In 2023, E.P. Carrillo released the Pledge of Allegiance to celebrate Independence Day, a holiday that was missing a presence in the cigar market until recently. This year the cigar is available in two different sizes a Toro (6 x 54 / $22 MSRP) and a perfecto called Rocket (6 3/8 x 58 / $30 MSRP) with the Toro being released in 1776 boxes to celebrate the birth of the greatest nation in the world, while the Rocket has a production of just 249 boxes marking the age of America at the time of release.
So before we start today’s review…
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.“
Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo Pledge of Allegiance
Size: 6 x 54 (Toro)
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuador Habano
Fillers: Nicaragua (Condega, Jalapa), U.S.A. (Pennsylvania)
Factory: Casa Carrillo
Release Date: June (2023) / Today’s Version June (2025)
Production: Limited
Box Size: 10
The Cigar: The red, white and blue E.P. Carrillo band is patriotic with a secondary band featuring cursive writing similar to the font of the Declaration of Indepence. The cigar is rounded out with a sheath of blue paper covering the the rest of the cigar. Once removed it reveals a wrapper with a significant vein running down the middle of the cigar along with some imperfections of the wrapper that includes a couple of small tears from when the leaf was worked. In the hand the cigar the cigar is light with an underfilled foot.
The Taste: The very loose cold draw has me concerned for how this cigar burn and how fast it will be. The cold draw notes are mocha, raisins and cedar while the aroma from the foot is earthy with a subtle sweetness. Once the cigar is toasted and lit at 2:00pm the initial notes are earthy.
Moving into the first third notes of earth pull back as the cigar develops a raisin like sweetness with nuances of mocha and coffee. By 2:12 we are done with the first third and I am a very slow smoker. The retrohale and aroma of the cigar sees an abundance of cedar with some pepper.
Moving into the second third some molasses like sweetness develops with cedar and mocha. At the halfway point a subtle mineral develops which is from the Pennsylvania tobacco which works created a medium-full flavor profile and perceived strength as the second third comes to a close at 2:26 a saltiness and brown sugar begin to emerge while the retrohale seems more pepper and cedar.
At 2:38 the cigar winds up in the ashtray with nothing left to smoke. There is an abundance of wood present with a subtle brown sugar and a fading raisin sweetness that struggles to remain relevant. The retrohale remains the same which isn’t a bad thing with notes of pepper and cedar with a relatively short finish
Conclusion: Wow, that was fast. The cigar was definitely underfilled and probably would have been better suits as a 50 or 52 ring gauge. I can’t tell you the last time I had a cigar last a mere 38 minutes on me with almost everything I smoke coming in at 90-120 minutes. It’s not like I smoked this one faster or it was windy out. Thankfully, the cigar was delicious and memorable which makes it a great Independence Day cigar tradition.
Score: 91
Price: $22.00
