Jose Blanco was one of the people we missed at this year’s busy trade show, and that’s something that has been bothering me ever since. So when I heard he was going to be in the area doing a blending seminar, I made a point to grab my handy GoPro and brave Atlanta traffic to meet up with him.
In this video we spend ten minutes catching up with Jose Blanco after the seminar. He talks about joining the EP Carrillo team, his role there, future projects and what inspired that move, as well as the FDA regulations and the future of the industry. We also find out his secret for surviving 30 weeks a year on the road.
On the topic of cigars, we learn about the new EP Carrillo lines. In particular, Jose tells us he’s a big fan of the new Rebellious. It has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that’s one of the strongest cigars Ernie Carrillo has ever made. He stresses that the strength does not surpass the flavor.
To finish things up, Jose Blanco tells us why we should attend one of his blending seminars. (Spoiler: It’s a learning experience, but it’s also a good time.)
Jose is one of the greats in the industry. I still remember when Walt first introduced me to him and he reacted like we knew each other since childhood and were great friends. I still have not gotten to one of his blending seminars but hopefully one of these years I will be able to!
Wonder if Jasper is rolling cigars yet……. LOL