Agile Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo Original Rebel Rebellious 56

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 giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the E.P. Carrillo Original Rebel Rebellious 56. This is a cigar line we previously assessed in the 54 size back in October 2017.

Note: Due to technical issues, our single cigar photo for this review was not able to be captured.

Wrapper: Connecticut Habano
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza
56: 7 1/2 x 56

Back in 2016, E.P. Carrillo launched a two-blend line called Original Rebel. The inspiration for this line came because Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley, referred to E.P. Carrillo owner and founder Ernesto Perez-Carrillo as “the original rebel.”. The name struck a chord with Perez-Carrillo and he was inspired to launch a new line using the name. Original Rebel consists of two distinct blends – a natural wrapper offering known as Original Rebel Maverick and a maduro wrapper offering known as Original Rebel Rebellious. Today we take a closer look at the Original Rebel Rebellious in the 56 x 7 1/2 x 56 Double Corona offering.

The Original Rebel Rebellious uses a U.S. Connecticut-grown Habano wrapper. It’s a wrapper that Perez-Carrillo has become comfortable using over the past few years. Other releases that have seen this wrapper out of the factory include the E.P. Carrillo TAA Exclusive 2018 as well as the Four Kicks Maduro, and Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2018 for Crowned Heads. The remainder of the blend consists of an Ecuadorian binder and filler from Nicaragua.

The Original Rebel Rebellious 56 started out with notes of slightly sweetened coffee, classic wood, citrus and mixed pepper notes. As the Rebellious 56 moved through the first third, the coffee notes emerged as the primary note. By the midway point, the pepper and wood notes increased and by the final third they were on par with the coffee notes. Throughout the cigar experience, the citrus note provided some sweetness.

Strength-wise the Original Rebel Rebellious 56 started out medium in strength and body. By the midway point, both attributes progressed into medium to full territory. Both the strength and body of the Rebellious 56 balanced each other nicely with neither attribute overshadowing the other.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

If there are two underrated lines in the history of the E.P. Carrillo, the now defunct E.P. Carrillo Cardinal and the E.P. Carrillo Original Rebel are the two that come to mind. In particular, the E.P. Carrillo Original Rebel Rebellious blend is one I don’t hear a lot of buzz about. The Rebellious 54 landed on our 2017 Cigar of the Year Countdown. While the Rebellious 56 isn’t quite as strong or complex as the Rebellious 54, it’s a cigar that still holds its own. It’s a cigar that I’d probably steer to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast. As for myself the Rebellious 56 is a cigar I’d smoke again – and it’s one I’d pick up multiples of.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Wood, Citrus, Mixed Pepper,
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)
Body: Medium 1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half)
Finish: Very Good