DESCRIPTION: Illusione cigars are Honduran-made Nicaraguan puros, with a reputation for being powerful, flavorful and balanced… and they have recently garnered some impressive accolades.
The cigar blend uses the hybrids Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 with a good amount of the blend consisting of Viso and a half leaf of Ligero. The cigars sport a double-binder and are finished with a Rosado oscuro Corojo wrapper.
When asked about his cigars, Giolito is enthusiastic: “My cigars are the kind of cigars I like to smoke - clean, bold, strong and aromatic - the way that Pre-Sandinista (1979) Nicaraguan cigars used to be. They're ‘component driven’” says Giolito, “meaning they have layered and structured flavors.”
AND, they’ve been built to age: All of the tobaccos used in Illusione cigars are aged for about 3 years before they're rolled into cigars. Then, they spend 35-90 days in a cedar aging room and finally they are boxed. Interestingly, after seeing how several months of box aging could contribute to his cigars, Giolito began the practice of date coding all his boxes of cigars. He says that Illusione cigars are built to live a minimum of 10 years.
LIBATION OF THE DAY:
Fat Tire Ale by New Belgium Brewing Company. Fat Tire’s flavor is achieved with neither a disproportionate sway toward hops or malts, and because of that, it purportedly tandems well with a full spectrum of today’s cuisines. When I read that, I thought it might also be a great match with a broad spectrum of cigars.
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