Length: 6 7/8"
Ring Gauge: 54
Flavour: Medium / Strong
Vitola: Toro Grand
Smoking Time: 80 Mins
Rating by Surrey Cigars - 98/100
#2 Cigar of the Year 2014 by the Cigar Aficionado
E. P CARRILLO
The roots of the Perez-Carrillo family are in Cuba, where Ernesto Sr. was born in 1904. He began learning about tobacco and cigars early in his childhood from his father who rolled and sold penny cigars in the streets of Havana. After working as a tobacco buyer for many years, Ernesto Sr. launched the family cigar dynasty in 1948 when he purchased El Credito, a small cigar factory in Havana. The Perez-Carrillo family became well-respected in Cuba, and Ernesto Sr. was elected to the Senate in 1954 and 1958.
But, as the Cuban Revolution took hold and Castro gained control of Cuba, the Perez-Carrillo family’s life changed forever - the government confiscated the family’s properties including the beloved El Credito factory. Fearing for their safety, the family fled to Miami, but not before leaving Ernesto with a lasting impression of his homeland.
Ernesto Sr. expected the move to be temporary, but it soon became clear that returning to Cuba was not to be, Ernesto Sr. focused on making Miami his home, eventually realizing that the talents for which he was known in Cuba were the key to the family’s future in their new home. So he returned to what he did best: making cigars. Nine years passed, but finally Ernesto Sr. was able to purchase a cigar factory in Little Havana, fittingly naming it El Credito.
But his son and namesake, Ernesto, had a passion for jazz; not cigars. He had always dreamed of being a jazz drummer, and when he turned 25 he even moved to New York City to try his luck with some of the great musicians and bands but after failing to catch on with the famed Stan Getz and his band, he finally returned to Miami, and began his journey toward cigar immortality.
Working alongside his father, Ernesto made cigars for the locals in Little Havana. It wasn’t until his father contemplated selling El Credito in 1976 that young Ernesto realized that this was his calling in life. He convinced his father not to sell, and for the next four years, he shadowed him to see how a master created a cigar. When his father passed away in 1980, a 29-year old Ernesto took over the reins of El Credito
Today, Ernesto gives credit to his father for teaching him most of what he knows about cigars. The most valuable lessons Ernesto learned from his father were from the examples he set in his everyday life – dedication to work, humility, patience and respect. These are the same principles behind each cigar created by Master Blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillo.
LA HSISTORIA
Every cigar tells a story, and La Historia by E.P. Carrillo is a deeply personal narrative of the Perez-Carrillo family, paying homage to the women who have inspired the master blender himself, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. This exceptional cigar is more than just a blend; it’s a heartfelt tribute to Ernesto’s mother and daughter, depicted on the band, symbolizing the rich heritage and enduring legacy of the Perez-Carrillo family.
The artwork on the band is a poignant representation of Ernesto’s inspirations: his mother in the tobacco fields of Cuba and his daughter in his home of Miami, FL. These images encapsulate the journey of the Perez-Carrillo family from Cuba to the United States, symbolizing resilience, tradition, and the pursuit of excellence.
Each vitola for the La Historia pays homage to a different family member, with the E-III named after Ernesto’s son, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III.
