Tobacco Business

[ 32 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ JULY / AUGUST | 21 ] became known as Pledge (more on Pledge in the Top 24 Cigars of the Year story on page 42). Knowing when a particular blend like La Historia, Encore or Pledge is ready for a big release is what Perez-Carrillo refers to as a very special moment and takes time. “It’s basically a 30-day pro- cess,” Perez-Carrillo explains. “From the moment I light the cigar, it has to say something to me that is special ... like it’s telling a story. I think that a cigar has to tell you that story from the begin- ning. You don’t want to wait until the end for it to be the climax— the climax has to start from the beginning and has to go all the way through to the end.” Perez-Carrillo makes his decisions about blends while in Miami, noting that smoking a cigar in the Dominican Republic or Nicara- gua is not the same as smoking a cigar in the U.S. “I’ll sit on my terrace at night, and as I smoke a cigar, all of a sudden it’ll just hit me. I’ll say, ‘This is it!’ Or sometimes when I’m driving to work, I’ll smoke a cigar and will say, ‘We’re getting there.’ It’s a process that I go through. I try the cigar right when it’s made, and then I keep trying it for about 30 days before I make that decision that it’s ready. And sometimes I have to say that I fail, which just happens. This is an art—it’s not only about the blending; it’s about having the right tobacco and the aging and curing of the tobacco and then also communicating to the cigarmakers who will be making the blend. Although we give them the blends, they’re the ones that are going to be putting it together. They’ve got to be on it, because at the end of the day, they’re the ones that make the cigar what it is today, or what it will be, I should say.” Perez-Carrillo’s blend for Pledge struck a chord with many cigar smokers. In addition to being named the No. 1 Cigar of the Year for Cigar Aficionado , Pledge took the No. 1 position on Cigar Dojo’s Cigar of the Year list, was named the Dominican Cigar of the Year in the 2021 Tobacco Business Awards (and No. 2 cigar of the year overall), and ranked as the 11th out of 25 cigars of 2020 in Halfwheel’s The Consensus last year. Despite the many accolades and recognition, Perez-Carrillo remains modest when it comes to his blending ability and notes that even after 50 years in the cigar industry, there’s much more for him to learn. “Believe me, to really be a master blender—if there is such a thing—it takes a lot more than making a cigar. It takes knowledge of tobacco. It’s like being a chef: A chef will go out and he’ll know which vegetables or seasonings he needs or what fish to buy to make a particular dish that he wants to offer to his clientele. I don’t think one ever gets to that level in cigars because there’s always new tobac- cos coming out. You’re always experimenting, and you’re always trying different tobaccos to see how you can make that special or distinct cigar that’s going to have an impact in the marketplace. As the maker, you’ve got to be proud of what you do. If you’re not proud or willing to give out one of your cigars to a person with pride, then don’t even make it.” Believe me, to really be a master blender—if there is such a thing—it takes a lot more than making a cigar. It takes knowledge of tobacco. It’s like being a chef: A chef will go out and he’ll know which vegetables or seasonings he needs or what fish to buy to make a particular dish that he wants to offer to his clientele. “ ”