By Gary Korb
A Delectable Nugget Comes Out of the Shadows
I don’t know how or why this happens, but there are a lot of great cigars out there that just don’t get enough well-deserved attention. Case in point: the Toraño Salutem cigars selection, which was introduced in 2012. But rather than dwell about how this cigar got lost in the sauce, I’m outing the Toraño Salutem Robusto Extra in the interest of cigar smokers who want a beautifully handcrafted cigar with lots of delectable surprises.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 5″ x 52
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Cameroon
Binder: Nicaraguan Jalapa
Presentation: Boxes of 12 cigars
My Experience: As I reached into my humidor, it was hard to miss this cigar with its bright silver band and lustrous Habano wrapper. Holding the Salutem Robusto Extra in my hand I noticed how solidly built this 52-ring cigar was. The core blend deviates a little from the norm, in that Toraño used a recipe of Dominican, Nicaraguan and African Cameroon longfillers bound in a Nicaraguan Jalapa leaf. You don’t ordinarily find Cameroon in the center, but it melds seamlessly with its bunkmates in this rendering.
The first few puffs offer earth, leather and pepper notes that transition to a smooth and creamy mix of cedar, nutmeg, and sweet spice flavors with the leather component holding on. The smoke is well-balanced and medium-bodied through the first two thirds as more flavors jump in, including coffee, caramel, almonds, and a suggestion of cocoa on a long and often floral scented finish.
The last act pushed into the medium-full range in body, while the base flavors of cedar, leather and sweet spice continued to chant the chorus. At this juncture oak-like notes appeared and some pepper returned, yet the smoke never turned bitter.
Suffice it to say. . . the Toraño Salutem Robusto Extra is one of the finest examples of the quality and flavor Toraño has made for generations. Moreover, it could be one of the most underrated premium cigars out there. They come in boxes of 12 cigars, which tells me the tobaccos are most likely vintage and fewer in number. Yet, considering this humidor-worthy vitola comes in at around $6 a smoke, you’re getting a lot of cigar for the buck. Better yet, the medium-bodied profile makes them more accessible to newer cigar smokers.
Think of the Salutem as a “salute” to this distinguished family name; it may just turn you on to some of the other Toraño cigars, too.
If you’ve had an experience with this cigar, please share it by leaving a comment.
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Executive Editor
Gary Korb has been writing and editing content for CigarAdvisor.com since its debut in 2008. An avid cigar smoker for over 30 years, he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as a Sr. Copywriter, blogger, and Executive Editor of Cigar Advisor. A graduate of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, prior to his career in the cigar business, Gary worked in the music and video industry as a marketer and a publicist.
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