EP Carrillo Edicion Inaugural 2009

Score: 9.0

By Tom Bullock

The long-awaited E.P. Carrillo Edicion Inaugural 2009 cigar is officially here. Rolled to a 5 3/8 x 50 Robusto, the cigar is very firm, heavy in the hand, and consists of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos all aged 2 to 5 years. The wrapper is a rare Ecuadorian leaf grown in limited quantities, light brown, very smooth, and slightly shiny with almost invisible seams. The bunching is excellent, the cap is clean and cuts evenly. This is not a cheap cigar, but is it worth the price? Let’s see.

The pre light was full of nuances of rich, mature tobacco with aromas of honey and cedar. The flavors were that of sweet tobacco and a clean taste of light earth; the draw was medium-firm. There were such good flavors I spent several minutes just experiencing them before lighting-up.

The first third began with a blast of cedar, pepper and earth, smooth rich tobacco flavor, and a totally delightful aroma of nutty, almost cashew-like essence, toasted oak and fine fresh leather. I am instantly reminded of the smell of the old La Gloria Cubana cigars from the late 80’s and early 90’s. WOW! What a treat! My mouth was watering.

The second third stayed very rich and full tasting, more fine leather, toasted oak, cedar, and a delightful nutty aroma. The finish was very clean with a light lingering taste of mature tobacco, with almost a velvety feel on the palate. The ash was light gray, almost white, and firm. I am astonished by the depth of flavor in this smoke, since it is still a “young” cigar.

The final third the cigar became a bit creamier, the flavor intensity built slightly, and the aromas were very engaging. The taste was almost chewy, while the finish remained surprisingly clean – absolutely no bitterness or ashy taste at all. The burn was very even all the way to the end. It was sad when I had to put it down, but the overall experience was excellent.

I’m convinced this cigar will improve even more with age. It’s terrific now, but I will not revisit it for several months (it should be awesome in six months to a year). I hope you have the patience to wait as it will be worth it. Moreover, I recently smoked a 14 year old La Gloria I had saved from 1995. It was incredible.

Trust Ernesto Carrillo to deliver a top notch product. He and his family can be very proud.

Scores
Appearance-9
Construction-9
Draw-8
Burn-9
Aroma-10
Flavor-9
Balance-9
Total Score: 9.0