CA # 5 for 2024 is E.P. Carillo Allegiance Confidant

Cigar Aficionado selected the EP Carrillo Allegiance Confidant as it’s number 5 cigar for 2024. While I have not smoked the Confidant, I am pleased to say that back in December 2023, I got to smoke EP Carrillo Allegiance Chaperone which is the same cigar in a different Vitola [size/shape]. The winner was a 6-inch stick with a 52-ring gauge and the one I smoked was a 6.25 inch with a 58-ring gauge. I found it to be a good stick with lots of flavor.

Allegiance has an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper and uses Nicaraguan tobacco for both the binder and the filler. I found the cigar to be on the mild side but with a very pleasant taste. I got a nose of deep cocoa and had no issues with easy draw, even burn and no relights. The ash as mostly grey but had about 50% black ash at the midpoint of the smoke.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo created this blend in partnership with Oliva Cigars and trusted them to roll them in their factory.

I found the flavor much more to my liking than the previous creation by EP Carrillo called the Pledge. Although the Pledge did well in CA’s overall past contests in both 2020 and 2022, I found it to be a bit bland. Perhaps it is worthy of another shot?

Wanting to express his appreciation to the United States for the way the market has accepted his cigars, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has also created a third in the series called the Pledge of Allegiance; however, I have yet to locate that rare breed.

Please know that I am a big fan of EPC, having also enjoyed one they call Rebel, The Original Maverick. I found it to be full strength but very enjoyable in flavor. It has a magnificent nose where I got a bit of saffron and some deep, rich leather influences. If you have read my reviews, you will not find many nose experiences described like this. It was a unique experience for me and I definitely need to go back for an encore if it were available. It is not on EPC’s web site which means it was probably discontinued. DRATS

However, not to be left in the lurch, my very favorite EPS is the one they actually call ENCORE! I smoked it in late 2023 and it quickly became one of my top 3 favorites; it was CA’s top cigar of the year in 2018.

Encore is not only at the top of my list that I want you to try for its great flavor, but they also carved out part of the proceeds from this stick and have contributed over $46,000 to ELS for Autism in April of 2023. Ernie Els is a pro golfer who has a foundation working on Autism research. This stick is a Nicaraguan puro.

So go find you some EP Carrillo smokes and enjoy! You’ll be glad you did.