This has certainly been a great couple of weeks. It seems like every delivery to our stores brings in some new cigars that we picked up at the IPCPR Trade Show a few months ago. There are so many new items that I probably need to write a blog every day just to introduce them all.

Today I am proud to exhibit the Edicion de Silvio from Perdomo. This cigar is a tribute to Nick Perdomo’s late grandfather Silvio, who worked for two of the most famous cigar makers in Cuba, H. Upmann and Partagas. This cigar comes in both natural and maduro. They are very secretive about the blend, stating that the tobaccos are a mix of Nicaraguan Ligero, Viso, and Secco that has been aging since 1997. They also mention the use of 50 year old casks in the aging process as well.

This cigar is on the pricey end and for good reason. Aging tobacco for 15 plus years can get expensive. Also, there are just five rollers who are trusted with making this cigar. These torcedors are the best of the best which ensures a perfectly constructed cigar but also means a more limited production.

For my review I have chosen the natural torpedo. It is visually appealing with its amber golden wrapper. The minimal veins and the smoothness of the wrapper give the impression that this is Connecticut shade. Although I haven’t been able to verify it officially, my palate tells me that the wrapper is Ecuadorian Connecticut. Although most would classify this cigar as full bodied, I believe it has a milder bite than its maduro cousin. The binder and filler are simply listed as Nicaraguan.

The cigar is complex as the flavor profile changed quite a bit as I smoked it. The first puffs of this cigar produced a nice creamy smoke that coated my palate with sweetness along with a mild spiciness. As the experience continued into the second third, some nice cocoa nuances appeared, followed by some well-rounded black pepper notes.

As I began the final third of the cigar, the peppers gave a little ground to the sweeter side of the spice wheel with a little nutmeg and cinnamon. What is remarkable is that the sweetness is always there in the background. As I smoked it past the band, there was not any bitterness and the sweetness actually intensified. To say that this cigar is complex is an understatement. What I believe makes a cigar complex isn’t just how many flavors it has and how many times they change, but how well they blend well together. This cigar does a great job of introducing the new flavors, but it is done so in a peaceful transition and not a palate cliff dive. This is very difficult task to accomplish. It takes a skilled blender working with high quality and well-aged tobacco.

There was no bitter end to this cigar.

If you are looking for a few pairing suggestions, I think this cigar begs for a good port. I am going to track down a nice ruby port before I smoke another one of these. The cigar is priced to where most people would consider it a “special occasion” smoke and not something you would enjoy on a daily basis.

I will be enjoying a few of these this weekend with my little brother, as I meet my new niece for the first time. No matter what the occasion for you, this is definitely a cigar that will “make your everyday celebrations better.”

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida Regional Manager. Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server. Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.