The E.P. Carrillo 15th Anniversary celebrates the milestone that began in 2009 when Ernesto Perez-Carrillo opened what is now called Casa Carrillo with his daughter, Lissette, and son, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III.
According to the website, “For 15 years, Casa Carrillo has been dedicated to creating cigars that embody passion, skill, and an unwavering commitment to quality. The release of the 15 Year Anniversary Cigar, a 6 1/2 x 54 Gran Toro with a meticulously formed cap, marks a milestone in our journey. This limited edition blend captures the essence of our dedication, reflecting the lessons we’ve learned, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the many achievements we’ve celebrated along the way.”
The cigar which is made in one size features a 10-years-old Mexican San Andres wrapper along with a 15-year-old binder from Jalapaa and fillers which are up to seven years old.
Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo 15th Anniversary
Size: 6.5 x 54 (Gran Toro)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaraguan Jalapa
Filler: Dominican Republic (Corojo ’99 Ligero), Nicaragua (Criollo 98 Ligero from Esteli, Jalapa Seco, Condego Viso)
Factory: Casa Carrillo
Release Date: November 2024
Production: Limited Edition (5,000 Boxes)
Box Size: 15 Cigars
The Cigar: The presentation of the E.P. Carrillo 15th Anniversary is stunning. with an elaborate black, gold and red band denoting the cigar name, a translucent paper sheath covering the cigar and foot band of black and gold denoting the anniversary. Despite being called a Gran Toro the cigar has a belicoso type cap which makes it more enjoyable to smoke in my opinion. Once all the extracurricular items are off the cigar the dark San Andres some subtle oils and has a decent amount of tooth. In the hand the cigar feels smaller than a 54 ring with a below average weight.
The Taste: The cold draw serves up notes of blackberries, leather and brown sugar. The aroma from the wrapper and foot is devine with more notes of brown sugar, coffee, leather and a touch of black pepper. Once the cigar is toasted and lit there is a nice amount of oak and cedar notes to draw you into the cigar in hand.
As we smoke the first third of the cigar I am drawn back to a memory of a review in a major magazine that gave a note of pencil lead. I remember the maker of that cigar losing their mind over it and us making fun of the note being used. Well, for the first time I ever I get what they meant as this cigar has a pencil lead note along with earth, leather and subtle cinnamon. Thankfully the pencil lead was fleeting and if not for the anecdote it might not have made it into the review. As the first third comes to a close some sweetness begins to develop while the retrohale has some pepper and chocolate.
Moving into the second third of the 15th Anniversary the sweetness develops further with the help of the retrohale as chocolate forms on the palate. By the halfway point the chocolate is gone having been replaced by coffee notes. Additionally there are notes peanuts, leather and a touch of anise. The retohale of the cigar adds layers of pepper and oak.
The final third continues to see notes of coffee with continued leather and a touch of cinnamon. It’s a cigar I don’t want to put down that has gotten better with each puff. When we finally do set it down there is less than a 1/2 inch left and notes are coffee with a touch of pepper. Throughout the final third the retrohale consisted of pepper, oak and the slightest hint of chestnuts.
Conclusion: There have been a lot of cigars that have received high accolades from Casa Carrillo over the years. While cigars are extremely subjective, the 15th Anniversary might be his best since the days of El Credito when he created the original La Gloria Cubana. It’s extremely complex with a perceived medium-full in terms of strength. These are definitely worthy of a box purchase.
Score: 96
Price: $20.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
You can find these at site sponsor Small Batch Cigar which has them in stock at the time of review. If you use the coupon code BARRELBURNER you can save 10% off your order.
