Cigar Review: La Historia El Senador
Ernesto Perez Carrillo is a man who needs no introduction to cigar aficionados. Even if a cigar enthusiast is only vaguely aware of the name, odds are, they have had a cigar blended by one of the most renowned and accomplished individuals in the cigar industry. Whether it’s La Gloria Cubana or his own E.P. Carrillo brand, which includes lines such as Inch, Cardinal and others, Mr. Carrillo is known for his attention to detail, dedication to creating blends that are accessible and immensely enjoyable, and ability to stay in touch with the demands of today’s cigar smoker. In order to celebrate his rich history in the cigar industry, he as crafted La Historia as a fitting tribute to a group of people’s help without whom he would not be where he is today, his family. La Historia, which is made in his factory in the Dominican Republic, features a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.
Prelight: The reddish tan, almost clay shade, San Andres wrapper is toothy and seamlessly wrapped expertly around the Ecuadorian Sumatra binder of La Historia. The box pressed format is perfectly executed with creating a cigar that has just the right amount of give when the good ole squeeze test is applied. The band of La Historia is, for lack thereof a better term, busy with vibrant colors and pastoral imagery setting the cigar’s theme of tribute to his rich family history. Draw testing La Historia reveals an open draw and a slight note of grass.
1/3: To describe the flavors of the La Historia is to describe the history of modern cigar crafting itself. The cigar starts off light and dry with a very cool note of sucrose mixed with a touch of cedar. The retrohale is highlighted by an earth note with a hint of aromatic leather. La Historia’s medium bodied first third is a refreshing and an enjoyable surprise, as this portion of the cigar did not have an overt spice element to it. This portion of the cigar brings to mind medium bodied cigars such as Diamond Crown’s Julius Ceaser and the San Cristobal Revelation; cigars which do not rely on overt strength to provide complex flavor.
2/3: The second third of La Historia harkens back to medium/full bodied cigars such as Padron, La Gloria Cubana Serie N and others, all of which provide the connoisseur with a rich earthy experience with sweet hints of cocoa and coffee bean throughout. The retrohale of this portion is dominated by an element of black pepper that complements the richer notes of the cigar allowing La Historia to avoid the dreaded trap of becoming a one dimensional cigar.
3/3: The rambunctious end of La Historia is marked by a slight increase in the earth and pepper elements found in the second third of the cigar. Overall, La Historia is an excellently blended and crafted cigar. It is clear that, from concept to execution, E.P. Carrillo had a crystal clear idea in mind when he was crafting this cigar. Using his razor sharp focus and knowledge, he was able to craft a cigar that is a simply sublime. Look for La Historia in three sizes in ten count boxes at all five of our Hampton Roads locations as well as online at emersonscigars.com.
