Casa Carrillo has announced two additions to its portfolio: the nationwide shipping of Ascend, a new regular-production cigar in the Perez-Carrillo Series, and the release of Encore Noir II, a limited-production cigar that will make its only U.S. appearance at a special event in New Hampshire.
Ascend Now Shipping
Ascend joins the Perez-Carrillo Series alongside Pledge, Allegiance, La Historia and Encore as a regular-production offering handcrafted at the Casa Carrillo factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
The blend features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder from Estelí and Nicaraguan fillers. According to the company, the cigar was developed to emphasize balance and progression within the Perez-Carrillo Series.
Ascend is available in three vitolas:
- Saddle – 5 x 50 ($12.75 MSRP)
- Ridge – 6 x 52 ($13.75 MSRP)
- Peak – 6 1/4 x 58 ($14.95 MSRP)
The company said the cigars are now shipping to retailers nationwide.
Encore Noir II Debuts as Limited International Release
Casa Carrillo also announced Encore Noir II, a follow-up to the original Encore Noir that expands on the Encore blend, which was named Cigar Aficionado‘s 2018 Cigar of the Year.
Encore Noir II is crafted entirely with Nicaraguan tobaccos, including a Nicaraguan wrapper that the company says was naturally bale-aged for more than five years before production. The cigar is offered in a single Celestial No. 2 (6 1/8 x 50) vitola.
Production is limited to 1,500 individually numbered boxes, with each box containing 10 cigars.
While Encore Noir II is designated as an international exclusive release, Casa Carrillo said its only U.S. debut will take place during a special event at Two Guys Smoke Shop in New Hampshire. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III are scheduled to attend the Saturday event alongside a live broadcast of The Cigar Authority.
“By allowing these tobaccos the time they needed to mature naturally, we’ve created a cigar with remarkable depth, richness, and elegance that remains unmistakably Encore,” Ernesto Perez-Carrillo said in a press release.
Retailers can now order Ascend, while Encore Noir II will remain an extremely limited release because of the availability of its aged wrapper tobacco.