E.P. Carrillo La Historia

Ernesto Carrillo created the E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company back in 2009. With the help of his children, Ernesto left General Cigar to “recreate” his own legacy – a privilege he had formerly sold, following the great cigar boom of the ’90s. Born in Pinar Del Río, Cuba, Ernesto Perez has been in the cigar world all of his life. Before his new venture, Ernesto created one of the more popular cigars smoked today, the La Gloria Cubana Serie ‘R’—often credited for inspiring today’s boutique/craft cigar style.

Being the master blender that he is, it’s no surprise to see how successful E.P. Carrillo has become over the last seven years. Which bring us to 2014—the release of the E.P. Carrillo La Historia—easily one of the brand’s most popular blends to date.

The La Historia is a tribute to many things. First and foremost, the La Historia is a tribute to Ernesto’s mother, “She’s been the backbone for our family for the past 60 some years,” said Ernesto in an interview through his website. But it’s also a tribute to the entire Carrillo family, as the entire brand has been a family collaboration from the beginning.

La Historia E-III Breakdown

Each vitola for the La Historia pays homage to a different family member, with the E-III named after Ernesto’s son, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III. The appearance of the La Historia is great, and by far my favorite look from E.P. Carrillo. The cigar comes showcased in three ornate bands. There are two multicolored red bands displaying an intricate collage of history, with a shiny blue foot band adding a nice contrast. The San Andrés wrapper looks decent, with a few blemishes here and there. There are small veins and some visible seams here and there, with a dry, medium tooth surrounding the wrapper (typical San Andrés).

The fragile-looking triple cap took a straight cut better than I expected, with minimal tobacco needing to be brushed off and no damage to the shoulder. The thick maduro wrapper doesn’t take a natural flame too well, and I found myself longing for a jet. Once evenly lit, however, the cigar quickly found its groove.

Smoking Experience

The first few puffs of the La Historia are a bit mixed together. The biggest flavor is a smokiness, maybe a burning cherry wood, with a hefty mouthfeel lingering well onto the next draw. The finish does, however, leave a sweetness on the palate, similar to a cherry-like flavor that mixes well with the smoke.

The retro-hale provides a nice increase of flavors as well, with a somewhat harsh white pepper, spices, and a very deep wood flavor that I can’t quite identify. The construction is fair so far, providing a good draw, but low smoke output. The ash holds on extremely well, never falling off till I tapped it around the halfway point. The cigar is a solid full body throughout the first third, finishing off with mostly “meaty” flavors, along with dark cherry, a little spice, and the smoked wood.

Down to the nub, the La Historia never really changes. Remaining full body and medium-full strength, the lasting impact of flavors are smoked wood, sweet cherry, dark chocolate, a spice infusion, and a decent pepper kick on the retro-hale. The burn is great, lasting a good 1.5 – 2 hours, depending on the smoker, along with a very tight and consistent ash.

Would I smoke this cigar again?

Most likely, it’s definitely my favorite from E.P. Carrillo so far. The flavor profile isn’t my ideal cup of tea, but I do like a different style every now and then. The construction is great and the price is reasonable, I’d recommend a try if the profile sounds like your type of cigar.

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