Discover the Legacy of E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Sidekick Cigars.
E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Sidekick Cigar… featured in
The Blaze Report.
Brand Profile:
After years of stagnant sales and uncertainty, Ernesto took his inspiration from that Cuban Davidoff and set out to create a cigar that would excite the senses. When he finally put the perfect blend together, he had created La Gloria Cubana . This overnight success was years in the making. La Gloria Cubana enjoyed star status among Miami cigar smokers and select others throughout the country, but it remained a “local” cigar.
But all this changed in 1992 when four of the brand’s nine cigars scored 90 or higher in a relatively new publication entitled Cigar Aficionado. This Miami-made cigar outperformed established brands and even its Cuban competitors, stunning cigar connoisseurs. Instantly, the La Gloria Cubana brand was one of the brightest flames in the white-hot cigar craze of the early 1990’s.
Word quickly spread, and La Gloria instantly became one of the most sought-out cigars in the world. Demand far outstripped supply in short order. This boutique brand went from selling a few thousand cigars a year to millions. And in 1999, Swedish Match purchased El Credito from the Perez-Carrillo family.
After working for Swedish Match/General Cigar until March 2009, Ernesto’s children’s beseeched him to return to the tobacco fields one more time to create the next great cigar. With the advent of Casa Carrillo, Ernesto has once again dedicated himself to perfecting a family-run boutique brand, this time with his son, Ernesto III and daughter, Lissette.
Since creation, the family has released several new blends, beginning with the Casa Carrillo 2009 Inagural. Each blend, while offering a different array of complexity and strength profiles, has stayed true to the family’s ideals of consistency, tradition, and passion for perfection. Today, Casa Carrillo provides customers with a diverse portfolio of blends and sizes, which will satisfy the most discerning cigar smoker.
Vitola (Size):
6 ¼” x 52
Wrapper:
Sumatra seed grown in Ecuador
Binder:
Sumatra grown in Ecuador
Filler:
Brazil, Dominican Republic (Cibao Valley)
E.P. Carrillo Cigars
https://casacarrillocigars.com/allegiance/
Pairs Perfectly With:
Rémy Martin – The Rémy 75.
The Rémy 75 cocktail is a favorite classic. Its perfectly balanced effervescent elegance combines two of France’s most precious liquids – cognac and champagne. Shake. Top. Serve.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Rémy Martin 1738®
- ½ oz. Simple Syrup
- ½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 pour Champagne
Photo and Review credits: M. “Joe” Gooch
The Blaze Report:
Appearance:
This cigar had an evenly colored, light oily brown wrapper with a leathery feel to the touch. It was solid to the touch and had a rich earthy hey-like smell tone on the pre-light.
1st Third:
There was almost no resistance on the draw which effortlessly provided thick white clouds of smoke. There was an intense up front spiciness in the aroma as well as on the palate. Very nice amounts of tobacco notes up front with peppery spices in the nose and on the finish were developing.
2nd Third:
Peppery spices remained consistent the whole way through. More great big clouds of thick white smoke filled the air. The aroma also developed and became richer as the cigar was smoked with a honey-like sweetness and luring tobacco notes. The aroma had a sweet backbone with some cedar and wood developing along with some cocoa.
Final 3rd:
Smoke smoothly and effortlessly continued to produce with a nice dark gray ash. More consistent peppery spice through the nose and lingering on the finish. A touch of cocoa notes were detected in the aroma of the smoke. The smoke was well-rounded on the palate with a mouthwatering texture which helped spread the flavors very well.
Making the Grade
Final Thoughts:
The cigar packed a punch and offered the flavor to match. Full flavors with an underlying creamy texture on the palate with spices that developed in the nose and on the finish. Outstanding construction that held onto a dense, dark gray ash. Medium-full body with a slow and even burn. Overall a very well made cigar with sweet, peppery characters.
- Was this cigar a good buy? Yes
- Did you enjoy the aroma of the cigar while smoking? Yes
- Did the taste transition as you smoked it? Yes
- Does it have complexity? Yes
- How consistent was the strength level? Perfect
- What makes this cigar different or special? Spicy notes
- Did the cigar produce spice? Yes
- Did the flavors match the description? Yes
- Did the strength match the description? Medium
- Would you smoke this cigar again? Yes
Final Grade
Categories
The Average Joe's Cigar Media View All
The mission of The Average Joe’s Cigar blog is to provide trusted, high quality and unbiased reviews of everything related to the world of cigars. You can count on us to be authentic and unbiased in our assessments. We are committed to providing our readers with the best information to learn and to grow in their understanding of cigar smoking. At The Average Joe’s Cigar, we welcome feedback and input from our readers so that it is a mutually beneficial relationship that will allow this blog to continue its expansion.