EP Carrillo La Historia E-III Review

Lately, I’ve found myself reaching for cigars more in the morning than anything else. Coffee in hand, quiet start to the day. It’s become one of those simple routines I really look forward to.

But this particular cigar didn’t exactly feel like a morning cigar. The EP Carrillo La Historia E-III had been sitting in my humidor for a bit, and for whatever reason, I kept passing over it during those early smokes. It deserves a little more time and attention later in the day.

So instead of lighting it up with coffee, I saved it for a slow weekend evening. Sat out on the front step, no distractions, just letting the day wind down, and honestly, that ended up being the right call.

This isn’t a grab-and-go cigar. It’s one you sit with. One you pay attention to. The kind of cigar that leans into richness, depth, and flavor in a way that makes you slow down, whether you planned to or not. Let’s get into it.

Cigar Details & Blend Breakdown:

Profile: Medium-Full to Full Bodied

Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Maduro

Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra binder

Filler: Nicaraguan fillers and Dominican tobaccos

Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza, Dominican Republic

Size Reviewed: 6 .7 x 54 (Box Pressed Toro)

Sizes Available: El Senador (5.3 x 52), E-III (6.7 x 54), Doña Elena (6.1 x 50), and Regalias D’Celia (5.8 x 58)

Notable Features: Box-pressed format, secondary band presentation, part of the La Historia line

Flavor Highlights: Chocolate, espresso, cedar, baking spice, sweetness, light earth, subtle nuttiness

Price Point: Typically around $14 - $15 per cigar, with per cigar pricing dropping to around $13 when bought in boxes of 20.

The Story Behind La Historia: Perez Carrillo Family Legacy

The La Historia line from EP Carrillo is rooted in family, and that shows up in more than just the name. Ernesto Perez Carrillo Sr’s story starts in Cuba, where cigar making was already part of his life before eventually making its way to the U.S. during the cigar boom. That legacy carried into La Gloria Cubana, and eventually into the creation of EP Carrillo Cigars as its own brand in 2009.

Today, it’s still a family-driven operation. Ernesto Perez Carrillo III and Lissette Perez Carrillo are both actively involved, and the La Historia line was created to honor that family history, especially the women behind it. The E-III itself is named after Ernesto Perez Carrillo III, tying directly into that next generation of the brand, which is reflected right on the band.

The brand has also earned major recognition over the years, including top rankings from Cigar Aficionado, which helped put the La Historia line on the map for a lot of smokers.

While brands like General Cigar Company dominate the larger market, EP Carrillo has carved out its place with smaller batch, more focused blends like the La Historia. It’s not just a name; it actually reflects the people behind the cigar.

Presentation & Initial Impressions

Right away, the soft box pressed shape stands out. It gives the cigar a more structured feel in the hand compared to a traditional round cigar, and it tends to concentrate the smoke a bit more on the palate.

The Mexican San Andrés wrapper has that darker, earthy look you expect from a Maduro, but up close, it’s not perfectly smooth. Mine had a slightly rustic appearance, a bit lumpy in spots, with an uneven cap. When I removed the ribbon, I noticed a small crack at the foot.

Not perfect from a construction standpoint, but also not unusual with a San Andrés wrapper. The band is one of the better ones out there. Bold, detailed, and it actually feels like it matches the identity of the cigar. Between the primary band and the secondary band, it gives off the impression that this is something a little more thought-out than your average stick.

Cold Draw & Aroma: Cocoa, Coffee Notes, and Sweetness

Before lighting it, the aroma from the wrapper immediately leaned toward espresso and cocoa. There was a noticeable sweetness there too, along with hints of leather, nutmeg, and a slight raisin-like note.

On the cold draw, I picked up cinnamon, chocolate, and cedar. It already felt like this cigar was going to lean into that dessert-style profile. The draw itself was open and easy, which set things up well going into the first third.

First Third: Chocolate, Cedar, and Creamy Espresso

Once lit, the chocolate shows up right away and doesn’t hold back. It’s thick and heavy on cocoa and chocolate up front, with cedar sitting just underneath. The smoke has a creamy texture that almost comes across as slightly milky, which kept everything incredibly smooth.

About halfway into the first third, I started picking up something that reminded me of brownie batter. Not just dark chocolate, but that slightly sweet, rich, almost dessert-style profile.

There’s also a light, earthy backbone underneath it all that keeps it from becoming too sweet, along with some subtle nuttiness that comes and goes. There’s a light wood note underneath the cedar that adds a little more depth to the profile. The smoke output is solid here, producing thick, flavorful smoke with an easy draw.

This is where the La Historia E-III really starts to stand out apart from your average maduro cigar.

Second Third: Richness Builds with Spice and Coffee

Moving into the second half, the profile becomes even more layered. While the chocolate is still there, the espresso and coffee notes start to push forward a bit more. You also start to notice more baking spice, nutmeg especially.

Cedar comes in and out throughout this section, although never fully disappearing, and never dominating either. Everything feels well balanced, and this is probably the most dialed-in part of the cigar.

