Silencio – not to be Silenced

About the only problem I have with Felipe Gregorio is that I always misspell the name.  I’m sorry!  But, otherwise, it’s a great line of cigars and wonderful people to deal with.  From time to time they call and ask if we have smoked their cigars recently, reminding me that I should enjoy another great stick.  And, the Silencio is a great smoke.  Rumored to be an event cigar, I know that you can find them in some of the better shops.  Silencio is a line primarily made of Salomon shapes.  There is a large or traditional size at 7 1/2 x 60, a short size at 5 1/2 x 58 and a ‘Belabusto’ at 4 1/2 x 60. They come in boxes of 16 and 20 sticks depending on size.  There is also a 4 stick sampler, which would be a welcome addition to every smokers holiday list.

I actually smoked two different ‘Silencio’s’ for this review.  And they both smoked great.  Any time you look at a Salomone you have to be impressed.  It is a large important looking smoke.  This had a nice medium to slightly darker brown wrapper and was oily to the touch.  Rather than punch the top, I clipped it since it doesn’t lend well to a punch.  The cold draw was open despite the heft of the stick.  The tapered end of the cigar lit without problem.

This cigar is well constructed.  It burned very evenly and held a long ash.  The first of the sticks required a retouch in the last third, the second cigar burned perfectly. Anytime a cigar hold an ash that is more than a third of its length, I’m amazed.  I don’t understand physics, but that is my benchmark.  This did that and more.

At first light I found the cigar to be leathery with heavy cedar notes.  As we moved to the second third of the cigar there was a sweetness, redolent of vanilla laced coffee.  The mouth feel was full and supple, but the cigar itself is medium bodied.  The final third of the stick brought more spice and an oaky taste.  It finished smoothly, leaving me wanting more.  And when they tell you this is an event cigar, they mean it.  Any time you have one it is an event.

The Salomone is not inexpensive.  But, $12 it is a worthwhile price to pay for such a wonderful stick.