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Cigar Review E.P. Carrillo Encore Black

When Smoked: February 2025
Obtained from: single purchase from local shop
Rested/aged – none, I am confident this has been sitting on the store shelf quite a while
Size: Robusto 5-1/4 inches x 52, box press
Approximate cost: US$17
See ratings below

This video was supposed to be an overview of the Perez-Carrillo series, a highly rated and much-awarded group of four cigars – La Historia, Encore, Pledge and Allegiance, with a review of the Encore Black (the 5th entry into the line, which was released in 2024). However, the review went off the rails to the point where I didn’t want to muddy the waters by talking about those other four wonderful cigars and grouping it with the Encore Black which (spoiler alert) is one of the worst cigars I have ever smoked.

Handmade cigars are a natural product – I get it – and we shouldn’t expect perfection with every stick. But at $17 per for a Robusto, and billed as supposedly the Maduro version of the highly rated Encore, I think some expectations are in order.

The Encore Black features an aged 3-year Maduro wrapper that was fermented for 18 months. Binder is a dark San Andres and filler is a blend of various Nicaraguan tobacco. That blend is nothing close to the original Encore, this “maduro version” is an Encore in name only.

The fancy packaging with black sleeve and band in the same style as the other 4 members of the Perez-Carrillo series covered up some flaws in the wrapper – a couple of minor cracks and a weird ½” line that looked like tiny perforations. Not the end of the world, and there was no re-light needed, draw was good.

Big problem #1 for me was the burn – the ash was flaky and kept splitting in half even at the half-way mark, which I have never seen that far into a stick. Certainly not fatal but not great. Also, this $17 Robusto lasted well under 40 minutes, which I consider unacceptable for that price point.

Big problem #2 was taste, and the fact that the taste was really, really bad. This wasn’t a “not my cup of tea” situation, this cigar tasted terrible. One dimensional, no real Maduro character, bitter, with a horrific dry mineral finish.

Maybe expectations came into play a bit here, but IMO this cigar is not worthy of the Perez-Carrillo series. I rated it a 6.5/10 which is below the point of acceptability.