Keeping Time With Ernesto Perez Carrillo
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has been honing his craft as a cigar maker for five decades—and it shows. His company, EPC Cigar Co., located in the Dominican Republic, represents three generations in the cigar business. His father, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Sr., sold tobacco in Cuba post World War II, and his children, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III and Lissette Perez-Carrillo, have integral roles with EPC Cigar.In 2018, EPC began producing the award-winning Encore, made with Nicaraguan tobacco, and aged in tercios, palm bark-wrapped bales used for aging fermented tobacco. The popularity of Encore catapulted EPC to the point where the brand has now been producing 2.5 million cigars over the last few years. Additionally, Ernesto has received numerous accolades as one of the cigar world’s foremost master blenders, and he is widely recognized as an industry innovator.We sat down with Ernesto to ask him about life as a master blender.
Cigar & Spirits Magazine: Can you describe the feeling you had when you made your first cigar? Ernesto: I started back in the early '70s, but it wasn't till the '80s that I took over our small company and started working on different blends. That was a learning experience. I have to say I still find myself learning every day about tobaccos and blending and cigars. I think for me, it is an ongoing process. I think we got a CA rating of number eight or something like that. It made me very proud because it opened a different perspective for me on how important it is to be recognized with this type of rating. It's a great feeling. And it adds more pressure because you're always looking for that. It's like the measuring stars. You get the first one, then the second one, and you're always shooting for the third one. I'm shooting for the fourth and fifth ones.
There's a certain validation we hope for when we're starting our careers.
Yes. You're out there facing the world, and the pressure is there. When I had my first real blend—and I went through many—I didn't really see it as something. I always felt that I could do better. I was not really satisfied during those years with anything I did because it was something that my father had started. I started looking at new blends in the ‘90s, which was hard because we had the cigar boom. It was a different time. It wasn't like it is today. At that time, you just tried to make the best cigar that you could, just to stay in business.
Our industry has true artisans. It’s akin to creating music. We have people like Michael Herklots, Raphael Nodal, and Nick Perdomo who are skilled musicians…
I used to be a jazz musician.
There’s a creative energy there that's similar.
When you’re a musician, you must practice constantly just to be good. I think with cigars, it's the same thing. You must keep practicing. You just don't work on a plan when you need a new product. I've seen that with musicians because I used to be a drummer. I study a lot of drummers, and I see, even now, there's some young drummers who are really very exciting and are based on the masters of the past. I think it’s the same thing with cigars. I want to be on top of things, and not let anything catch me by surprise as far as blending new cigars.
That's what most innovators do. They have an ear out at all times. How do you stay connected to that initial inspiration?
Well, there's a couple of things that inspire me and push me. One is going out and seeing tobacco, like I did this morning. I found two Dominican tobaccos that I've never worked with, and I'm going to see how I can come up with blends with these particular tobaccos. My kids, Lissette and Ernie, have that drive, and they want to succeed in this business. The fact that this is something very important to them makes me want to do something new. What are we going to work on next year? What new tobaccos are out there that we can go in and make blends with? Sometimes I go to sleep at night, and I'm thinking about a blend, so I'll write it down. And then the next day, we'll have it made here at the factory.Now, with this new company, it's a constant challenge to see what we can do. Not only for our company, but for the private labels we do.
Well, that's interesting because not only do you collaborate with your family, but you also collaborate within the industry. Does that keep your juices flowing?
It does because even though we do private label, I see all those cigars as our own. I want to be sure they're successful. Whatever I can do as far as the tobacco end and the blending to make the brand successful. I'll give it 110 percent because that's part of our company now. We don't just sell cigars. We build a relationship with these people that hopefully lasts for many years.I know you've had some successful collaborations with other blenders as well, and I really think it enhances your career. It's like you're a collaborative ambassador.Like anything, if you want to be able to look people straight in the face say, "I did this," you’ve got to be here. It’s not something you can do over the phone. I think that's important, and it’s one thing I tell the people we make cigars with. Let’s sit down and smoke different tobaccos. Let's go through the different blends that we have. That’s really when they get excited about it, and I get excited also.
Do you know right off the bat when you’ve created a winner?
I do know right off the bat. Unfortunately, we can't put every cigar that's good out there because it would be too many. We know right away if a cigar is good, it's something our customers are going to enjoy because there are certain characteristics. I think the most important thing is that the moment you light it, it's like a globe. It sparkles.It takes many trials, many blends, and you need to have that cigar aging for at least 15 to 21 days before you can really say, "Okay, this is good." I'll make like 25 cigars, and I'll smoke one as soon as I get it. Then every two days, I'll smoke it again and see how it progresses. The progression is slow sometimes. You light up a cigar and you say, "Well, this is not really that good," and then after those 20 or 30 days, you really see what the cigar is going to deliver.You've probably smoked more cigars than most people on earth. What would you say has been your favorite cigar moment?My cigar moments usually come at night when I'm home, whether I'm here in the Dominican or in Miami. It's reading a book and holding a cigar. Although if it's a Pledge, it's a little bit more difficult to smoke when you're reading a book. For me anyway. That one I like to just concentrate on and smoke it. And just enjoy what's around me. I have a little terrace, and I go out there and I light my cigar, read a book. It's great, man.
