Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro Especial No. 6 is a very dark brown and has one medium sized raised vein along with some smaller, slightly raised veins. The seams are smooth but easily visible as there is a slightly darker color on the edge of the leaf. The head is finished with a pretty well applied set of caps aside from a bit of wrinkling. The cigar overall, is quite firm. The band is gold, red and black and denotes the company, category and line name. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of bakers chocolate and wood while the foot brings cedar and stewed fruit. The pre-light draw brings cedar and a light earthiness.

First Third

The cigar begins with dark earth up front, wood and light black pepper. At a quarter inch in, hints of bakers chocolate are present. At three quarters of an inch in, the wood and dark earth are even. The retrohale is primarily wood along with some light black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the faint bakers chocolate is no longer present, and even though the black pepper is in the background, it has a very long finish. As the third comes to a close, faint cocoa powder is present on some draws. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the black pepper has increased a bit and is now right behind the wood and dark earth. The retrohale now has an even mix of wood and black pepper. At an inch in, the profile becomes a bit dry. As the third comes to a close, the wood and earth remain even with the black pepper right behind and faint moments of cocoa powder remain. The profile is fairly dry at this point. The strength remains at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the wood gains a bit of a toasted note. At a half inch in, the toasted wood, earth and black pepper are all even while the faint cocoa powder is no longer present. The retrohale is now toasted wood, mustiness and light black pepper. The cigar finishes out with the toasted wood, dark earth and black pepper. The strength in this third remains at medium.

Burn

The burn line was a bit wavy throughout. The cigar went out at the midway point and required a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.

Draw

The draw was slightly tight through the first half and then became right where I wanted for the second half.

Overall

The cigar began with a bold and enjoyable flavor profile focused around dark earth, wood and black pepper. The second third dropped down a bit as the profile became fairly dry and maintained that level the rest of the way. It just seemed that the E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro Especial No. 6 ran out of gas in the second third and couldn’t maintain the enjoyable profile being produced prior. I’m sure many people will find this cigar in their wheelhouse, the dryness just detracted from the experience. The price point is very attractive, so the cigar is an easy recommend to try one to see what you think, but I don’t really see myself returning to this one on any sort of regular basis.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.52

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro Especial No. 6