Cigar Info
Illusone Cigars is releasing its first Connecticut Shade Cigars. At this year’s 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, the company announced it was unveiling versions of its popular Illusione Rothchildes and Illusione Gigantes brands featuring an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
Both Illusione Rothchildes CT and Illusione Gigantes CT are the same size as its Nicaraguan puro counterparts. The Rothchildes CT measures 4/1 2 x 50 while the Gigantes CT measures 6 1/2 x 56. Both cigars are packaged in 50 count boxes. The two new offerings are being produced at Casa Fernandez’s Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA). They are a part of a series of Connecticut Shade products produced at TABSA this year.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 4.5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: TABSA
Blender: Dion Giolito
Number of reviewers: 4 – Mickey T. (irratebass) Isaac M. (The Nothing) Zane G. (Zane) Gregg (McGreggor57)
Price: $5.50
Age: 1 Month
Release Date: November 2016
Contributed by: Blind Man’s Puff
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 88
“Robusto size with a light brown shade like a fall leaf on the ground in the woods. Firmly packed, but not overstuffed.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Aroma: 88
“Leather and cedar with some raisin on the cold draw.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
First Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“There was a bombardment of many flavors when initially lighting up this cigar, making it quite hard to pick out what was going to happen as the cigar continued. It was creamy at the start with flavors graham cracker, oak, white pepper and straw. The first-light flavor burst quickly dimmed and vegetal flavors remained; straw and dry leaves. Kitchen spices danced in intermittently, especially cardamom. The cigar had a fairly thick texture without a lot of smoke. Draw is slightly firm, right about where I like it. Ending the first third, flavors are still similar; Kitchen spice, vegetal. Oak and white pepper were prominent on the retrohale.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“Starts out with tons of flavor. Sweet cream with some light citrus note on the retro.” –Zane G. (Zane)
Second Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“In the final bit I’m getting some heavy salted peanut flavors, but nothing else other than the cream.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
“Same sweetness on the front with some leather making an appearance. Citrus note on the retro has died down and a small bit of pepper has picked up.” –Zane G. (Zane)
Final Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“Final third presents some nuttiness along with the leather in the forefront. The retro has a little cedar with pepper.” –Zane G. (Zane)
“Primarily leather with a welcome return of pepper on the retrohale. The subtle sweetness of raisin remains consistent throughout this cigar. It was just enough to provide some contrast to the spice.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 93
“With a V-cut, this cigar had a just-left-of-firm draw. I felt it was satisfying.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Burn: 88
“The burn-line self corrected around a construction issue and saved this cigar.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Construction: 91
“Wrapper cracked during smoking but that is most likely a result of humidity change.” –Zane G. (Zane)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 89
“This was a good cigar, with lots of heavy cream notes, but there weren’t any other flavors to keep my attention, It burned, and smoked great. Might be a good cigar in the morning with a cup of java.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
“Ultimately, this cigar never hit the target for me. While it looked good, and performed well, it never really clicked. The flavors never got exciting and were fairly monotonous.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“The cigar had some very distinct transitions between the sweet creamy first third to the leather dominant final third.” –Zane G. (Zane)
“Despite some construction issues this cigar ultimately performed well. The char of the first third transitioned nicely into toast and coffee. The consistent raisin in the background offered a subtle sweetness and contrast to the oak and pepper.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 90
|
Reviewer
|
Appearance
|
Aroma
|
1/3
|
2/3
|
3/3
|
Draw
|
Burn
|
Constr.
|
Overall
Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey T. | 90 | 85 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 95 | 97 | 95 | 88 |
| Isaac M. | 88 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 93 | 85 | 88 | 85 |
| Zane G. | 95 | 95 | 95 | 92 | 87 | 97 | 87 | 95 | 90 |
| Gregg | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 93 | 90 | 85 | 90 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.