E.P. Carrillo (EPC) has long been considered the Godfather of boutique cigars. In 2010, they introduced the Short Run 2010, which marked the beginning of the Short Run series. The initial concept was to craft a limited-edition blend annually, offering it in diverse sizes, and repeating the process.  

The trajectory of the Short Run Series has taken many unexpected turns. From 2010 to 2016, it stood as an annual highlight for the company. Subsequently, there were no Short Run releases from 2017 to 2020. Thankfully, it made a comeback in 2021, albeit without the usual fanfare surrounding new E.P. Carrillo launches. 

For the third consecutive year, the Short Run is back, but with a notable twist — it is the first to be produced outside Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. (the factory owned by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr.). Instead, production has shifted to Honduras under the expertise of Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co.  

If you mentioned in 2010 that the 2023 Short Run release would originate from Honduras, you might have speculated that the company had established a factory there. However, it would have been improbable to guess that Oscar Valladares (the bus driver turned cigar industry power-player) would be the mastermind behind the cigar, and that is precisely what unfolded. The decision to collaborate with Valladares stemmed from Perez-Carrillo Jr.’s quest for Honduran filler tobacco from Copán, which Valladares happened to possess, sparking discussions between the two. 

Crafted in Oscar’s factory in Honduras, the blend of the Short Run 2023 is an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper alongside a Honduran binder and Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos (sourced from Copan). Incredibly unique and just a touch over medium bodied, the Short Run 2023 brings with it notes of baking spice, saltiness, various nuts, and a hint of earth.  

These will not be around forever, and the blend changes annually. Make sure you get your hands on these while you can!