square pressed Golds though.
–Miguel
jonny804
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