Got this little beauty back in March in a wonderfully generous gift from FireDoc83 (aka Matthew). I had never even heard of the brand at the time, and after staying away for 5 months I caved and gave it a try.
The Illusione ~88~ (Robusto: 5" x 52) is a good looking Nicaraguan puro, with a rich, satiny Colorado wrapper, a triple cap and a plain, almost generic looking black-on-white band. It's firmly packed with Corojo and Criollo long fillers and unlit it smells woodsy and sweet. It cut cleanly and the unlit draw is spicy and leaves a peppery tingle on the lips. The smoke that comes off the foot when it's toasted smells heavenly.
Once lit, there's a big burst of flavor almost immediately. Leather, coffee, peanuts and a complex mix of peppers. It's almost too much, but the flavors don't clash or get in each others' way. The very long finish is just a little bitter, and that's the only bad thing I have to say about it so far. It's quite smooth and creamy, medium-full bodied, and it gives off lots of thick, white smoke. The ash is pale and fairly firm, with just a little flaking.
After the first third, all the flavors are still there and still strong, but that bitterness has left the finish completely. It's pure smoking pleasure at this point. Every once in a while I get a hint of dark chocolate, too, playing nicely with the other flavors.
The Illusione burned coolly and evenly for a little better than an hour. Once the initial bitterness was gone, it stayed flavorful and smooth all the way down to the nub, which I enjoyed until it was short enough to singe my mustache. A delightful cigar!
Appearance and Construction: 14/15
Flavor: 23/25
Smoking Characteristics: 22/25
Overall Impression: 33/35
Total: 92/100
