E.P. Carrillo Cigars Pledge

E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel

Cigar Aficionado · Jan 1, 2021

At first glance, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel may look like just another dark, box-pressed cigar fighting for shelf space at your local retailer, but there’s a story behind this extraordinary smoke that started in 2014 when cigarmaker Ernesto Perez-Carrillo released another brand called La Historia. It was a tribute to his family and one the finest cigars he’d released up to that point. One particular size, the E-III, came very close to making Cigar of the Year and was ranked the No. 2 smoke of 2014. At the time, we didn’t know that La Historia was part one in what came to be a trilogy. Part two was a brand called E.P. Carrillo Encore, which came out four years later. You should remember it—in 2018, the Encore Majestic was named Cigar of the Year. You’d be forgiven if you missed part three. In a year such as 2020, it was easy to overlook things, even the release of a new cigar brand from one of the cigar industry’s great talents. Pledge went on sale in September, and it may have slipped through the cracks for some in 2020, but our taste buds took notice at first light, and after a few consistently brilliant performances, the Pledge Prequel stood out as the most sublimely rich, structured and interesting cigar we smoked all year. The most distinct tobacco in the Pledge is its wrapper, a Cuban-seed varietal grown in Connecticut aptly called Connecticut Habano. On its own, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel is a delicious smoke that delivers flavor in bold, zesty parcels of spicy oak, licorice, black cherry and black pepper. Baking spices sing like a holiday chorus, and when you think you’ve tasted all the cigar has to offer, a warm, familiar note of baked apple settles across the palate. That performance alone is what sent the cigar straight to the top of the list. However, when you look at Pledge Prequel as part of a larger body of work, you see that Perez-Carrillo’s trilogy nearly hit the trifecta, as two out of three were named Cigar of the Year, the other barely missing at No. 2. Achievements like this are the confluence of skill, talent and experience. In his 50-year career, Perez-Carrillo has owned factories big and small, worked for a major corporation, and has been making cigars on his own terms for the last decade. Now a two-time Cigar of the Year recipient, the man who’s done it all in the cigar business has just done it again.

Robusto · 5.00″ × 50 · Medium-Full · Dominican Republic

E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker

Blind Man's Puff · Feb 16, 2024 · June 2023

In June of last year, United Cigars announced a noteworthy addition to their annual Independence Day celebration, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker. Since 2010, United Cigars has engaged in yearly collaborations with various cigar manufacturers to craft a limited edition Firecracker cigar. Characterized by its robust profile, this series is renowned for its short, stout, and potent offerings. This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience. The latest iteration, crafted at E.P. Carrillo ‘s Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. in the Dominican Republic, showcases a blend that promises to deliver a memorable smoking experience. Utilizing a U.S.A. Connecticut Habano wrapper paired with an Ecuadorian binder and filled with Nicaraguan tobacco, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker measures 3 ½ x 50 and will be available in boxes of 20, priced at $7.00 per cigar. This blend, limited to a production of 20,000 cigars, marks a significant partnership between United Cigars and the revered Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, aiming to add a unique entry into the Firecracker series. With exclusive distribution to United Firecracker retailers, this offering is a testament to the continued evolution and appreciation of the Firecracker concept in the cigar marketplace.

Rothschild · 3.50″ × 50 · Medium-Strong · Dominican Republic

E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker

Kohnhed · Aug 16, 2023

Wrapper: USA Connecticut Habano Binder: Ecuadorian Filler: Nicaraguan Size: 3.5 x 50 Petit Robusto Strength: Full Price: $7.00 My cigars have had 2 months of naked humidor time. BACKGROUND: Factory…

Petit Robusto · 3.50″ × 50 · Full

EP Carrillo Pledge Firecracker (3 1/2 x 50)

Tiny Tim's Cigar Blog · Jul 11, 2023

3.50″ × 50

Perez Carrillo Pledge Sojourn

Stogie Press · Mar 5, 2021

When it comes to crafting fine cigars, there are some masters in the industry that stand out, Ernesto Perez Carrillo is most certainly one of them. Way back in 2014, at the beginning of Stogie Press, I reviewed the E.P. Carrillo – La Historia, and though we did not add a numerical rating then, it Read more about Cigar Review: Perez Carrillo Pledge Sojourn – Rated 95[…]

Box pressed toro · 5.00″ × 50

EP Carrillo Pledge

Leaf Enthusiast · Jan 20, 2021

Pledge is another award-winner for EP Carrillo Cigar Company…but is it really worth your time and money? I think so!

5.00″ × 50

E.P. Carrillo Perez-Carrillo Pledge Apogee

Halfwheel · Jan 16, 2022 · Oct. 29, 2021

It seems I've been on a bit of a run of smoking new and thicker vitolas in existing lines lately, and the run has produced some good results. While I would generally pick the more slender of the options presented to me, in this case the bigger ring gauge seems to give the elements of the blend a bit more breathing room to shine, which results in an impressive complexity without necessarily diluting any of the flavor's key drivers. There is plenty of earth and pepper, but more importantly there are the accent notes: creaminess, chocolate, and yes, even that brief touch of cinnamon, and those are what make the journey from start to finish quite enjoyable, with the construction and combustion only helping that journey. If, like me, the Pledge didn't quite do it for your palate in the first two vitolas, this thicker ring gauge may just change your mind about what the line has to offer.

Gordo · 6.25″ × 58 · Dominican Republic

E.P. Carrillo Pledge

Cigar Snob · Jan 5, 2022

Prequel · 5.00″ × 50 · Dominican Republic

E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel

Cigar Coop · Oct 22, 2021

Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are rescoring or giving a score for the first time. It also might be a blend […] Key flavors: Coffee, Licorice, Black Cherry, Wood, Pepper.

Prequel · 5.00″ × 50 · Medium · Dominican Republic

E.P. Carrillo Pledge

Holt's Staff Reviews · Feb 4, 2021

E.P. Carrillo Pledge takes home Cigar Aficionado’s coveted ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ title for 2020 in an alluring, soft box-pressed Robusto called the Prequel. Let’s find out if it lives up to the hype. Brand founder Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is beloved in the cigar business. As the man behind the original La Gloria Cubana franchise, Perez-Carrillo’s catalog of top-selling cigars stretches back decades and occupies shelf space in cigar shops around the world.

E.P. CARRILLO PLEDGE

Comedy Cigars Music · Sep 9, 2021

Fully dressed, the Pledge possesses a timeless look, adorned with a gold foot ribbon and bands with eye-catching blues and gold. Construction appears to be excellent.My nose detects raisin, barnyard, and hay off the foot and wrapper with hay being the quietest of the three.When I remove the gold ribbon, a small crack in the wrapper

Prequel · 5.00″ × 50

E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker

Developing Palates · Jul 5, 2024 · June 2023

The E.P. Carrillo Pledge Firecracker had an average flavor profile throughout, just focused around the toasted cedar, earth and baking spice/black pepper. I find this format polarizing, as some blends are a quick flavor bomb and others are just linear mediocrity. This blend falls into the latter category and I wouldn't see myself coming back to it.

Short Robusto · 3.50″ × 50 · Dominican Republic