Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or providing a score for a first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro in the Piramides Royal (Belicoso) size. This is a cigar we assessed in the Especial No. 6 (Toro) size, back in March 2016.

Wrapper: Mexico San Andres Oscuro
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (Tabacalera La Alianza)
Piramides Royal: 6 x 52 (Belicoso)

The E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro was a new line introduced by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and his company E.P. Carrillo cigars at the 2015 IPCPR Trade Show. It’s a cigar that features a dark Mexican San Andres Oscuro wrapper. When we reviewed this cigar in the Especial No. 6 Toro size in 2016, the cigar had a very different look. This is because later in 2016, the E.P. Carrillo portfolio underwent a massive overhaul. This revamping included an all new set of bands for each of the sizes of the E.P. Selección Oscuro. While the banding changed, the blend and sizes for the E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro remained the same. Today we take a closer look at this cigar in the Piramides Royal (i.e. Belicoso) size.

In addition to the Mexican San Andres wrapper, the Selección Oscuro features an Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The Selección Oscuro is the third blend by Perez-Carrillo to use the Mexican wrapper. The company’s first Mexican wrapper release was the limited edition E.P. Carrillo Edicion Limitada 2013. This was followed up in 2014 with the regular production La Historia line. There are six vitolas in the Selección Oscuro line with the Piramides Royal being the one figurado and measuring 6 x 52.

Flavor-wise, I found the Piramides Royal stayed true to the profile delivered by the E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro line. The cigar delivered notes of cocoa, wood, mixed pepper, and cedar.

One thing that I noticed with the Piramides Royal as opposed to the Toro sized Especial No. 6 size is that Piramides Royal offered more in the strength and body. The Especial No. 6 was a cigar I assessed to be medium strength and medium-bodied. As for the Piramides Royal, I found this to be a medium to full-bodied smoke. Meanwhile strength-wise, the Piramides Royale started out medium before moving to medium to full strength in the second third. It’s possible a combination of the different format and aging time could have contributed to why the Piramides Royal was a bolder cigar.

Overall I found the E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro Piramides Royal to be an enjoyable smoke. While I enjoyed the qualities this Belicoso brings to the table, my personal preference is still the Especial No. 6 Toro format. This is a cigar I would recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast or a novice looking for something “medium plus”. As for myself, this is a cigar worthy of a box split.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cocoa, Wood, Cedar, Wood, Mixed Pepper
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium (1st Third), Medium to Full (Remainder)
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Good

Rating

Assessment: 3.5-Box Split
Score: 90

References

Previous Assessment: E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro Especial No. 6
News: E.P. Carrillo to Introduce Selección Oscuro at 2015 IPCPR
Price: $8.25
Source: Purchased
Brand Reference:  E.P. Carrillo