E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic

EP Carillo Cigars Encore Majestic

Size: 5 3/8 x 52

E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic rated 96

#1 Cigar of 2018 by Cigar Aficionado

Perez-Carrillo, as a name, has been known in the cigar industry for decades. Ernesto, like his father before him, and all those even earlier have all been integrally involved in making cigars for generations. This is the inspiration behind the Perez-Carrillo Series of Cigars. These cigars are created from generations’ worth of knowledge, poured into unique blends, and which culminate as the creations of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo himself. Only these cigars are allowed to bear the name Perez-Carrillo and each vitola is an homage to someone within the family and celebrate the pride, joy, and cigars of the Perez-Carrillo history.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has roots that run deep throughout the Dominican Republic. When orders for his former brand, La Gloria Cubana, skyrocketed in the 1990’s, Ernesto could not meet demand with his small factory in Calle Ocho.

At one point, La Gloria Cubana’s Torpedo (rated a 93 by Cigar Aficionado in 1993) was in backorder for 12 months, and the need for a larger factory was obvious. He selected a site in Santiago, Dominican Republic to be his second factory.

When time came to choose a location for the E.P. Carrillo factory, Ernesto knew exactly where it needed to be located. In April 2009, he signed a lease on a 40,000 square foot, stand-alone building in Santiago’s Zona Franca, and immediately began the construction of his dream factory, which he named Tabacalera La Alianza.

Here is where the tobacco is fermented, aged, hand-made, and packaged under the supervision of Ernesto. Spread across 12 rolling tables, experienced cigar-rollers are in essence re-learning their craft as they are trained to roll cigars the “Cuban way” – the cigars are beautifully finished with a triple-cap method.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s achievements have been driven largely by an insatiable desire to understand the intricacies of tobaccos from all over the world. “Each tobacco has its own character. You have to treat each tobacco differently and understand how they work together,” he says.