Cigar Review: La Historia by E.P. Carrillo

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is a veteran in the cigar industry. His first brand, La Gloria Cubana, dominated the cigar industry in the 1990s. He sold the brand off in 1999 to General Cigar Company. For a decade he continued working for them, being both an employee and brand ambassador. In 2009, he decided to start producing cigars himself once again.

His new brand, E.P. Carrillo, opened their doors in 2009 and their cigars were an instant hit. Many of his blends have been featured on top cigar lists. The La Historia has even been featured on Cigar Aficionados top 25 Cigar of The Year list twice (#2 in 2014 and #24 in 2021), making it a perfect cigar to review myself.

I am not a cigar aficionado, but I love reviewing cigars. So here we go:

Name: La Historia

Manufacturer: E.P. Carrillo

Length: 5 3/8"

Gauge: 52

Cap: Triple

Shape: Box pressed robusto

Wrapper: San Andres Maduro

Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Filler: Dominican Republic

Price: $3.99/stick (Cigar Page Smash Pack Deal)

Seller: Cigar Page

Purchase Date: November 9, 2024

Smoke Date: 3 – December 27th 2024, April 9^th 2025, May 3^rd 2025

Location / Occasion: Review

Cut: 1x V-Cut, 2x Straight

Smoke Duration: 60 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes

Flavor Body: Medium - Full

Strength: Medium - Full

Notes:

• Cigars were rested in a climate-controlled wineador at 70F/70% RHC

• Torch lighter was used for initial light-up and touch-ups on every cigar

• All 3 cigars were smoked in environments with no wind with the exception of the third cigar, when wind did become a factor in the final third.

I'd like to personally thank Matt from People of The Leaf for creating a review template for the purpose of this review.

I'd also like to personally thank my friend, and president of The Smoke & Dram Society cigar club, Jamie Hall, for recommending this cigar.

REVIEW:

I like having multiple cigars to base my review off of. The cigars I enjoy smoking are premium, long filler cigars rolled by hand. This means there may be some variances in construction like how tightly the cigar is rolled, how well packed it is, and blend consistency. Just like a snowflake, every one is different.

Enjoying multiple cigars for the purposes of this review gives me a good foundation to work with, noticing similarities between sticks and noting any major differences in flavour and construction. Even though torcedors and boncheros are very experienced with their craft, they are also human. There may be a dud every once in a while.

Appearance And Construction (14/15) 

Every cigar I had for this review was inspected prior to smoking. I looked at the colour of each stick, noting any blemishes. I felt for any deformities like soft and hard spots along the cigar before cutting and lighting.

Error Free Construction (8/8)

I carefully looked over each cigar prior to cutting and lighting. I looked for any cracks, splits, and physical damage that could affect the cigars performance; To my delight, there weren't any.

The triple caps were all applied well and didn't show any signs of lifting or tears. Sometimes caps on box pressed cigars will peel back or rip due to the tension on the corners of the cigar.

Wrapper Leaf (4/5)

Every wrapper leaf was consistent in colour with no blotches, marks, or tears. The seams were barely noticeable around the cigar as well. There was one stick that had a large vein running through it compared to the others, but I don't think it really affected the overall burn or flavours. But it will lose a point for appearance.

Band (2/2)

It, like other colourful bands of similar styles, make me think of Havana, Cuba. If I close my eyes I can picture the bright coloured classic Cadillacs and Chevrolets driving around Old Havana on a warm, sunny day.

Below the main band is a secondary red band. My band says La Historia but I have seen pictures online of the same cigar with E.P. Carrillo written on the bands. I'm not sure if this was done before or after the La Historia bands, but regardless, they're a nice touch as well.

The added blue cloth foot band ties everything together. In my opinion, the band adds another layer of art to the cigar. I can't picture the cigar without it.

Flavour (24/25) 

With these cigar reviews I like to have either a notepad or my phone with me so I can make notes as I smoke. I like to start broad then narrow down the flavours I am experiencing. I am by no means a sommelier, but with the help of a flavour wheel I am able to narrow down flavours quite easily.

I made sure to note any unique or outlying flavours I experienced with these cigars. Again, sometimes the blends aren't exactly the same. Even a slightly thicker tobacco leaf or one from a different priming can alter the flavour of a blend.

First Third (7/7)

Within seconds after light-up I was getting notes of rich cocoa combined with leather and earth. These were the dominant notes for the first few draws but then began to settle down.

Black pepper was noticeable in the finish, but just barely. However, it was much stronger when I retrohaled. I also picked up hints of hickory during retrohaling; a unique note I haven't tasted much in my cigar journey.

While I progressed during the first third I was able to taste a mix of cinnamon and candied orange citrus sweetness that stuck around as the cigar transitioned into the second third.

Second Third (6/7)

Coffee. Black coffee. That was the prominent note as I started the second third. The leather and earth were still there but coffee reigned supreme. The chocolate note I tasted at the beginning of the cigar was slowly fading into the background, becoming less and less apparent.

