Encore by E.P. Carrillo Lonsdale Review

Overview

The Encore by E.P. Carrillo Lonsdale is a study in understated mastery—a cigar that proves value need not come at the expense of refinement. Introduced around 2013, the Encore line was conceived by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. as an accessible, everyday expression of his blending philosophy, and the Lonsdale vitola (6.5 x 44) remains one of its most elegant iterations. Where many cigar makers reserve their finest Connecticut Shade wrappers for high-cost marquee releases, Perez-Carrillo Jr. wraps this cigar in an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade leaf of striking quality: pale golden hay in color, silky smooth to the touch, with minimal veining. Beneath it lies a Dominican Olor binder and a long-leaf blend of aged Dominican Piloto Cubano and Olor filler tobaccos, each aged a minimum of two years prior to rolling. The result is a cigar that speaks softly yet carries a clear, confident voice—one of balance, creaminess, and quiet complexity.

From the first light, the Encore Lonsdale announces itself with a clean, creamy profile. Toasted bread and sweet hay lead, underscored by a gentle white pepper tingle on the retrohale that is more suggestion than statement. A faint floral note and mild cashew join a whisper of sweet cream, establishing a foundational elegance that defines the opening third. As the cigar progresses into the second third, complexity builds modestly but meaningfully: cedar and light oak step forward, while the creaminess transitions into toasted almond and a honeyed sweetness. The mid-palate opens to reveal subtle dried apricot and a soft herbal note—flashes of character that reward a contemplative smoker. The final third remains remarkably composed, never turning harsh or brittle. Dry cedar and roasted nut dominate, with a lingering vanilla and light caramel sweetness on the retrohale, and a gentle return of pepper at the very end that ties the experience together with a clean, cohesive finish.

Construction is where the Encore Lonsdale truly punches above its weight. Hand-rolled at E.P. Carrillo’s Dominican factory, the draw offers ideal resistance, the burn line runs laser-straight, and the ash holds in thick, light grey columns well past the inch mark. This level of reliability is a hallmark of Perez-Carrillo Jr.’s production standards, and it transforms the smoking experience into something effortless—free of technical distractions. Priced between $8 and $12, the Encore is a Tier: Everyday cigar, but it smokes with a composure that rivals blends at twice its price. The Lonsdale format, notably round-pressed (unlike some box-pressed sibling vitolas), showcases the Connecticut wrapper at its most expressive, delivering a long, leisurely smoke that clocks in at 60 to 75 minutes.

It is easy to overlook the Encore in a market dominated by bold, Nicaraguan-heavy profiles and pyrotechnic spice. But that is precisely the point. This cigar is not an attention-seeker; it is a benchmark for the mild-to-medium spectrum, a gentle reminder that subtlety and precision are their own forms of power. For aficionados who appreciate the nuance of a well-executed Connecticut blend, or for those seeking a bridge from cigarettes to hand-rolled premium cigars, the Encore Lonsdale is an essential experience. It carries the DNA of the E.P. Carrillo portfolio—a legacy of blending excellence—without demanding a commensurate investment. In a world of loud statements, the Encore whispers, and in that whisper, it tells a complete story.