Illusione CG4 Review

[scrunchie]

After making the roux and adding the first set of vegetable ingredients for my seafood stew to finish much later, I realize the wind flow off the Atlantic is perfect for an indoor stogie. Having thoroughly enjoyed my midday Sancho Panza Double Maduro around the card table with my buddies planning the weekend car show at the BBQ joint up the street, my Friday afternoon, at-home smoke, needed to be something more gratifying and reward-like. A slow peruse of the front-room humidor yielded an Illusione CG4, one of my favorites. Having never done a review mainly because of never remembering in advance, I thought, this is a perfect opportunity. I cranked up Pandora radio with a quick mix of my stations, Drive-By Truckers , Diana Krall and Miles Davis with a little Stephen Marley mixed in. My beverage, an accident from the fridge, is a Miller Lite, not my normal beer of choice. I clip the CG4 expertly, although my redneck tendencies are evident immediately as I feel the need to chew the cut into more precise perfection. First draw is a sweet, pleasant, almost Earl Grey tasting intro. Now we're talking. Anticipation is killing me. I carefully toast the foot (head? didn't I clip the foot, I can't remember. Do cigarette smokers have terminology?) Anyway, first post-toast draw is heaven. Same pre-light flavor, only more intense with billowing smoke. Pandora is dishing up My Morning Jacket and Jose Gonzalez and the wife has called saying a couple of hours out. Dion's stick is easing into a smooth, woody, faintly-sweet smoke and even the Lite seems right. There is a suggestion of cinnamon or other unnamed exotic spices but I just can't place them, enjoyable nevertheless. I have to change beverages. OK, a splash of Pyrat XO Reserve over 3 cubes for scientific purposes only. One hour into the cigar and the rum kicks the whole experience up a notch, sweet overtones to every smoky puff. Inch and a half to go and we're nubbin this bad boy. Pandora has cycled through John Mayer, My Morning Jacket and the Killers and we're finishing on the Beatles "I'll Follow the Sun". Down to 1/2 inch and this cigar has delivered consistent taste, easy draw and an even if lop-sided burn down to finger-burning range. Redneck 10 point scale grade of 9.0. A change of taste would have pushed it higher. Illusione CG4 stays firmly in my top 3 cigars. Take -away; If you don't change up your beverage in your tastings, you may be missing out. Hour later update: Wife still not home, Padron #35 calling my name. Scrunchie out.


Sorry for no pictures. You know what burning cigars look like.

[vudu9]

Originally Posted by scrunchie

After making the roux and adding the first set of vegetable ingredients for my seafood stew to finish much later, I realize the wind flow off the Atlantic is perfect for an indoor stogie. Having thoroughly enjoyed my midday Sancho Panza Double Maduro around the card table with my buddies planning the weekend car show at the BBQ joint up the street, my Friday afternoon, at-home smoke, needed to be something more gratifying and reward-like. A slow peruse of the front-room humidor yielded an Illusione CG4, one of my favorites. Having never done a review mainly because of never remembering in advance, I thought, this is a perfect opportunity. I cranked up Pandora radio with a quick mix of my stations, Drive-By Truckers , Diana Krall and Miles Davis with a little Stephen Marley mixed in. My beverage, an accident from the fridge, is a Miller Lite, not my normal beer of choice. I clip the CG4 expertly, although my redneck tendencies are evident immediately as I feel the need to chew the cut into more precise perfection. First draw is a sweet, pleasant, almost Earl Grey tasting intro. Now we're talking. Anticipation is killing me. I carefully toast the foot (head? didn't I clip the foot, I can't remember. Do cigarette smokers have terminology?) Anyway, first post-toast draw is heaven. Same pre-light flavor, only more intense with billowing smoke. Pandora is dishing up My Morning Jacket and Jose Gonzalez and the wife has called saying a couple of hours out. Dion's stick is easing into a smooth, woody, faintly-sweet smoke and even the Lite seems right. There is a suggestion of cinnamon or other unnamed exotic spices but I just can't place them, enjoyable nevertheless. I have to change beverages. OK, a splash of Pyrat XO Reserve over 3 cubes for scientific purposes only. One hour into the cigar and the rum kicks the whole experience up a notch, sweet overtones to every smoky puff. Inch and a half to go and we're nubbin this bad boy. Pandora has cycled through John Mayer, My Morning Jacket and the Killers and we're finishing on the Beatles "I'll Follow the Sun". Down to 1/2 inch and this cigar has delivered consistent taste, easy draw and an even if lop-sided burn down to finger-burning range. Redneck 10 point scale grade of 9.0. A change of taste would have pushed it higher. Illusione CG4 stays firmly in my top 3 cigars. Take -away; If you don't change up your beverage in your tastings, you may be missing out. Hour later update: Wife still not home, Padron #35 calling my name. Scrunchie out.


Sorry for no pictures. You know what burning cigars look like.

NO PICS???

Dude, you totally loose cred-points. Not to mention letting that John Mayer song play thorugh! - Just kidding. Great review and, I'm glad you liked it!

Dion

[Cigar Man Andy]

Originally Posted by vudu9

NO PICS???

Dude, you totally loose cred-points. Not to mention letting that John Mayer song play thorugh! - Just kidding. Great review and, I'm glad you liked it!

Dion

Dion, What do you think about Illusione? LOL. Just about to smoke your Dark Prince bro. Looking forward to it...

scrunchie. Nice review. Keep it up.

[krevo81]

Great to see this review. The CG:4 and 888 have both been my recommendations to pretty much all my buddies on the golf course and neighborhood bbqs.

There are only a handful of nc's that I crave, and the Illusione brand is pretty much the only reason I hit the b&m's these days. Great review.