The EP Carrillo Black Swan is the third cigar in Cigar Page’s Black Swan line. And like the Rocky Patel Black Swan, it is a completely different cigar than the original Oliva Black Swan. That’s a good thing and perhaps, a bad thing. It’s good because it’s a separate expression using an entirely different blend of tobacco. It might be bad because the original set expectations.
I had that experience with the Rocky Patel Black Swan. When I tried it, I just thought that CP was just using another manufacturer and not changing the blend. So, I judged the RP version using the original Oliva as context. As a result, I dismissed the RP and didn’t judge it on its own merits. That was wrong and I will be getting a 5er of the RP soon. As far as the EPC is concerned, it too is a completely different blend. But this time around, I’m judging it on its own merits and not using the Oliva as a backdrop.
There aren’t many reviews on the EPC and they’re mixed. One reviewer totally eviscerated it. But I have a feeling they didn’t let the stick sit after they got it. I say that because I smoked one ROTT and while I enjoyed it, I also realized while I was smoking it that it needed some time to acclimate to my environment. Though construction was great, the burn was a little off. The flavors were incredibly tough to pick out. It was spicy and didn’t offer much variety beyond that.
So I waited a week and what a difference that made! All sorts of flavors popped out such as cedar, toast, roasted nuts, cinnamon, red pepper, black pepper, citrus, leather, tobacco, floral, toffee, cream, light coffee, and yes, a bit of cacao. There were very few transitions. The flavors just piled on through the smoke. The burn was great and I only made a single correction. It went out in the last inch and a half, but that was only because I didn’t pay attention to it for a few minutes.
The lack of transitions is NOT a bad thing. After all, I had only had the sticks for a week. But the number of flavors I detected told me that with even more rest, this cigar’s flavors will bloom just nicely. I don’t expect it to be on the level of a $15 cigar. But I think it has the potential to be on the level of a great $9-$10 cigar.
I liken the experience I just had with the EPC to my first experience with the Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1950. My response to it was tepid at first because I was expecting it to be as approachable as the Original Blue. But it just needed more resting time. I had one the other day that has been resting for over six months now and it is absolutely killer! I was so happy that I still have a dozen of those left! And I’m hopeful that some resting time will help the EPC.
For fans of EPC cigars, I have a warning. It’s unlike any EPC cigar. I’ve always known EPC cigars to be bold, rich and in-your-face, even with their medium body sticks. The EPC Black Swan is much more nuanced. That might throw off EPC fans if they’re expecting that kind of fowardness. That’s not to say that the Black Swan doesn’t have any strength. It’s a solid medium to medium+ smoke. It just presents that strength in a much more measured way. I love that!
Also, seeing how the cigar improved with just a little lay down time, I have a feeling that unlike the original Black Swan, this one was built for aging. After a week or so of acclimating, the original had to be smoked within the first few months. After six months, the CT broadleaf would lose its character. It’s not that the cigar turned bad. It tasted just fine, but it lost its depth. The EPC on the other hand – and I realize this is pure speculation at this point – seems to want lots of rest. I’ve seen this before with other smokes and this is following suit.
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