EP Carrillo Pledge Purple Toro Review: Nearly a Decade in the Vault
The same Havana-seed Connecticut wrapper crop as the original Pledge, kept in the vault until it was nearly a decade old, over a Mexican binder. A smooth start and a finish that doesn’t pull any punches.
Bottom line: Dark roast coffee and pepper up front, mocha through the middle, and a strong finish of dark cocoa, espresso and earth. Nearly a decade of aging on the wrapper keeps the start smoother than the original Pledge, and it stays under $20 a stick.
Our priceAged tobacco will forever be a blissful experience for cigar enthusiasts. Sometimes we’re celebrating the day or catching up on some much needed unwinding minutes and looking for a smoke that will take the mental state to a comfortable cloud. The new Pledge Purple does that and more. Taking what made the Pledge and building onto a highly rated build, the Pledge Purple has vault aged tobacco and a smoke that stands out amongst the Casa Carrillo catalog.
Celebrating the 5 year anniversary of their highly rated and successful Pledge Prequel, which won Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar of the Year 2020 with a 98 rating, Casa Carrillo decided to surprise the fans and industry with a gift. The mastermind and master blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, using foresight, purposefully vaulted a select portion of the same Havana-seed Connecticut wrapper crop (grown by Dunn & Foster) to continue aging under careful care and attention. Nearly a decade of aging resulted in profound flavors reminiscent of the Pledge Prequel but turned to 11 on a scale of 10. A small batch release with globally only 3,500 ten count boxes makes it a premier and rare stick in their catalog.
In addition to the extensively aged Havana-seed Connecticut wrapper, the cigar has adjustments to the interior composition as well. Crafted using a Mexican binder replacing the Ecuadorian binder from the precursor Pledge, and filler composed of Ometepe, Condega, and Estelí. The Casa Carrillo family and Mr. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo wanted to make an experience with depth and appreciation for the Pledge while bringing a twist to an award winning staple in their collection.
Pre-light and first impressions
The box press gives you freedom to enjoy with your preferred cut of choice. I decided to use a punch since the Pledge has rich oils and I figured the Pledge Purple would do the same. The dry pull brings a minor roasted coffee note and pepper, and the wrapper also tasted peppery and oily on my lips. Using a new torch, the Bugatti Pro Wide Flame Torch, I was able to light the foot easily within seconds and without over burning. The torch walks the line between jet flame and soft flame.
Smoking experience
First third. You get notes of dark roast coffee and pepper spice that float with the smoke without being heavy, along with a minor earthy tobacco note that’s close to toasted cedar without being overly woody. I found it to be a much smoother start than the Pledge Prequel thanks to the aging on the wrapper while still having the strength behind it. The smoke had volume to it as well that I knew would increase as the cigar progressed.
Second third. The peppery note from the first third is still prevalent and thankfully it remains consistent throughout the cigar. Meanwhile the smoke develops with the oils and burn of the wrapper to bring you a cross between dark coffee bitter and dark chocolate sweetness. Very similar to a mocha flavor profile, the cigar struts the line, with the peppery notes helping keep the balance. Like a symphony, the smoke increases in volume while bringing you a transition in notes that sets the stage for the finale. The retrohale does have some kick, but if you’re a fan of full bodied Maduro tobacco then you’ll love the bits of cocoa which take the wheel in the retrohale.
Finale. If you’ve read my reviews, a consistent quality is my love for strong finishes and this one didn’t pull any punches. A dark eyeliner around the cherry showing all the oils burning down the wrapper, voluptuous white smoke with notes of dark cocoa, espresso, and heavy earthy notes accompanied by the consistent level of pepper from the first two thirds. The Pledge Purple smokes phenomenally in the finale without slowing down. The strength of this cigar is dominant in the last two thirds, mainly in the final third as the oils help wrap up the symphony of smoke.
Burn, draw, and construction
Once lit, each puff flows through the cigar like a hot knife on butter. I set the cigar down for about 10 minutes and came back to a cherry still smoldering that was able to continue where I left off without skipping a beat. When I was done, the only thing left was the cap and ash.
Value and buying perspective
For being a limited edition, I was surprised this cigar landed under the $20 range. Safe to say it’s a deal and steal: you’re getting tobacco that’s been aged nearly a decade and based on the build that won Cigar of the Year 2020. Along with the premium blend internally and expert craftsmanship on the cigar, they could’ve gotten more but decided to keep it friendly for everybody to get a taste.
Every EP Carrillo Pledge size we carry
Final verdict
Coming from being a fan of the original Pledge, La Historia, and Encore Black, I had high expectations for the Pledge Purple and can wholeheartedly say it reached and exceeded the criteria I set mentally. Mr. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo deserves a round of applause for seeing into the future and choosing to vault the wrapper during his creation of the Pledge Prequel. From a smooth and full bodied start to a decadent and rich finish, this cigar is a must try for all fans of Maduro tobacco, EP Carrillo, and aged full body cigars. Being under $20 per stick, it’s an easy buy while being hard to find, making it a must try. Take my word for it, get your hands on two sticks so you can smoke one now and age the other for later. You’ll thank me in the future just like I’ll continue to thank the EP Carrillo family for blessing us with this profoundly delicious experience.
