E.P. Carrillo is expanding its Encore brand with new additional lines: the Encore Edicion Unica I and Encore Noir. Both new lines symbolize the Perez-Carrillo family’s commitment to excellence in cigar craftsmanship.
Encore Edicion Unica I will be released in a vitola named Solidarios, measuring 6 x 56. These cigars are crafted entirely by hand using long filler tobacco. This will be a limited production of 1,500 individually numbered boxes and will ship immediately as an international exclusive each year.
Edicion Unica, which translates to “extraordinary” and “exceptional” in Spanish, reflects E.P. Carrillo’s years of dedicated work in crafting outstanding premium cigars. For this cigar, E.P. Carrillo used carefully selected and aged tobacco under optimal conditions for preservation. This cigar has a Nicaraguan wrapper, binder, and filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The binder and filler tobacco have been aged for at least 10 years, while the wrapper has been aged for five years.
“The fusion of these special tobacco leaves with an exceptional cigar format ensures each series is truly unique (unica), offering enjoyment to both cigar connoisseurs and newcomers to this captivating world of cigars,” the company stated in a press release.
Encore Noir takes the company’s Encore Majestic No. 2, named the Best Cigar of the Year in 2018 by Cigar Aficionado, and presents it in a round shape with a darker wrapper. Each Majestic No. 2 cigar in the Encore Noir line is carefully crafted to offer cigar enthusiasts a smoking experience that has notes of cocoa, espresso, leather, and spices. This cigar has an Ecuadoran wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and filler from the Dominion Republic and Nicaragua.
“We enjoyed working with aged tobacco wrappers and different cigar shapes on these projects. Here we go on a journey, where every moment whispers an intriguing tale,” says Jorge Fernandez Maique, who was the main person behind the transformation of the original Encore blend. “With Encore Noir, by using higher priming of the wrapper, we achieved a darker wrapper that creates a significant change from the original Encore blend. With Unica, I wondered how changing the box press to a round format would influence the blend. We are very happy with the results.”
Encore Noir will be limited to 2,500 boxes internationally and 500 additional boxes, each containing 10 cigars, released in the U.S. through exclusive events annually.
Both the E.P. Carrillo Encore Edicion Unica I and Encore Noir will be made in the Dominican Republic at Casa Carrillo.