Cigar Extra: INCH Maduro by EP Carrillo

No. 62, 5” x 62 ring gauge / ~$8, Burns Tobacconist
I’m on the record...many times, I might add...that I am not a fan of large ring gauge cigars. Even the products of some of my favorite blenders just don’t seem to stand up to the large ring format in most cases, with the flavor being “dumbed down” as compared to smaller ring gauge versions of the same sticks. With that said, I can’t say I was excited about “INCH” by EP Carrillo when I first heard it announced. Each cigar would be big...the smallest at 60 ring gauge and going up to 64, a full inch in diameter. Then people started talking about them and I knew it would only be a matter of time because I succumbed to the pressure and gave it a try. For my inaugural INCH, I opted for the Maduro because EP Carrillo’s Core Line Maduro is one of my favorite things the company has produced. This cigar has Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, a Nicaraguan binder and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

What better accompaniment to a fat cigar than Big Bottom Bourbon? I poured a bit of the Port Cask finished beverage and headed out to the porch on a late summer afternoon that was already feeling like the beginnings of autumn. The best thing I’ve found about large ring cigars is that the draw is rarely an issue. Such was the case with this one and...wow...hey, that initial flavor was pretty good, too! Earthy with black coffee and dark chocolate notes...nice balance of sweet and bitter flavors. My initial reaction is that I will have to re-think my position on larger sticks...but then I remembered that most fatties don’t taste this good at any time, so I will just have to re-think my automatic tendency to reject large cigars, give them a fair shake...then reject the vast majority of them. This is not one that fits into “the vast majority,” though.

Through the first half, the INCH did not cease to surprise or fail to please. Despite the large ring gauge, the flavor was as intense as I would like in any cigar. I got plenty of black coffee and cocoa powder along with lots of Maduro sweetness. I am also happy to report that it paired very well with the Big Bottom Bourbon, which added its own sweetness and the hint of port from the casks that it was finished in. So...surprise! This almost-INCH wide cigar did a very good job from beginning to end of delivering great flavor. The end did come a little sooner than I would like...there is just no way to avoid the fact that when nearly an inch of burning tobacco gets closer to your lips, it starts to get hot. Great cigar...reasonable price...what’s not to like. Guess I’ll have to give the natural version a try as well.