I've enjoyed these cigars quite a bit over the past few months. I'm curious if other Amback members have tried these, and if anyone knows if cigar.com has plans to carry them?
Illusione Cigars
- Thread starter chrisguinther
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I have never tried or heard of these!
But!
More importantly: You need to send my sister's underware back!
It's been six months! :roll:
on second thought - :shock: :? :shock: :?
CC :wink:
But!
More importantly: You need to send my sister's underware back!
It's been six months! :roll:
on second thought - :shock: :? :shock: :?
CC :wink:
No one around me is carrying them 
. I was looking for them when i went out to snag all of the top 25 for cigar aficionado. Hopefully my B&M or Cigar.com has em soon.
. I was looking for them when i went out to snag all of the top 25 for cigar aficionado. Hopefully my B&M or Cigar.com has em soon.If you don't read Cigar Insider, Cigar Aficionado's sister publication, you may have never heard of the brand Illusione. All nine cigars in the line were rated in an August issue of the newsletter, and all but one size scored 90 points or higher, about as impressive a debut as we’ve ever witnessed. The Central American cigars are powerful Nicaraguan puros with quirky names. The cg:4, which measures 5 5/8 inches by 46 ring, has balance as well as strength, with sweet leather, nuts and cocoa on the palate. The cigars are the brainchild of Dion Giolito, owner of the Reno, Nevada, cigar store Fumaré. Giolito doesn't own his own factory, but the Illusione brand is small enough that he can visit Central America to test-smoke each batch of new tobacco before it is made into his cigars. Production was recently shifted from Nicaragua to Honduras. Consistency is the tough trick to the cigar business, so the real test is ahead for Giolito -- maintaining the impeccable quality of these cigars so they live up to the early ratings.
MADE BY: Fernandez y Fernandez
FACTORY LOCATION: Honduras
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
PRICE: $6.55
2007 PRODUCTION: 15,750
RATING: 93
Pish notice that they said they made 15,750 in 2007 probably why I cant find em
MADE BY: Fernandez y Fernandez
FACTORY LOCATION: Honduras
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
PRICE: $6.55
2007 PRODUCTION: 15,750
RATING: 93
Pish notice that they said they made 15,750 in 2007 probably why I cant find em
Joined Jul 2007
279 Posts | 1+
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Ok, so I had one of the f9's today for lunch. Wow what a wonderful lunch!!!
So, here's my first stab at a review-like thingie:
Cigar: Illusione f9
In humi since 1.28.08
Size: 44 x 6 1/4
Wrapper: Corojo
Cut: Punch
Light: Single Torch
This stick is beautiful. It's perfectly constructed and just a bit on the firm side. The pre-light smell is of cedar and tobacco. I licked the cap prior to the punch and WOW. It tasted like a piece of raw hide. I licked it again just to make sure and yep, just like leather. The punch did the job perfectly and did not crack the cap. The pre-light draw is good, but just a little on the tight side. This might be due to the small ring gauge and the length. The flavors in the pre-light draw are of leather and just a hint of earthiness.
1st third: After the lighting of this cigar, I took my first puff and nearly dropped to my knees. This cigar packs a punch. Very strong flavors of leather, pepper and earthiness, but not harsh at all. The flavors were very powerful. The initial aftertaste was an overpowering pepper flavor with hints of almost coffee. By the 4th puff it had settled down by at least 50%. I was still tasting leather, but it had opened up to a very nice combination of earthiness (more of an almost musty taste, but not in a bad way) and coffee and just a hint of pepper. The burn was almost perfect. What little bit of uneven burn was corrected by rotating the cigar while smoking.
2nd third: This cigar changed flavors several times, but the underlying leather flavors were there throughout. By about the 1/2 way point this cigar was a totally different cigar than the one I lit. It had a burly pleasantness about it. Not really as smooth as say an Ashton ESG or a Centurian XX, but a very pleasant cigar. That's not to say that there wasn't an almost rugged, take-no-prisoners attitude lurking just beneath the surface. It was almost like a Gurkha Ancient Warrior. I was on my guard for the next big flavor the whole time. During this portion of the cigar, the flavors were very complex. Still with the leather, but with just the slightest hint of floral, coffee and almost a whiff of coco (not quite, but somewhere in the furtherest reaches of my taste buds there was almost some coco).
