Encore Black by E.P. Carrillo Lancero Review

Overview

When E.P. Carrillo released the original Encore in 2017, it was met with immediate acclaim, earning the prestigious No. 1 Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado. Rather than rest on that laurel, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo doubled down, introducing the Encore Black line in 2018–2019 as a more mature, darker-toned companion. The Encore Black Lancero represents perhaps the purest expression of that vision: a classic 7.5 x 40 vitola that demands precision rolling and rewards patience with a layered, contemplative smoking experience. At a time when the market is flooded with fat ring gauges, the Lancero stands as a deliberate counterpoint—a cigar that privileges wrapper contribution, nuance, and slow-burning complexity over raw power. The construction is, as one would expect from the Perez-Carrillo factory in Estelí, near-flawless. The narrow ring gauge requires an exacting roll: too tight and the draw becomes a chore; too loose and the burn races. Here, the draw is effortless, the burn line razor-straight, and the ash holds firm past an inch. It is a technical achievement that speaks to decades of mastery. Flavor-wise, the Encore Black Lancero unfolds in three distinct acts. The first third is defined by cedar shavings, toasted almond, and a whisper of white pepper on the retrohale, all carried by a creamy texture that hints at milk chocolate and dried apricot. This is not a cigar that announces itself with force; it invites you in. The middle third deepens considerably, introducing espresso, dark leather, and a dry cocoa note that builds with each draw. The pepper intensifies, while a pleasant earthiness—reminiscent of forest floor after rain—grounds the profile. By the final third, the cigar consolidates into a rich, sustained finish of dark roast coffee, charred oak, and lingering nuttiness, the strength climbing to medium-full without ever turning harsh or bitter. That creaminess from the opening never fully dissipates, ensuring balance right to the nub. Vitola enthusiasts will recognize the Lancero as a lens, not a limitation. At 40 ring gauge, the wrapper-to-filler ratio is heavily skewed toward the wrapper, and the Encore Black’s Nicaraguan Habano Colorado wrapper—silky, medium-deep reddish-brown, with a slight tooth—is given center stage. The result is amplified nuance, a longer finish, and a smoking experience that demands respect for the classic forms of cigar craftsmanship. This is E.P. Carrillo at his most classicist, and it belongs in the humidor of anyone who believes that great cigars are measured not by size, but by the depth of their character.