Seth's Humidor

2021 has been a big year for E.P. Carrillo and it is only getting bigger. They had announced that they will be having five cigar releases for the year and we have already seen two. The E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut and E.P. Carrillo Elencos Series have both been smash hits and wonderful cigars, but I now turn my attention to the next three. We know that every year E.P. Carrillo launches an Edicion Limitada series and a Short Run, but what we do not know is what the fifth cigar is! I know I just built that up and now I am going to let you down but I have no idea what it will be. Instead of speculating and worrying about that issue right now though I will be focusing on their newest release, the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2021. Limited to only 1,500 boxes of each size, the Short Run 2021 was released in three vitola’s, the Bombones (4 7/8 by 50), Canonazos (5 7/8 by 52) and the Immensos (6 ¼ by 60).

I chose the Canonazos vitola. I chose the Canonazos vitola because of the name and the size. Some other bloggers did not know this after talking with them but the name is actually the same name the factory works in Cuba give to the Cohiba Siglo VI and Montecristo Grand Edmundo 2022 L.E. The size of the Canonazos is the same size as a Siglo VI and I think it to be a great size. The wrapper on the cigar is Ecuadorian Habano and no matter what certain retailers say, Ernesto told me it is Ecuadorian Habano. Underneath the wrapper is a Nicaraguan binder and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobacco. The great thing about this smoke is that if you hold side by side to the 2022 version you can’t tell a difference in appearance but I know for a fact that we have some major flavor profile changes.

                

             The cigar is constructed beautifully with some minor oils here and there on the wrapper. There are some veins present but nothing to major that could affect the smoke. The triple cap is perfect and the cigar has a wonderful aroma of rich earth, spices, leather and stone fruit. On the cold draw I picked up some resistance which was great and I also detected soft floral notes as well. Upon lighting I was greeted with wonderful pepper and spice notes and they were accompanied by some coffee and almonds. The beginning was stronger than most E.P. Carrillo’s I have lighted up but in no way was it similar to a Don Pepin beginning. As I get further into the first third I begin to pick up some more woody notes and the cigar begins to mellow out some and really become complex. The cigar is burning perfectly so far and is very balanced. As I get into the second third of the cigar I begin to get an abundance of flavors ranging from spice to stone fruit and coffee to chocolate. I am definitely getting some nutty notes on the finish but it is accompanied by this woody mint flavor. This cigar is really flavorful, complex and burning well. When I get into the final third some of those wonderful flavors from the second third diminish and the cigar increases in strength. I begin to get a lot roasted nuts, spice and wood in the flavor, but more importantly I am getting strong tobacco notes. I smoke the cigar down to the nub and the whole time having a perfect burn.

                 

                I really enjoyed this cigar and I am glad that I chose this vitola for my review. I think that if I picked up a larger vitola I would lose that Habano seed flavor profile, and a smaller one would diminish the flavors from the filler. I wouldn’t say this cigar is worse or better than the Short Run 2022 but just different. The 2022 line was like a Pinot Noir for me and this was more a Cabernet Sauvignon. I would give this cigar a 93 rating and possibly higher on a different stick. I thought that it was perfect in appearance and construction but it was in the final third of the cigar that I thought it lost its edge. The cigar does a great job warming up and building in flavors into the second third, but when I the final third arrives it loses some its greatness. Overall I would smoke this cigar again and possibly buy a box, but it is not his best released cigar. It is funny to give a cigar a 93 rating and have it not be someone’s best work, it just goes to show how great his work is!