EP Carillo Short Run Dominantes

The Short Run is not EP Carillo’s first foray into limited release products but is perhaps the best positioned to become it’s most memorable. After notable success with the EP Carillo Inaugural Edition in 2009, it’s no surprise that the company would follow a similar path by launching a limited edition product with somewhat limited distribution nationwide. As a huge fan of La Gloria Cubana, I was interested to see if this cigar could deliver on it’s impressive pedigree.

Appearance & Construction: This cigar has a beautiful wrapper on it with just a subtle touch of oil present. There was noticeable veining (which you can see better on our Flickr stream photos) but surprisingly the wrapper was smoother than expected. The cigar seemed to be well constructed with no noticeable soft spots and the cap seemed to be attached fairly well to this cigar which is usually a problem with bigger ring gauges.

Smoking Notes: On the initial few puffs, there was a strong natural taste that came through the cigar that coincided with an unusual natural smell coming from the foot before I lit it. It should be noted; however, that this wasn’t a bad taste by any means just a little unusual. Throughout the cigar there were a lot of different flavors I could taste, the biggest of which were natural and chocolate flavors which mingled deliciously on my palate. The blend; however, was a little different from your traditional cigar where you taste flavors in stages as you smoke the cigar. In particular, there didn’t seem to be a stop and an end to flavors – one would just appear and disappear accordingly. I was able to get an amazing ash on this cigar of almost 4 inches before it dove onto the floor. Quite frankly I think the ash would have gone longer if it wasn’t for the sheer weight of the ash from this 60 ring gauge cigar.

Final Thoughts: I was thoroughly impressed by this cigar’s construction and flavor throughout the session. The way that the tobaccos were blended also makes this a rather unique offering in the market place which gives cigar smokers an honest chance to sit down and enjoy the flavors without having to pass through arbitrary sections of the cigar. It’s also worth pointing out, as I do with all cigars this size, that this size is not meant for everyone. This release is available in three sizes including the Populares (4.88 x 50), Delirios (5.88 x 52), and the cigar we reviewed, the Dominantes (6.25 x 60 at $8.50). All in all, we’d definitely recommend this cigar for someone that enjoys fuller bodied, more complex tasting cigars.

QUICK NOTES
Wrapper: Ecuador
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Length: 6.25 in
Ring Gauge: 60
Strength: Full Bodied
Smoking Time: 2:21 (Casual)