#30 for 2011: E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut

With 2011 being as good a year for cigars as any, selecting which cigars made the Top 30 was probably as tough as any.   With that said, picking #30 was probably the hardest selection I had to make.   There were a lot of good cigars that did not make the cut.

Coming in at #30 is the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut.   2011 was a big year for Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade cigars as a lot of manufacturers went for releases with these wrappers.  Many of these manufacturers chose to break the traditional mold of Ecuadorian Connecticut cigars by working to move either the strength and/or body out of the mild area of the spectrum.   The E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut maintains a mild profile in terms of strength, but does inch into the medium-bodied zone.  In a year that saw E.P. Carrillo release five blends, this one definitely doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

This cigar features a highly complex flavor profile for an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade with notes of cream, berry, spice, and coffee.  Of the cigars I smoked with this blend, each smoke was consistent from one to the next.

Click here for the full assessment done on this cigar.

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan

Vitolas Available

Brillantes: 5 x 50
Divinos: 6 x 52
Gran Via:  7 x 49
Stellas: 5 1/8 x 42
El Decano Gordo: 6 x 60

Recommended Vitola:  Gran Via