Assessment Updates will be posted on this web-site to: 1) Assess “pre-review” cigars that were not given a rating or score (typically pre-release cigars); 2) Provide numeric ratings to cigars previously assessed prior to the implementation of the numeric scoring system; 3) A re-assessment and re-score of a previously assessed/score cigars. Today, we provide a rating and score for the E.P. Carrillo NWC Short Run 2012.  This was a cigar we did a pre-release review for back in February, 2012.

E.P. Carrillo NWC Short Run 2012

The E.P. Carrillo NWC Short Run 2012 was the third release of the company’s popular Short Run series.  The Short Run series is meant to be exactly what the name implies – a limited run cigar.  For this release, blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillo opted to do some experimentation and release a hybrid of two of his popular releases.  The Short Run 2012 uses the same Ecuadorian Connecticut-Shade wrapper found on the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut (our #30 Cigar of the Year for 2011) and tobaccos from the E.P. Carrillo Core Line Maduro (our #8 Cigar of the Year for 2011) for the binder and filler.  The end result is yet another magical blend released by the company.

This Short Run has some different packaging.  Given it uses the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut wrapper, the primary Short Run 2012 band is the red, white, gold, and yellow is the same.  The secondary Short Run band is also white and gold to match.  It is also why the NWC (New Wave Connecticut) acronym was put into the name of this year’s blend.

In addition to the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, the binder is actually the Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco that was used on the E.P. Carrillo Core Line Maduro.  As for the fillers, they leverage the Nicaraguan and Dominican blend also found on the Core Line Maduro.  The Short Run 2012 was released in the standard three Short Run sizes that were used before: Exquisito (4 7/8 x 50), Invictos (5 7/8 x 52), and Reinados (6 1/4 x 60).  For this assessment update, we once again revisit the Invictos vitola – the one we assessed originally.

Flavor wise, the cigar continues to hold its own – even after a year of aging.   I continued to get notes of notes of berry, wood, cream, pepper, and cedar.   There seemed to be more spice toward the end of the Short Run 2012 I was smoking for this update.  The body of the flavors are definitely robust – medium to full.  This isn’t going to be a nicotine bomb as I assessed the strength to be on the upper end of mild to medium – definitely a flavor over strength cigar.

The construction is what we have come to expect from E.P. Carrillo – namely top-notch.  The burn and draw were exceptional from start to finish.

In 2013, a variation of this blend was released as a retail-exclusive to Federal Cigar in New Hampshire called Medalla D’ Oro.  This was released in a lonsdale only.  While the blend is different, it still is worth noting as that cigar has its roots with the Short Run 2012.

Click here to read our original assessment of the E.P. Carrillo NWC Short Run 2012.

Assessment: Memorable
Score: 92


Source: The cigars for this assessment update were purchased from Outland Cigars in April 2012.  They have been resting in the Cigar Coop humidor ever since.