Today’s stick, EP Carrillo New Wave Reserva was originally introduced at the InterTabac trade show in Dortmund, Germany and after a short run at being an exclusive for Europe it is heading to the states. When Derek Sells, the sales representative for E.P. Carrillo stopped by Two Guys Smoke Shop he handed me a sample of today’s cigar which is something I wanted to try. The Broadleaf binder, over shade wrapper seemed intriguing to me.
So without further adieu, today we review New Wave Connecticut Reserva which is allegedly stronger than the original.
Cigar: EP Carrillo New Wave Reserva
Size: 6 x 52 (Toro)
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Source: EP Carrillo via Derek Sells
The Look: I love the look of the band with its bright vibrant colors of white, yellow, and red which accentuated by bronze and gold. The cigar pops on the shelf, but as we know you can’t smoke the band. The wrapper of the cigar has a network of veins over the golden looking wrapper that feels silky under the fingers. The cigar has a well packed foot and no soft spots under the fingers and has an average weight to it.
The Burn: The cold draw of the New Wave Reserva reminds me of grass and a hint of morning dew while the foot of the cigar is earthy as well. I was expecting more even before I lit the cigar. Once the cigar is lit there are notes of licorice and nuts.
Progressing into the first third of the cigar the licorice notes remain but become more of an afterthought with notes of nuts and a developing sweetness. There is a similarity to honey and oats and I am thinking of breakfast while smoking the cigar. There is a pepper present that bites through the nose, though the lingering aroma is enjoyable even has I can’t quite put my finger on it.
The second third if the cigar loses some of the complexity, there is a sugar like aroma, but the notes are muted and while nuts and oats are detected on the palate they aren’t as vibrant as in the first third of the cigar. As the second third comes to a close there is a developing orange rind present and I wonder how this would pair with a Blue Moon beer.
The last third of the EP Carrillo New Wave Reserva Connecticut sees the aroma take on a slightly chalky accent which detracts from the cigar and the notes become grassy and dew line with a definitive earthy finish.
The Burn: For about the first inch of the cigar one side burned much faster than the other before correcting itself. Once the correction was in place it revealed an ultra thin burn line and white ash with some dark marks sprinkled in. The draw was a tad loose and could have used a bit more resistance. The cigar remained lit from first light til last puff never needing a relight.
Overall: While the cigar had some shining moments it fizzled from the second third on before a disappointing third which was disappointing to me as I like Ernesto Perez Carrillo a lot. I remember my first IPCPR as a blogger in New Orleans as he sat in a restaurant with his family. I was with a group of bloggers and he sent over a round of drinks for us, which caught us off guard because bloggers were and continue to be slightly controversial when it comes to our attendance at IPCPR. The regular New Wave Connecticut remains one of my favorite value priced Connecticut smokes, but as for the Reserva, it just didn’t suit my preferences.
Price: $7.00
Score: 85
EPC New Wave Reserva
EPC New Wave Reserva Foot
EPC New Wave Reserva Burn
