3/5King
Shwing!
1:15am September 28, 2014
Illusione "MCSLAM"
Cigars Prive (New Banding)
$8.50 Exclusively from R. Field Wine and Co. Store release: Hawaii
6x54 Bench pressed toro
Nicaraguan filler and binder from Esteli and Jalapa, rolled inside a Mexican San Andres "Capa Fina" Maduro wrapper
Appearance and Construction: I enjoy the new banding currently used by Illusione. The deep royal blue on white makes for a wonderful contrast against the dark, thick San Andres leaf. The bench press is nice and even with soft rolling edges and they finish off the construction with a well applied triple cap. Take a closer look and you will find the chill of goose bumps along the body of this cigar. "Tooth" always gets my attention. The MCSLAM has a nice weight to it and feels velvety and course all at the same time.
Pre-lit Aroma: Nothing but a soft presence of clean tobacco.
Cut: Single V (wrapper did not crack but the caps came off)
Cold Draw: I'd say the perfect resistance and imagine the smoke from this stick will be easy to get at. I'm getting the taste of creamy oats on the draw; this cigar just might turn into a delicious meal.
The cigar lights perfectly and the aroma off the foot is very attractive to the senses. The initial few draws are always interesting because I don't believe they give an instant idea of what you are about to experience but instead, what the tobacco is capable of. The creamy oats follow through the lighting of the foot and is joined by black tea and lemon grass. The retro is smooth with just a touch of pepper, but it lingers on the senses. The body is medium and the strength hasn't shown any teeth so far. I can't wait to get all tangled up in this smoke, I believe it has a lot in store for me later on down the road.
An appetizer's amount of Carmel laced smoke trails from the foot. Through the first inch and the body is spreading it's wings, while the strength seems to have been left behind. The burn is nothing but razors and the ash, a bunch of neatly stacked, bench pressed dimes. When I pressurize my sinus' and let the smoke find it's way out, like the venting of a chimney, the peppery retro is pronounced but it comes and goes at the same time. The creamy oats at the beginning could now be described as nutty. As soon as I can type, the nuttiness is blanketed by black tea; Earl Gray is having fun with my taste buds. It's like a waltz where both partners want to control the lead. Then the pepper steps in like a drunken friend at the wedding, stealing away the bride, only to get distracted and brings her right back to the groom, disappearing off into the crowd again. I'm getting down to the end of the first third and some citrus popped on the backside of the tea making for a wonderful finish to the retro-hale. When the nutty oats appear, the citrus turns into a slight sweetness on the finish.
The flavors are going together extremely well and are good and balanced between one another. I love the dance of a well blended cigar, which this most definitely is; it's intelligent and seems to be crafted by a composers palette. I'm greeted by sarsaparilla as I begin to wonder through the leaves of the second third. (If you ever brewed homemade rootbeer, this flavor will become unmistakable to your senses.) as soon as I was going to photograph the beautiful, towering ash I had amassed..was as soon as it fell away to it's demise. I'd call an entire third a healthy ash. The smoke off the foot just put it's hand on my chin and pulled my attention in it's direction, leaving a relaxed smile on my face. Playing with the smoke on my tongue, you can add raw oak to the profile.
As you can see, when writing these reviews, I like to ham it up. It might seem like over description or grasping at branches to make for a "professional" review or even to describe it another way, to "glitz up" the review as if I were trying to over do what I'm experiencing. I'd like to say that, writing a review while experiencing what a cigar has to offer; going along for the ride so to speak and taking it all in, is like writing a poem while looking out the window of the car or composing a song while listening to the beat of the drum and the strumming of the guitar. For me it's taking a work of art and adding my own light, illuminating it's brilliance and exposing it's imperfections. Although I can say that I am some what of a romantic than a cynic and like to accentuate the beauty and sometimes that lead to a blindness when it comes to noticing (or mentioning) the flaws as my mind wanders along the lines of my review. It's all for you guys in the end though and to enhance the experience and enjoyment that comes in the moment of sitting down with a cigar. I just listen and let it tell me a story.
Back to the MCSLAM. This is an excellent smoke. The second third has brought with it, full body and a little bit of strength is tapping on the glass window. Just a wave though, it has not asked to come in and kick my ass yet and I don't think it will. It's a gentlemen and doubt it's looking to cause any trouble (but I like trouble). All the previous flavors are in play and swimming around my mouth, exiting my senses with a playful splash of pepper. At times it stings like an accidental splash in the eye but I'm some what masochistic and like it. The flavors are gaining a richness, which I find happens with most every cigar as you burn through the middle and start your way towards the story end. There has only been a few waivers in the line but it snaps back true with no worry of correction needed. The draw is perfect and smoke production, moderate. There's a root like earthiness to this cigar that I never mentioned. I think when I taste sarsaparilla, it goes hand in hand as sarsaparilla is tropical vine in which the root is used in different culinary and medicinal applications.
