If you went to the 2019 Big Smoke Las Vegas weekend, you got more than just a cigar when you visited the E.P. Carrillo booth—you also received a ballot with three names on it: Bequest, Pledge, Prequel. The guests were told that their votes would help determine the name of the company’s follow-up project to Encore (2018 Cigar of the Year) and La Historia (No. 2 Cigar of 2014), two of the most highly praised cigars ever created by legendary cigarmaker Ernesto Perez-Carrillo.
Ultimately, the Big Smoke guests chose the name Pledge, and the new cigar is expected to start shipping to retail stores in August. (The Coronavirus pandemic delayed the original March launch date.) Pledge will be the third cigar in what the company calls the Perez-Carrillo Series. While La Historia was a tribute to the Perez-Carrillo family’s history in tobacco and Encore honored Ernesto’s grandchildren, Pledge is an homage to all cigar smokers.