Smoked: E. P. Carillo Pledge Prequel

After snoozing in my humidor for over six months, I figured the 4th of July would be an appropriate occasion for the Pledge Prequel to see the light of day. My ratings don’t always align with Cigar Aficionado’s, but I can see why they rated this cigar a 98 (!) which earned it Number One Cigar of the Year in 2020. Daytime fireworks, baby!

This 5 x 50 box-pressed robusto’s wrapper is a dark U.S.A. Connecticut Habano, the binder is Ecuadorian, and its filler is from Nicaragua. It opened with a robust, but quite pleasant blast of black pepper and wood. Shortly thereafter, the pepper settled down significantly, welcoming more pronounced, hearty notes of oaky wood, baking spices, licorice, and black cherry. Somehow those flavors intermingled to create an overall impression of it being quite different from most other cigars, like my impressions of the Fratello Arlequin and J. C. Newman’s The American. Something in there made it stand out from the crowd. The burn was excellent, as was its draw. I rate its body as full, and its strength also full. Its aroma was intoxicating, and again, wife approved. As a matter of fact, she loved it.

This was my first cigar by E. P. Carillo. It definitely won’t be my last.

Cheers!