Casa DNC · Brand
E.P. Carrillo cigars
E.P. Carrillo is the boutique brand of legendary Cuban-American blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr., whose Encore took Cigar Aficionado's No. 1 Cigar of the Year in 2018 and whose Pledge claimed the same honor in 2020.
- Founded
- 2009
- Origin
- Dominican Republic
- Founder
- Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr.
- Based in
- Miami, Florida
Few blenders have earned as many critical accolades as Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. He first rose to prominence running El Credito, the Miami factory behind La Gloria Cubana — a brand he helped transform from a neighborhood institution into a nationally sought-after name after Cigar Aficionado rated several of its blends at 90 or above in the mid-1990s. Swedish Match acquired El Credito from the Perez-Carrillo family in 1999, and Ernesto stayed on under the new ownership until departing in early 2009.
That departure became a second act. Encouraged by his children — Lissette and Ernesto III — he founded E.P. Carrillo and committed to a 40,000-square-foot standalone factory in Santiago's free-trade zone in the Dominican Republic later that year. The brand's first releases confirmed that his blending instincts had only sharpened with time: La Historia E-III earned the No. 2 spot on Cigar Aficionado's 2014 Top 25, then the Encore Majestic claimed the No. 1 position outright in 2018 — making EPC one of the very few boutique brands to reach that recognition so soon after launch.
Three Pillars of a Modern Classic
The Encore, Pledge, and La Historia form the backbone of the EPC portfolio, each carrying a distinct character while sharing the brand's Dominican-forward construction with carefully selected Central American tobaccos in support. The Pledge Prequel was named Cigar Aficionado's No. 1 Cigar of the Year in 2020, making three consecutive top-tier recognitions for the brand across a six-year span — a record that cements Perez-Carrillo's status as one of contemporary cigar making's most consistent voices. The New Wave series extends the catalog with more accessible vitolas built on the same blending philosophy.
Flagship lines
E.P. Carrillo Encore · E.P. Carrillo Pledge · E.P. Carrillo La Historia · E.P. Carrillo New Wave
The E.P. Carrillo lineup
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Allegiance Confidant
The toro of E.P. Carrillo's Oliva-made Allegiance line — a Nicaraguan 6 x 52 with cedar, espresso, and spice that earned high critical scores.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Allegiance Sidekick
The box-pressed robusto of E.P. Carrillo's Allegiance — an Oliva-made Nicaraguan collaboration with cedar, espresso, and spice in a 5 x 50 format.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Encore Celestial
The toro of E.P. Carrillo's award-winning all-Nicaraguan Encore line — a 6 1/8 x 50 with leather, coffee, and brown-sugar sweetness over a longer smoke.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic
Cigar Aficionado's #1 Cigar of 2018 — an all-Nicaraguan Encore in a 5 3/8 x 52 format, balancing leather, red pepper, and brown-sugar sweetness.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Encore Valientes
A thick 6 1/8 x 52 toro in E.P. Carrillo's award-winning all-Nicaraguan Encore line, with leather, coffee, and brown sugar in a slower, fuller smoke.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo INCH Maduro No. 64
The maduro version of E.P. Carrillo's namesake 6 1/8 x 64 INCH — a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper bringing cocoa, coffee, and sweet spice to the big-ring blend.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo INCH No. 60
A big 5 7/8 x 60 gordo from E.P. Carrillo's INCH line — an Ecuadorian Sumatra-wrapped smoke that's earthy, peppery, and far bolder than its size suggests.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo INCH No. 62
A short, fat 5 x 62 gordo from E.P. Carrillo's INCH line, with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper packing earthy, peppery, full flavor into a stubby format.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo INCH No. 64
The namesake 6 1/8 x 64 of E.P. Carrillo's INCH line — a full inch thick, with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and bold, earthy, peppery flavor.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo La Historia Doña Elena
The classic 6 1/8 x 50 toro of E.P. Carrillo's La Historia, a San Andres maduro named for Perez-Carrillo's wife, rich with cocoa, coffee, and pepper.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III
The flagship toro of E.P. Carrillo's La Historia — a San Andres maduro 6 7/8 x 54 named for Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III, rich with cocoa, espresso, and pepper.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo La Historia Regalias d'Celia
A thick 5 7/8 x 58 belicoso in E.P. Carrillo's La Historia line, with a San Andres maduro wrapper delivering mocha, espresso, and black pepper.
E.P. Carrillo
Mild-MediumE.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Brillantes
E.P. Carrillo's mellow Connecticut robusto — a 5 x 50 with a golden Ecuadorian wrapper offering cream, cedar, and almond in a smooth, easygoing smoke.
E.P. Carrillo
Mild-MediumE.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Divinos
The 6 x 52 toro of E.P. Carrillo's mellow New Wave Connecticut — a golden, creamy smoke with cedar and almond over a longer, easygoing burn.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel
Cigar Aficionado's #1 Cigar of 2020 — a dark, box-pressed robusto with a Connecticut Havana-seed wrapper, layering black pepper, cocoa, and espresso.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Pledge Sojourn
The toro of E.P. Carrillo's award-winning Pledge line — a box-pressed 6 x 52 with cocoa, espresso, and black pepper over a longer, more relaxed smoke.
E.P. Carrillo
Medium-FullE.P. Carrillo Selección Oscuro Robusto
The robusto of E.P. Carrillo's Top 25-listed Selección Oscuro — a dark San Andres Oscuro 5 x 54 with dark chocolate, espresso, and black pepper.