The burn line is starting to wander like a dog off his leash but I think it will be a good pup and stay close. I love a cigar that rolls along smoothly, just long enough to catch you off guard with a slap in the face as you retro-hale a burst of pepper...hello! I'm enjoying some instrumental electronica with classical roots which goes very well with this cigar, one composition melding with another, pulling on all the right strings of my senses. As soon as the burn straightened, the ash fell and I've by no coincidence turned onto the last road leading to the end of this cigar. I'm expecting the ride to end along the edge of a beautiful horizon at sunset. The flavors are deep and complex lingering on the tongue for a good while. I think that different people will pull out many different flavors while profiling this cigar. While not engulfed in a pepper bomb retro-hale, I'm enjoying tastes of cream, spice, sarsaparilla root, earth, sweetness, citrus hard candy and oak. The strength has rushed to the front of the line like a kid at the candy store and this kid is getting a treat. It's not quite full but is most noticeable due to the mild nature this cigar has possessed through out the first 80% of the trip. The band is coming off. "Nothing for you to hide now Cigars Prive." The strength at the end pronounces the spicy mouthfeel and peppered finish. The smoke is still as cool as a springtime breeze. A perfect finish to an instant classic in my shelf of books. The kind of book you want to turn back to the beginning and fall in love with the pages all over again.
Burn Time: 2hrs 15mins
Final Thoughts: The Illusione MCSLAM satisfied. The range of flavors mixed in harmony and progressed like a song, through to the end. The only wish that I have would be some strength to go along with the beautiful music, although the finish saw a good increase and ended loud and peppery, which was much to my enjoyment. The construction was excellent, burning low and slow like a perfectly smoked brisket. Nothing but quality and at $8.50 a smoke, I'd buy a box of them and keep them as my little secret.
Score:
Overall Appearance and Presentation: 19/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 14/15
Construction Properties 30/30
Taste Properties: 30/35
Total: 93/100
Illusione "MCSLAM"
Cigars Prive (New Banding)
$8.50 Exclusively from R. Field Wine and Co. Store release: Hawaii
6x54 Bench pressed toro
Nicaraguan filler and binder from Esteli and Jalapa, rolled inside a Mexican San Andres "Capa Fina" Maduro wrapper
Appearance and Construction: I enjoy the new banding currently used by Illusione. The deep royal blue on white makes for a wonderful contrast against the dark, thick San Andres leaf. The bench press is nice and even with soft rolling edges and they finish off the construction with a well applied triple cap. Take a closer look and you will find the chill of goose bumps along the body of this cigar. "Tooth" always gets my attention. The MCSLAM has a nice weight to it and feels velvety and course all at the same time.
Pre-lit Aroma: Nothing but a soft presence of clean tobacco.
Cut: Single V (wrapper did not crack but the caps came off)
Cold Draw: I'd say the perfect resistance and imagine the smoke from this stick will be easy to get at. I'm getting the taste of creamy oats on the draw; this cigar just might turn into a delicious meal.

The cigar lights perfectly and the aroma off the foot is very attractive to the senses. The initial few draws are always interesting because I don't believe they give an instant idea of what you are about to experience but instead, what the tobacco is capable of. The creamy oats follow through the lighting of the foot and is joined by black tea and lemon grass. The retro is smooth with just a touch of pepper, but it lingers on the senses. The body is medium and the strength hasn't shown any teeth so far. I can't wait to get all tangled up in this smoke, I believe it has a lot in store for me later on down the road.
An appetizer's amount of Carmel laced smoke trails from the foot. Through the first inch and the body is spreading it's wings, while the strength seems to have been left behind. The burn is nothing but razors and the ash, a bunch of neatly stacked, bench pressed dimes. When I pressurize my sinus' and let the smoke find it's way out, like the venting of a chimney, the peppery retro is pronounced but it comes and goes at the same time. The creamy oats at the beginning could now be described as nutty. As soon as I can type, the nuttiness is blanketed by black tea; Earl Gray is having fun with my taste buds. It's like a waltz where both partners want to control the lead. Then the pepper steps in like a drunken friend at the wedding, stealing away the bride, only to get distracted and brings her right back to the groom, disappearing off into the crowd again. I'm getting down to the end of the first third and some citrus popped on the backside of the tea making for a wonderful finish to the retro-hale. When the nutty oats appear, the citrus turns into a slight sweetness on the finish.