Another new flavour entered the ring: oak. Maybe the hickory note I was tasting earlier was just a combination of oak, earth, and spices? I'm honestly not sure. Speaking of hickory, I wasn't noticing it as much in the retrohale anymore.

Pepper was still strong on the finish, lingering longer on the tongue between draws. I did notice the characteristics change from black pepper to white during the second third. It's hard to describe this transition without experiencing it, but I'll do my best:

I find black pepper to be more intense, spicy, and pointy (if that makes any sense), whereas white pepper is mild and has a slight earthy/mineral flavour to it. Again, it's hard describing this without experiencing it, so if you want to know what I'm talking about, pick up one of these cigars.

Final Third (7/7)

Chocolate decided to make a sprint to the finish and joined coffee as the two most noticeable flavours in the final third. Earth and leather were not far behind, but chocolate and coffee had a commanding lead.

There was another newcomer to the flavour profile as well; toasted almond. Very similar to what you would find in a bag of trail mix. It worked well with the darker notes I was experiencing, giving the cigar more complexity as I ventured through the final third.

The white pepper notes I was getting in the second third started transforming back to black pepper. As usual, many cigars will ramp up in both strength and flavour in the final third, so this was to be expected. That being said, it didn't become a spice bomb.

That hickory note came back again while I was coming to the end of the cigar. It only hung around for a few draws, but it was a nice touch before the ember reached the cap and it was time to put the cigar down and end the review.

Flavour Harmony (4/4)

All of the flavours of the cigar stayed relatively consistent across the three I had for this review. The flavours blended well and the lighter notes of cinnamon, citrus, hickory, and toasted almond were nice treats to keep my interest.

I will admit, I am a fan of cigars with strong notes of chocolate and coffee, so this cigar would be something I would reach for if I was craving those flavours. While some may argue that this cigars overall flavour profile is quite linear, sometimes it's nice to have something reliable that will satisfy that craving.

Smoking Characteristics (22/25)

During the review I paid close attention to a number of factors regarding the construction of the cigars including the draw, how evenly the cigar burned, the number of touch-ups it required, and the amount of smoke output.

Draw (7/7)

I had no issue with the draw on any of the cigars, even when using different cutters. At no point during my smoking experiences did I have to use a draw tool or cut the cap more. I find box pressed cigars to have slightly tighter draws than I am used to, but that's just how it is.

Filler Burn (7/7)

I don't like playing the "how long can the ash get on this cigar?" game because it usually ends with the ash falling on my lap or all over my shoes. But, for review's sake, I do my best to resist the urge to keep the ash relatively short.

That being said, the ash on the La Historia cigar holds on really well, a sign of good construction. It's just my luck that the longest ash would fall off just before I was able to take a picture of it.

Wrapper Burn (5/7)

Every cigar I had for this review had a consistent wavy burn. As I smoked through the sticks they would usually fix themselves but I did have to pull out my lighter and touch them up at least once, usually around half way through the cigar.

Smoke Output (3/4)

I will admit, there were times when I thought the cigar went out on me during the first few draws. I'd draw, experience flavours, see the ember burn along the wrapper, but no smoke when I exhaled. This issue would typically resolve itself within the first inch or so, so it wasn't a persistent issue.

By the second third, these cigars were smoking like factory chimneys. Probably not the most flattering simile to use, but you get the point.

Overall Experience (32/35) 

Similar to the Saint Francis by All Saints I reviewed earlier this year, I was going into this review completely blind. I find these are the best types of reviews since I don't have any previous experiences or biases towards the sticks or any previous knowledge of flavours or blends.

I refuse to read any other reviews or write-ups until I have had at least 2 cigars and made my own notes. This also helps me fine-tune my palate. That being said, right from light-up I knew this was going to be an enjoyable stick.

Enjoyment (22/24)

The La Historia is a cigar that I enjoyed from first draw all the way to the nub. The flavours were consistent and the transitions were pleasant. All the notes were well balanced and each one added a layer of complexity to the overall composition of the cigar.

Desire To Smoke Again (4/4)

This cigar checked off a lot of boxes when it comes to flavours I enjoy. I'm definitely ordering a box next time they're on sale. They are going to be a mainstay in my humidor and one I'll reach for whenever I'm craving chocolate or coffee.

Value (4/4)

Although it's tough to beat the $4/stick Cigar Page special, even at a regular price (between $13/14 a stick), the La Historia by E.P. Carrillo is worth it. This cigar is well made, has great flavours, and will likely become better with age (I'm going to age the other two for a year).

Uniqueness (2/3)

Aside from the hickory note in the first and final thirds, there weren't really any unique flavours that made me go "well, that's interesting". The blend itself had moments where the different flavours complimented each other, but it didn't really introduce anything new that I haven't experienced before.

Final Score: 92/100

Overall Thoughts: 

The La Historia by E.P. Carrillo is a solid stick from start to finish. It has big, bold flavours that even the most novice cigar smoker will taste and offers deeper, subtle, complex notes for the more experienced cigar aficionado.

If you want a top-shelf cigar that is sure to be a hit, look no further than the La Historia by E.P. Carrillo. You won't regret it.

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