Here's a review I wrote at another board of a brand of some interest. I really enjoyed this cigar. I hope you'll enjoy reading...
llusione 2/3 Culebra, 6 ½ x 33
Basis: One, after not much rest!
I believe this is a Nicaraguan puro with a good amount of corojo leaf.
Appearance: golden Colorado color with darker brown streaks and splotches, minimal veins and a heavy coating of oil. The culebra presentation may seem gimmicky but at first smoke, this is seriously flavorful cigar.
Construction: I had hoped for even triple caps but on a cigar of this ring gauge, this might be too much to ask. The caps on a number of sticks look a bit sloppy. A minority of cigars have wrinkled and creased wrappers; considering the presentation however, this doesnt seem like a major problem. The ash can drop erratically (this seems like a common problem with tobacco from Tabacalera Tropical). The ash tends to be a bit loose and has that characteristically dark grey Cuban appearance. The burn was uneven at times but it remained easy to correct with a few minor touch ups. Keeping in mind my recent acquisition of this cigar, its wrapper type and the presentation, this didnt seem like a major concern. This first sample drew perfectly.
Taste and Aroma: The unlit aroma had a good bit of sweetness with a hint of cardamom. The first third has an easy creamy-spicy approach with citrus notes. Spice backs off in the second third; here the cigar displays ample, ripe earthy, nutty and leathery flavors while maintaining the chewy, creamy citrus-like flavors found in the first third. Spice (white pepper and cardamom), earth, leather and a bit of nuttiness increase in intensity in the final third.
This is an extremely flavorful cigar, an exemplar of the great breadth of flavor possible in small ring gauge cigars when carefully blended. Of the cigars Ive had this year, this ranks at about the top: it easily surpassed my expectations. Based on the performance of this cigar, I expect that these would age very well over a period of years, developing into a smoke of some elegance. The description at the Illusione website suggests that these are mild-medium bodied. I would class the culebras as medium-full with a matching strength. Fortunately, Ive got a number on hand to enjoy and mark their development over several years that is, if I dont smoke them all too quickly!
llusione 2/3 Culebra, 6 ½ x 33
Basis: One, after not much rest!
I believe this is a Nicaraguan puro with a good amount of corojo leaf.
Appearance: golden Colorado color with darker brown streaks and splotches, minimal veins and a heavy coating of oil. The culebra presentation may seem gimmicky but at first smoke, this is seriously flavorful cigar.
Construction: I had hoped for even triple caps but on a cigar of this ring gauge, this might be too much to ask. The caps on a number of sticks look a bit sloppy. A minority of cigars have wrinkled and creased wrappers; considering the presentation however, this doesnt seem like a major problem. The ash can drop erratically (this seems like a common problem with tobacco from Tabacalera Tropical). The ash tends to be a bit loose and has that characteristically dark grey Cuban appearance. The burn was uneven at times but it remained easy to correct with a few minor touch ups. Keeping in mind my recent acquisition of this cigar, its wrapper type and the presentation, this didnt seem like a major concern. This first sample drew perfectly.
Taste and Aroma: The unlit aroma had a good bit of sweetness with a hint of cardamom. The first third has an easy creamy-spicy approach with citrus notes. Spice backs off in the second third; here the cigar displays ample, ripe earthy, nutty and leathery flavors while maintaining the chewy, creamy citrus-like flavors found in the first third. Spice (white pepper and cardamom), earth, leather and a bit of nuttiness increase in intensity in the final third.
This is an extremely flavorful cigar, an exemplar of the great breadth of flavor possible in small ring gauge cigars when carefully blended. Of the cigars Ive had this year, this ranks at about the top: it easily surpassed my expectations. Based on the performance of this cigar, I expect that these would age very well over a period of years, developing into a smoke of some elegance. The description at the Illusione website suggests that these are mild-medium bodied. I would class the culebras as medium-full with a matching strength. Fortunately, Ive got a number on hand to enjoy and mark their development over several years that is, if I dont smoke them all too quickly!