What would you say is your greatest personal achievement to date?
I like to think that I'm a good father, a good husband, and that I try to do the best I can for my family. I think everybody aspires to do that. Professionally I think I like to be seen as somebody who inspires others to do that.Being a drummer, when I was younger, Tony Williams, Alvin Jones, Buddy Rich, all those people inspired me. This is what I’d like to be someday for the younger generation that's coming up and working with tobaccos and cigars. That they see me as an inspiration to be the best that they can at what they're doing.
What do you like to pair your cigars with?
I don't drink, but when I used to, I enjoyed a bourbon. My favorite was Wild Turkey. I’ve tried to have my cigars emulate some of the flavors from that bourbon. It was strong. It had a bite, but also it was smooth, and it would have a little bit of creaminess. This is what inspires me when I'm making a blend.
What should our audience be on the lookout for in 2023?
My vision right now is to just be as innovative as possible with the cigars we make. Because I think the industry is growing. There's a lot of competition out there, and I think this is good because it keeps me on my toes. I'm really excited because we've had two exceptional years, and 2023 is going to be an exceptional year too. We will stay focused on trying to make the best cigars possible with the best tobaccos we can get.Well, there's a couple of things that inspire me and push me. One is going out and seeing tobacco, like I did this morning. I found two Dominican tobaccos that I've never worked with, and I'm going to see how I can come up with blends with these particular tobaccos. My kids, Lissette and Ernie, have that drive, and they want to succeed in this business. The fact that this is something very important to them makes me want to do something new. What are we going to work on next year? What new tobaccos are out there that we can go in and make blends with? Sometimes I go to sleep at night, and I'm thinking about a blend, so I'll write it down. And then the next day, we'll have it made here at the factory.
Now, with this new company, it's a constant challenge to see what we can do. Not only for our company, but for the private labels we do.
Well, that's interesting because not only do you collaborate with your family, but you also collaborate within the industry. Does that keep your juices flowing?
It does because even though we do private label, I see all those cigars as our own. I want to be sure they're successful. Whatever I can do as far as the tobacco end and the blending to make the brand successful. I'll give it 110 percent because that's part of our company now. We don't just sell cigars. We build a relationship with these people that hopefully lasts for many years.I know you've had some successful collaborations with other blenders as well, and I really think it enhances your career. It's like you're a collaborative ambassador.Like anything, if you want to be able to look people straight in the face say, "I did this," you’ve got to be here. It’s not something you can do over the phone. I think that's important, and it’s one thing I tell the people we make cigars with. Let’s sit down and smoke different tobaccos. Let's go through the different blends that we have. That’s really when they get excited about it, and I get excited also.
Do you know right off the bat when you’ve created a winner?
I do know right off the bat. Unfortunately, we can't put every cigar that's good out there because it would be too many. We know right away if a cigar is good, it's something our customers are going to enjoy because there are certain characteristics. I think the most important thing is that the moment you light it, it's like a globe. It sparkles.It takes many trials, many blends, and you need to have that cigar aging for at least 15 to 21 days before you can really say, "Okay, this is good." I'll make like 25 cigars, and I'll smoke one as soon as I get it. Then every two days, I'll smoke it again and see how it progresses. The progression is slow sometimes. You light up a cigar and you say, "Well, this is not really that good," and then after those 20 or 30 days, you really see what the cigar is going to deliver.
You've probably smoked more cigars than most people on earth. What would you say has been your favorite cigar moment?
My cigar moments usually come at night when I'm home, whether I'm here in the Dominican or in Miami. It's reading a book and holding a cigar. Although if it's a Pledge, it's a little bit more difficult to smoke when you're reading a book. For me anyway. That one I like to just concentrate on and smoke it. And just enjoy what's around me. I have a little terrace, and I go out there and I light my cigar, read a book. It's great, man.
What would you say is your greatest personal achievement to date?
I like to think that I'm a good father, a good husband, and that I try to do the best I can for my family. I think everybody aspires to do that. Professionally I think I like to be seen as somebody who inspires others to do that.Being a drummer, when I was younger, Tony Williams, Alvin Jones, Buddy Rich, all those people inspired me. This is what I’d like to be someday for the younger generation that's coming up and working with tobaccos and cigars. That they see me as an inspiration to be the best that they can at what they're doing.
What do you like to pair your cigars with?
I don't drink, but when I used to, I enjoyed a bourbon. My favorite was Wild Turkey. I’ve tried to have my cigars emulate some of the flavors from that bourbon. It was strong. It had a bite, but also it was smooth, and it would have a little bit of creaminess. This is what inspires me when I'm making a blend.
What should our audience be on the lookout for in 2023?
My vision right now is to just be as innovative as possible with the cigars we make. Because I think the industry is growing. There's a lot of competition out there, and I think this is good because it keeps me on my toes. I'm really excited because we've had two exceptional years, and 2023 is going to be an exceptional year too. We will stay focused on trying to make the best cigars possible with the best tobaccos we can get.