A Bold & Sweet Pairing: E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III and Old Elk Double Wheat

A confluence of travel, family events, and a relentless “heat dome” had kept me from enjoying any quality porch time with a cigar and a drink for a couple of weeks. Needless to say, I was looking forward to the past weekend and some much-needed time on the deck.

Scanning the selections in the humidor, I searched for something bold and long-lasting — I wasn’t about to cut this long-awaited pairing short. Despite a less-than-stellar experience the last time around, I decided to give the E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III another try, with high hopes it would redeem itself.

Now for the drink. I reached for the nearly empty bottle of Old Elk Double Wheat Whiskey, thinking its sweetness might pair well with the richness of the cigar. Time to find out.

The E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III is a 6⅞″ × 54 Toro. It features an oily Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, with a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. Though a bit rough in appearance, the wrapper is surprisingly slick — so much so that when I tapped off the ash, the cigar nearly slipped from my fingers. It’s mildly box-pressed and dressed with a blue foot ribbon and ornate double bands. Personally, I find the taped-on foot ribbons many brands use to be superfluous and somewhat distracting, but to each their own.

The first puffs delivered bold notes of bitter cocoa and coffee, with an espresso-like intensity that built as the cigar burned on. Later, dark chocolate and mixed nuts emerged, adding complexity. A subtle lingering sweetness carried through the finish. The La Historia is a full-bodied smoke that delights the palate from start to finish.

Thankfully, this particular stick had none of the draw or burn issues I encountered with the previous one. And truthfully, I didn’t expect it to. I’m not put off by the occasional dud — these are, after all, hand-rolled bundles of tobacco leaves. It’s exactly why I tend to buy multiples of a cigar: I prefer not to judge an entire line based on a single outlier.

Just like the cigar, the Old Elk Double Wheat Whiskey was a winner. This blend combines Old Elk’s 6–8-year Wheat Whiskey with their 6-year Wheated Bourbon, resulting in a mash bill that’s 71.5% wheat, and bottled at 107.1 proof.

From the glass, the aroma is rich with sweet dough, cinnamon, butterscotch, and brown sugar — a dessert in a glass. On the palate, it delivers again: caramel, vanilla, and more brown sugar, all supported by the soft sweetness of the wheat. There’s a pleasant warmth, and a creamy, rye-tinged finish that extends the flavor treat.

I was honestly a little sad to see the bottle emptied. I snagged it in 2023 during a 50% off closeout sale, and a recent search of the VA ABC site shows no remaining inventory in the state.

The pairing of the E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III and Old Elk Double Wheat Whiskey exceeded expectations. The rich, sweet-leaning profiles of both made for a deeply satisfying experience. While I may be out of the whiskey, I look forward to revisiting the La Historia with other sweet bourbons and wheated expressions in the future.

Cheers!