EP Carrillo Cigars has several lines of cigars to cover pretty much any type of cigar smoker. The one segment they were missing was a full bodied core line. The New Wave Connecticut was for mild-medium body smokers and the Core and Maduro lines were medium bodied. Nothing in the upper medium or full bodied segment. This was strange from someone that created La Gloria Cubana especially the Serie R. Ernie Carrillo, Ernesto’s son, changed that this year with the release of the EP Carrillo Cardinal. A tribute to his alma mater, Stanford Cardinals, the Cardinal is available in two wrappers: Ecuadorian Sumatra and Connecticut Broadleaf. I’m reviewing the natural wrapper edition from a sample that was sent to be by EP Carrillo. The cigar exhibited really nice flavor of graham cracker, cinnamon, wood, black pepper, sweet cream and, every now and then, dried dark fruit. I really love the flavor of this cigar and the burn was excellent. Check out the video for a more detailed review.
Nice review! I’m a certified EPC ho now, lol, so I cant’ wait to try these out. So they are stronger than the Elencos? That’s a medium-full cigar to me, and Ernesto’s most under-rated line.
I think EPC has a hand of Gold I can’t think of a Stick of his I have had that I didn’t like. Good prices great sticks. Well worth the cash, I can’t wait to try this line. Great review
Small point: I’m surprised you haven’t heard from some Stanford alum (of which I’m not one, being nowhere near smart enough to have gotten in). It’s “Cardinal” not “Cardinals.” The reference is to one of the school colors, not the songbird.
Another great review, i have not had a bad stick from EPC and i am definitely looking forward to trying this stick out. I also love the dark rituals i still am holding onto 5 of them in my humidor bc i cant find them anywhere anymore :(. I am looking forward to jerry’s review of the maduro. Thanks for another great review keep up the great work and Keep Smoking……