Encore Black by E.P. Carrillo Lancero Review

Overview

There is a moment, about halfway through the Encore Black Lancero, when the smoke turns from a conversation into a confession. The cedar shavings and toasted almond of the opening act have receded, and what remains is a dark, leather-bound honesty that feels less like a flavor profile and more like a memory. This is the cigar Ernesto Perez-Carrillo builds when he wants to remind you that the lancero is not a relic—it is a scalpel. In a market flooded with fat ring gauges that deliver flavor like a sledgehammer, this 7.5 x 40 vitola is a pointed argument for precision. The Colorado-hued Habano wrapper is the star here, not because it shouts, but because it whispers with a clarity that a 52-ring box-press could never achieve. It is a lens that focuses the Jalapa, Estelí, and Condega fillers into a single, coherent narrative, and it demands you pay attention.

The pre-light draw offers a hint of dried apricot and a faint, almost imperceptible spice—a promise of the sweetness to come. Once lit, the first third unfolds with a refined complexity that is immediately engaging. Cedar shavings, not the sharp, new-pencil kind, but the softer, aged wood from a humidor that has seen decades of use, form the backbone. Toasted almond adds a savory depth, while a whisper of white pepper on the retrohale keeps the palate alert. What is most striking is the texture: a creamy, almost buttery mouthfeel that coats the tongue and carries a subtle sweetness reminiscent of milk chocolate and dried apricot. It is an elegant opening, one that suggests a master blender in full control of his medium.

As the ash holds firm past the first inch, the second third deepens the narrative with a turn toward the savory. Espresso, dark and bitter, emerges as the dominant note, followed by dark leather and a dry cocoa that builds with each successive draw. The white pepper on the retrohale intensifies, gaining a slight char, while a grounding earthiness—think forest floor after a rain, damp and mineral-rich—anchors the profile. The creaminess from the first third recedes but never disappears, acting as a counterpoint to the growing intensity. This is where the lancero format proves its worth: the narrow ring gauge concentrates the smoke, forcing the flavors to layer with a precision that feels almost architectural.

The final third is a consolidation, not a collapse. The strength climbs to a medium-full plateau, but there is no harshness, no ammonia, no bitter collapse. Instead, the profile settles into a rich, sustained finish of dark roast coffee, charred oak, and a lingering nuttiness that echoes the almond from the start. The pepper fades to a warm tingle on the tongue, and the creaminess, though faint, persists, keeping the entire experience balanced to the very last inch. The burn remains razor-sharp, a testament to the factory's precision rolling, and the draw is effortless—a rare feat for a lancero, which often suffers from tightness. This is a cigar that rewards patience, and it punishes those who rush it. It is not a smoke for the commute; it is a smoke for the deliberate, 90-minute pause at the end of a long day, when the world has quieted enough to listen.