Last third: This wonderful cigar was still burning very nicely. Only a couple of times have I had to give it a few extra puffs to get it going. Still no need to bring the torch out. The flavors changed again and again and again. The predominate flavor of leather still remains, but now there's a woody flavor creeping in. Not quite cedar and not quite hickory, but somewhere in between. The pepper is starting to creep back in just a little. The floral overtones have diminished to just a hint now. There's also an underlying hint of coffee that seems to pop up every now and then. With about an inch and a half to go, I had to relight. It was the only touch up I had to do the whole time.
I nubbed this one down. It was a really good cigar. Not what I'm used to, but overall pretty darn good. The ring gauge on this particular stick was a little smaller than I normally like. I'd have to say that it was a full flavored cigar with medium body. I'm thinking that this would be an excellent aging cigar.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 7 (it would be higher except for the ring size). I'm really looking forward to having the Illusione '2'. It's a 54 x 5 1/4 torpedo.
So, here's my first stab at a review-like thingie:
Cigar: Illusione f9
In humi since 1.28.08
Size: 44 x 6 1/4
Wrapper: Corojo
Cut: Punch
Light: Single Torch
This stick is beautiful. It's perfectly constructed and just a bit on the firm side. The pre-light smell is of cedar and tobacco. I licked the cap prior to the punch and WOW. It tasted like a piece of raw hide. I licked it again just to make sure and yep, just like leather. The punch did the job perfectly and did not crack the cap. The pre-light draw is good, but just a little on the tight side. This might be due to the small ring gauge and the length. The flavors in the pre-light draw are of leather and just a hint of earthiness.
1st third: After the lighting of this cigar, I took my first puff and nearly dropped to my knees. This cigar packs a punch. Very strong flavors of leather, pepper and earthiness, but not harsh at all. The flavors were very powerful. The initial aftertaste was an overpowering pepper flavor with hints of almost coffee. By the 4th puff it had settled down by at least 50%. I was still tasting leather, but it had opened up to a very nice combination of earthiness (more of an almost musty taste, but not in a bad way) and coffee and just a hint of pepper. The burn was almost perfect. What little bit of uneven burn was corrected by rotating the cigar while smoking.
2nd third: This cigar changed flavors several times, but the underlying leather flavors were there throughout. By about the 1/2 way point this cigar was a totally different cigar than the one I lit. It had a burly pleasantness about it. Not really as smooth as say an Ashton ESG or a Centurian XX, but a very pleasant cigar. That's not to say that there wasn't an almost rugged, take-no-prisoners attitude lurking just beneath the surface. It was almost like a Gurkha Ancient Warrior. I was on my guard for the next big flavor the whole time. During this portion of the cigar, the flavors were very complex. Still with the leather, but with just the slightest hint of floral, coffee and almost a whiff of coco (not quite, but somewhere in the furtherest reaches of my taste buds there was almost some coco).
Last third: This wonderful cigar was still burning very nicely. Only a couple of times have I had to give it a few extra puffs to get it going. Still no need to bring the torch out. The flavors changed again and again and again. The predominate flavor of leather still remains, but now there's a woody flavor creeping in. Not quite cedar and not quite hickory, but somewhere in between. The pepper is starting to creep back in just a little. The floral overtones have diminished to just a hint now. There's also an underlying hint of coffee that seems to pop up every now and then. With about an inch and a half to go, I had to relight. It was the only touch up I had to do the whole time.
I nubbed this one down. It was a really good cigar. Not what I'm used to, but overall pretty darn good. The ring gauge on this particular stick was a little smaller than I normally like. I'd have to say that it was a full flavored cigar with medium body. I'm thinking that this would be an excellent aging cigar.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 7 (it would be higher except for the ring size). I'm really looking forward to having the Illusione '2'. It's a 54 x 5 1/4 torpedo.
Joined Jul 2007
279 Posts | 1+
on the Internet
Thank you both so much for the kind words. This cigar will stay with you for a while... I still had a bit of a pleasant aftertaste 2+ hours/a cheeseburger/Dr. Pepper later.
I'll hit the ~2~ either tomorrow or Friday (depending on weather).
--Scott
I'll hit the ~2~ either tomorrow or Friday (depending on weather).
--Scott
I am smoking the mk ultra today, and it is a nice, complex blend with rich flavors of leather, cedar, and toasted nuts. It is definitely an enjoyable cigar in the $6 price range, so it is not too expensive. I would recommend picking up the vitola if you have the chance.