There’s also a slight shift in the palate where the sweetness pulls back just a bit and lets the deeper flavors do more of the work.

Final Third: Pepper, Heat, and Deep Maduro Flavor

In the final third, the cigar takes a bit of a turn. I started to get more pepper, with a noticeable black pepper kick coming through, especially on the retrohale. It adds some heat, but it doesn’t overpower the rest of the cigar.

The cocoa and espresso are still very much present, and that brownie batter note continues to linger. There’s even a slight dark fruit note at times, almost like a black cherry sweetness sitting behind the chocolate. Cedar fades into the background, and the cigar leans more into a darker, richer maduro profile with a bit more earth and spice.

Construction, Burn, and Draw Performance

Construction on my cigar had a few imperfections early on, especially with that cracked foot and slightly uneven cap. That said, once lit, the cigar performed well overall, and it didn't end up giving me any issues.

The burn line stayed mostly even, with only minor waviness and no real need for touch-ups. I’ve seen some mention occasional burn issues with the La Historia line, but this one stayed in line for me.

The ash held for a bit before it dropped on its own, definitely one of those moments where the ash fell right in my lap because I wasn’t paying attention. As for the draw, it stayed consistent from start to finish, producing a good amount of smoke with each pull.

Strength, Body, and Overall Profile

This is a full-bodied cigar, but, for me, it definley leans more toward richness than just brute strength. Depending on your tolerance, it can come across closer to medium-full, but the depth of flavor gives it more of that full-bodied feel. That said, it’s not at all harsh, and it never felt like it overpowered my palate.

Instead, it builds around cocoa, espresso, and sweetness, with just enough spice and pepper to keep things interesting. You can tell this blend pulls from quality tobaccos, with influences from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador, all working together. This is one of those cigars that almost tastes and even looks just like a dessert, but in smoke form.

La Historia Line Comparison: E-III vs El Senador vs Doña Elena

Within the La Historia line, each cigar offers a slightly different experience depending on the size and how the blend plays out.

The E-III is the most flavor-forward of the group, leaning heavily into chocolate, espresso, and overall richness. It’s also a pretty generous toro in terms of length at 6 7/8 inches, which gives it a longer smoking time and more room for the flavors to develop. This is one you settle in with; it’s not a quick smoke by any means.

That said, while I did enjoy the E-III, I personally lean more toward the El Senador (5 3/8 x 52). I’ve smoked that size in this blend before, and it just hits a little more in my wheelhouse. It delivers that same core profile, but in a slightly tighter format that feels a bit more approachable for me.

The “Goldilocks” size here is probably the Doña Elena, which sits right in between. Depending on how you like your cigars to perform, it can be a great middle ground. If you’re deciding where to start, it really comes down to how much time you want to spend and how you prefer the blend to show up.

If you’re looking for a longer, more immersive smoke, the E-III makes a lot of sense. If you want something a little quicker without losing the character of the blend, El Senador is tough to beat.

Price, Value, and Aging Potential

This isn’t the cheapest cigar in the humidor, but it does earn its place. The level of flavor, the complexity, and the overall experience justifies the price point. It’s also one of those cigars that benefits from some time in the humidor. Letting it rest can help smooth things out even more and bring those flavors together.

If you enjoy richer espresso cigars, this is one worth keeping a few of in the box.

Is the EP Carrillo La Historia E-III Worth It?

After spending real time with it, this is a cigar I’d come back to. While it's not perfect for me, that's pretty subjective. I will say that the flavor carries it in a big way. It’s not something I’d smoke every day, but when you want something with more depth, more flavor, and something that actually holds your attention, it 100% delivers.

The combination of chocolate, espresso, and that dessert-style profile makes it stand out from many other cigars in this category. If you enjoy fuller blends that lean into flavor rather than just strength, the EP Carrillo La Historia E-III is absolutely worth trying.

Ratings Breakdown

(Comparable to an 89–91 on a traditional cigar scale)

A rich, flavor-driven cigar that leans heavily into cocoa, espresso, and dessert-style sweetness, balanced with spice and just enough earth. Best suited for smokers who enjoy a slower, more immersive smoke and don’t mind spending a little extra time with a cigar that rewards attention.

Where to Buy EP Carrillo Cigars

If the EP Carrillo La Historia E-III sounds like something you’d enjoy, you can pick one up right here at After Action Cigars. We keep this blend and a solid lineup of other EP Carrillo cigars stocked in our temperature-controlled humidor and ship them out fresh, so they arrive exactly how they’re meant to be smoked.

If you’re already into fuller, flavor-driven cigars, this is an easy one to add to your rotation. And if you’re just getting into the La Historia line, it’s a great place to start, especially if you’re looking for something that leans more toward richness and depth.

Still on the fence? The EP Carrillo Trilogy Sampler is a great way to get a feel for what Casa Carrillo does best, with three of their most respected cigars in one lineup.