EP Carrillo Encore Majestic Review

Overview

When Ernesto Perez-Carrillo set out to create the Encore line in 2019, he wasn’t chasing trends or reinventing the wheel. Instead, he reached back into the archives of his own memory — revisiting the blending philosophy that defined his earliest work, before the accolades and the Hall of Fame induction. The result is a cigar that feels both nostalgic and emphatically modern. The EP Carrillo Encore Majestic, in its imposing 6 x 60 Gordo vitola, is a masterclass in restraint within a format that often rewards excess. From the first cold draw, where dried dark raisin and fig intertwine with a creamy cedar note, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary big-ring smoke. The cigar is built on the solid foundation of a Nicaraguan Jalapa binder and a meticulously aged blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican long-fillers, all wrapped in an Ecuadorian Habano leaf of Colorado hue — satiny, lightly toothed, and brimming with character. The opening third delivers rich espresso and toasted almond, punctuated by a whisper of white pepper on the retrohale. Construction is impeccable; the draw offers a firm, slightly resistant resistance that yields billows of dense, cool smoke, and the burn line holds admirably straight across the 60-ring gauge — a feat of engineering that speaks to the precision of EP Carrillo’s Dominican facility in Villa González. As the cigar progresses into its second third, the profile deepens into dark cocoa, cured leather, and an earthy intensity that channels the best of Nicaraguan terroir. A touch of red chili spice enters through the nose, playing against the unbroken creamy texture. This is where the blend reveals its genius: nothing dominates, everything converges. It is the hallmark of a blender who has nothing left to prove. The final third intensifies with dark roast coffee, charred oak, and a lingering molasses sweetness that prevents any harshness. Pepper resurfaces with more authority, and the smoke grows richer and fuller without ever turning acrid. The nub is cool, the ash is firm and salt-and-pepper gray — a testament to the construction that persists from foot to cap. The Encore Majestic is not a cigar for hurried moments. It demands two hours of unhurried attention, a comfortable seat, and a willingness to engage deeply with the progression of flavors. It is a cigar to hand someone who argues that Nicaraguan puros are the only cigars worth smoking — it will broaden their worldview. With a price point between $18 and $22, it occupies the premium tier with confidence, offering complexity and balance that justify its position in the humidor. A spirit pairing of aged rum — a 12- to 18-year Barbancourt or Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva — complements the molasses and cocoa notes beautifully; a wheated bourbon like Pappy Van Winkle 12-year amplifies the sweetness. For non-alcoholic pairings, a single-origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe pour-over mirrors the espresso and dark fruit with clean precision. The EP Carrillo Encore Majestic is an introspective cigar from a legend at peace with his craft. It is elegant, balanced, and unequivocally memorable.