Before he was a world-famous cigar maker, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo was an aspiring jazz musician. Perhaps then it’s no surprise that he chose Encore as the name for his follow-up to 2015’s La Historia. The second release in the Perez-Carrillo line, Encore is a fantastic offering from EPC. And there’s no sophomore slump here. Encore surpassed the original La Historia with a 96-rating and Cigar of the Year honors in 2018.

Encore is the first Nicaraguan puro from Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. The cigar is still rolled at the La Alianza factory in the Dominican Republic but uses all Nicaraguan tobacco. All three major growing regions of Nicaragua make an appearance in the blend. Each box-pressed cigar in the Encore line offers a full-bodied profile of oak and caramel, with hints of citrus throughout. Quite simply: Encore is one of the best cigars from a living legend in the industry.