A new E.P. Carrillo annual limited release for Smokin Joe’s in Alcoa, Tenn. has been announced and confirmed by both the retailer and manufacturer.

The project has just gotten underway and the blend has yet to be selected, according to Cody Hicks of Smokin’ Joe’s. What he was able to say is that the blend they decide on will definitely be full-bodied. “My father and I both prefer fuller bodied cigars and often find that we’re let down when limited items fall shy of at least medium body,” he said.

Currently, the plan is to release 100 or so 10-count boxes per year, with the release date set for just before their annual event with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr. Smokin’ Joe’s is the first and only E.P. Carrillo branded lounge in the world.

“This will not be a limitada for the sake of having one,” Hicks said, and with an expected price between $12.99 and $13.99, they feel they can produce what Hicks says will be “a damn good cigar.”

“It is truly a pleasure and honor to work so closely with Mike, Cody, and the entire Smokin’ Joe’s Family,” Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III said. “Their passion for our brands is incredible – they literally built the first E.P. Carrillo lounge from scratch with their bare hands. We are extremely fortunate to have such a special relationship with them, and we look forward to doing a lot of great things together in the future.”

This is the second announcement of an E.P. Carrillo exclusive for the store, as the store announced that they would be receiving a lounge exclusive cigar, which was reviewed on halfwheel here. In November 2012, Smokin’ Joe’s became the first E.P. Carrillo lounge and remains the only E.P. Carrillo-branded lounge in existence.

 

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.