With a dual dose of Connecticut flavor, the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Reserva Belicoso D’Oro might just vault to the top of your personal all-time favorite cigars list. Not that this is unusual when it comes to smokes coming out of Ernesto Perez-Carillo’s Tabacalera La Alianza factory, home of the Inch, Core Plus, and Seleccion Oscuro lines. The New Wave Reserva is part of his Elite series and an upgrade of the original 90+ rated New Wave by the addition of a spicy Connecticut Broadleaf binder to pair with the milder Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Together these tobaccos create a medium-bodied profile that elevate the Nicaraguan and Dominican longleaf filler to new heights and a recent 92 rating.
The level of skill evident in the construction of each vitola is equal to the artistry of Perez-Carillo’s blending prowess, where the right amount of resistance during a cold draw provides savory hints of pepper and nutmeg. With a knuckle wrapped around the solidly packed barrel of a New Wave Reserva Belicoso D’Oro, taking slow pulls during lighting will coat the palate with leather, spice, walnuts, and sweet cream. As the first third comes to a close, rich coffee and cedar become primary, with a floral whisper in the retrohale. Even as the strength plateaus at a hearty medium, the flavors continue to shift throughout the final third as the spice returns with a flourish accompanied by cocoa, dark berries, and mineral earth.
It’s when you realize that there are a full 24 of these 5 3/4" X 52 sticks in each box of E.P Carillo New Wave Reserva Belicoso D’Oros that the true value of these cigars becomes apparent. Whether puffed with a mug of coffee in the morning or sipped alongside a single malt Scotch early in the evening, there’s something to be enjoyed by any and all enthusiasts. Dig in today.
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