Casa Carrillo is rolling out something different this time around. The company just announced a new collector's box featuring three cigars made from blends that won't ever be part of their regular lineup. And here's the kicker – they're not for sale. These sticks are being given away completely free to a handful of lucky winners through the company's social media channels.
The project, dubbed Casa Carrillo Social Media Exclusive, packages three cigars together in a box sporting an intriguing design. The box art shows brand owner and master blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillo himself, glasses and all, looking out from behind the company logo. It's a fitting image for what the company is calling "the most exclusive expressions within the Casa Carrillo portfolio."
Image credit: Casa Carrillo
What makes these cigars stand out isn't just their limited availability. Each of the three blends takes a different approach while sharing the same foundation. All three use a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos for the filler. But that's where the similarities end.
The first blend wraps that filler in a Connecticut Ecuador leaf, paired with a Connecticut broadleaf binder. The second goes a completely different direction with a Mexican wrapper and an Ecuador Habano binder. The third flips that script, using an Ecuador Habano wrapper with a Mexican binder instead. Each cigar stretches 6 inches long with a 52 ring gauge. Two of them are traditional parejos, while the second blend comes shaped as a pirámide.
According to Casa Carrillo, these three combinations represent completely new territory for the brand. None of these blends exist anywhere else in their current product range, and the company has made it clear they're keeping it that way. These cigars were created specifically for this collector's release and won't be added to standard production down the line.
The company plans to kick things off with a live digital event on January 26 at 5:30 PM Eastern Time, streaming on the Casa Carrillo YouTube channel. That's when they'll announce the first batch of winners. One grand prize winner will walk away with five collector's boxes, which adds up to 15 cigars total. Nine other winners will each receive two of the three-count boxes, giving them six cigars apiece.
But the giveaway doesn't stop there. Lissette Perez-Carrillo confirmed that more opportunities are coming throughout the year. "We will hold social media and live events all year," she explained, "and more opportunities will be available to randomly win."
The approach marks a departure from the typical limited release strategy in the cigar world. Instead of producing a small batch and charging premium prices, Casa Carrillo is treating these blends as pure giveaway items. There's no purchase necessary, no minimum order to qualify, and no way to buy your way into ownership. The only path to getting these cigars is through the random drawings.
For collectors and enthusiasts, that creates an unusual situation. These aren't cigars that will show up at the local shop or get added to online inventory. They exist solely as prizes, making them genuinely scarce in a way that goes beyond typical limited editions. Even if you have the money, you can't guarantee getting your hands on them.
The timing of the launch event, late afternoon on a Sunday in late January, suggests Casa Carrillo wants to make it accessible to people wrapping up their weekend. Streaming it live on YouTube also keeps the barrier to entry low – anyone with an internet connection can tune in and see the first winners announced in real time.
The specific wrapper and binder combinations chosen for these blends show some thoughtful experimentation. Connecticut Ecuador wrappers typically bring a smoother, more refined character. Mexican wrappers often contribute earthier, spicier notes. Ecuador Habano falls somewhere in between, offering complexity without overwhelming the palate. By mixing and matching these with different binders, each blend should deliver a distinct smoking experience despite sharing the same filler tobaccos.
The decision to make one of the three a pirámide shape while keeping the other two as parejos adds another layer of variation. The tapered head of a pirámide can affect how the smoke concentrates and how the flavors develop as you work through the cigar. Even with identical tobacco, the shape alone would create a noticeably different experience.
Casa Carrillo's confirmation that these blends will never enter regular production raises questions about what happens after the year of giveaways wraps up. Will these specific tobacco combinations disappear entirely? Or might elements from them eventually influence future releases? The company hasn't said, leaving that aspect open to speculation.
What's clear is that Casa Carrillo is betting on social media engagement and brand loyalty rather than immediate revenue from this project. The giveaway format encourages people to follow their accounts, participate in events, and stay connected with the brand throughout the year. For a company in the premium cigar space, that ongoing relationship with customers can be worth more than a quick sales bump.
The collector's box itself becomes part of the appeal. In cigar collecting circles, special packaging and presentation matter almost as much as what's inside. A box featuring Ernesto Perez-Carrillo's image, combined with the knowledge that it contains cigars unavailable anywhere else, gives winners something they can display alongside their regular rotation.
As the January 26 launch date approaches, cigar enthusiasts interested in entering will need to pay attention to Casa Carrillo's social media presence. The company hasn't detailed the exact mechanics of how to enter, but they've made it clear that their social platforms will be the primary avenue for participation. Whether that means Instagram, Facebook, or other channels remains to be seen.
For those who do win, they'll be smoking cigars that represent a snapshot of what Casa Carrillo can create when they're not bound by the need to produce at scale or maintain consistency across multiple production runs. These are experimental blends given their moment to shine, then retired permanently.
The year-long rollout of additional giveaway opportunities suggests Casa Carrillo has made enough of these boxes to sustain multiple drawings without flooding the market. Finding that balance – making them rare enough to feel special while producing enough to maintain interest throughout the year – takes some careful planning.