The flavors are going together extremely well and are good and balanced between one another. I love the dance of a well blended cigar, which this most definitely is; it's intelligent and seems to be crafted by a composers palette. I'm greeted by sarsaparilla as I begin to wonder through the leaves of the second third. (If you ever brewed homemade rootbeer, this flavor will become unmistakable to your senses.) as soon as I was going to photograph the beautiful, towering ash I had amassed..was as soon as it fell away to it's demise. I'd call an entire third a healthy ash. The smoke off the foot just put it's hand on my chin and pulled my attention in it's direction, leaving a relaxed smile on my face. Playing with the smoke on my tongue, you can add raw oak to the profile.

As you can see, when writing these reviews, I like to ham it up. It might seem like over description or grasping at branches to make for a "professional" review or even to describe it another way, to "glitz up" the review as if I were trying to over do what I'm experiencing. I'd like to say that, writing a review while experiencing what a cigar has to offer; going along for the ride so to speak and taking it all in, is like writing a poem while looking out the window of the car or composing a song while listening to the beat of the drum and the strumming of the guitar. For me it's taking a work of art and adding my own light, illuminating it's brilliance and exposing it's imperfections. Although I can say that I am some what of a romantic than a cynic and like to accentuate the beauty and sometimes that lead to a blindness when it comes to noticing (or mentioning) the flaws as my mind wanders along the lines of my review. It's all for you guys in the end though and to enhance the experience and enjoyment that comes in the moment of sitting down with a cigar. I just listen and let it tell me a story.
Back to the MCSLAM. This is an excellent smoke. The second third has brought with it, full body and a little bit of strength is tapping on the glass window. Just a wave though, it has not asked to come in and kick my ass yet and I don't think it will. It's a gentlemen and doubt it's looking to cause any trouble (but I like trouble). All the previous flavors are in play and swimming around my mouth, exiting my senses with a playful splash of pepper. At times it stings like an accidental splash in the eye but I'm some what masochistic and like it. The flavors are gaining a richness, which I find happens with most every cigar as you burn through the middle and start your way towards the story end. There has only been a few waivers in the line but it snaps back true with no worry of correction needed. The draw is perfect and smoke production, moderate. There's a root like earthiness to this cigar that I never mentioned. I think when I taste sarsaparilla, it goes hand in hand as sarsaparilla is tropical vine in which the root is used in different culinary and medicinal applications.

The burn line is starting to wander like a dog off his leash but I think it will be a good pup and stay close. I love a cigar that rolls along smoothly, just long enough to catch you off guard with a slap in the face as you retro-hale a burst of pepper...hello! I'm enjoying some instrumental electronica with classical roots which goes very well with this cigar, one composition melding with another, pulling on all the right strings of my senses. As soon as the burn straightened, the ash fell and I've by no coincidence turned onto the last road leading to the end of this cigar. I'm expecting the ride to end along the edge of a beautiful horizon at sunset. The flavors are deep and complex lingering on the tongue for a good while. I think that different people will pull out many different flavors while profiling this cigar. While not engulfed in a pepper bomb retro-hale, I'm enjoying tastes of cream, spice, sarsaparilla root, earth, sweetness, citrus hard candy and oak. The strength has rushed to the front of the line like a kid at the candy store and this kid is getting a treat. It's not quite full but is most noticeable due to the mild nature this cigar has possessed through out the first 80% of the trip. The band is coming off. "Nothing for you to hide now Cigars Prive." The strength at the end pronounces the spicy mouthfeel and peppered finish. The smoke is still as cool as a springtime breeze. A perfect finish to an instant classic in my shelf of books. The kind of book you want to turn back to the beginning and fall in love with the pages all over again.
Burn Time: 2hrs 15mins

Final Thoughts: The Illusione MCSLAM satisfied. The range of flavors mixed in harmony and progressed like a song, through to the end. The only wish that I have would be some strength to go along with the beautiful music, although the finish saw a good increase and ended loud and peppery, which was much to my enjoyment. The construction was excellent, burning low and slow like a perfectly smoked brisket. Nothing but quality and at $8.50 a smoke, I'd buy a box of them and keep them as my little secret.
Score:
Overall Appearance and Presentation: 19/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 14/15
Construction Properties 30/30
Taste Properties: 30/35
Total: 93/100