Casa Carrillo Announces Summer Release of Encore Black Bulwarks

Casa Carrillo Cigars announces the upcoming release of the Encore Black Bulwarks, arriving in the summer 2025. This new vitola continues the legacy of the Encore line. Following the debut of the first Encore Black (5 3/8 x 52), the Bulwarks introduces a larger 6 x 58 Perfecto format.

The Encore Black Bulwarks will make its official debut at the Great Lakes Cigar Festival in Pontiac, MI on July 26, where attendees will be the first to experience this new release. Shipments allocated to select retailers will begin shortly thereafter, marking the start of a limited first production wave.

At the heart of the Bulwarks is a blend of aged tobaccos from five terroirs:

• Wrapper: Rich Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
• Binder: San Andrés Viso (Mexico)
• Filler: A complex trio from Condega, Estelí, and Jalapa (Nicaragua)

Every tobacco leaf used in the Bulwarks undergoes an 18-month hand fermentation process, followed by a minimum of three years of aging. After rolling, each cigar rests an additional six months to ensure refinement and balance.

“Following the success of the first Encore Black vitola, we knew we wanted to expand the line with something that delivered a fuller, more immersive expression of the blend,” said Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. “The Bulwarks does exactly that. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper takes center stage—given the time it needs to develop its rich, complex character. We paired it with a San Andrés viso binder and select fillers from Estelí, Jalapa, and Condega to highlight and complement the Broadleaf’s bold profile. It’s a sincere effort from our family to yours—continuing what we love doing most: creating cigars with heart, heritage, and craftsmanship.”

He added, “Adding this vitola after the success of the first Encore Black release was a natural next step. We saw how much smokers appreciated the complexity and boldness of the blend, and we wanted to explore how it could evolve in a larger format. The Bulwarks offers a slower burn and more pronounced transitions that really show what this blend can do.”

The Encore Black Bulwarks will launch in limited quantities, allocated to select retailers shortly after its debut at the Great Lakes Cigar Festival. A broader release is planned thereafter. Each box contains 10 cigars, with an MSRP of $21 per cigar / $210 per box.