Review: Illusione 88

[tx_tuff]

Cigar: Illusione 88
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 52
Cost: $7.25

Smoked outside, it got up to 99 here today, was about 96 when I smoked this cigar. But I have plenty of shade in my back yard and had a fan on.

Prelight:
Well constructed cigar with a dark chocolate wrapper, nice triple cap and a simple band. Wrapper had a slight barnyard and cocoa smell while the foot had a rich tobacco smell with a hint of cocoa. Used my V-Cutter to take a wedge out of the cap and it gave me a draw that was a tad on the firm side, the prelight draw had hints of cocoa.




First 3rd:
Upon light the cigar produced a lot of smoke, not really any spice it had a kind of dry earthy flavor with a sweet undertone. After a few puffs getting the same earthyness with a little cocoa and some spice on the finish. The burn is off a little but not bothering me. The end of this third the flavor profile has picked up becoming more compex with some spice, ash is still holding but looks like it could fall at any puff now.




Second 3rd:
Flavor still picking up and getting more of the rich Nicaraguan tobacco with a little spice and a undertone of cocoa, its great! Ash still holding but it looks bad LOL. Haha fell off on the very next puff! Getting a woody spicey finish. Flavor changing to a earthy-leather profile now with a sweey undertone again. Still letting out lots and lots of smoke! Its now going back and forth between rich tobacco flavor to earthy-leather and back. Wow just got a strong peanut flavor off one puff.





Last 3rd:
Ash still holding since the first time it fell off, the burn keeps trying to run on one side, just adding a little wetness from time to time. The profile has been complex thur out the smoke and getting a liitle more spice as it goes. Now getting more of a nutty flavor. Knocked off the ash so I wouldn't have to worry about it. More of a sweet undertone coming back with a nice tobacco finish. Now back to more rich tobacco flavor with a earthy finish. Great complexity to this cigar, seems like every puff has a changing or different flavor.





Final thoughts:
Smoked lasted me 58 minutes and I smoke pretty fast. While I had high hopes for more cocoa flavor thru out this cigar (I will leave that up to Pepin and Padilla) I can not complain at all about this smoke. It was awesome! Complex with a lot of flavor change and spice without to much of it. This was one of my top cigars already, the review just proved why!

[ghost]

TEASE!!!

[SMOKE20]

Very cool review. I loved every second of my CG:4 last weekend

[ghost]

Very nice review. Thanks for it.

Did these have any age on them?

I have a sampler that I got a few weeks back and I am itching to try one.

[tx_tuff]

No real age, maybe a month or 2 at best.

[Cigary]

How would you compare it to the Cg4,,if you have had one? The Cg4 I had a couple weeks ago was very good and want to know if you think they are comparable to each other before i go out and try one.

[tx_tuff]

Hey Gary the 88 is my favorite of all of them. But I really do love the whole line.

[Cigary]

Originally Posted by tx_tuff

Hey Gary the 88 is my favorite of all of them. But I really do love the whole line.

Good to know Frank,,,,I just started with the Cg4 and that was a good cigar and if the 88 is just as good or better I know I will be ordering up soon.

[jedipastor]

Originally Posted by Cigary

Good to know Frank,,,,I just started with the Cg4 and that was a good cigar and if the 88 is just as good or better I know I will be ordering up soon.

I've only had one of each, but I preferred the 88 to the cg4. I thought it was richer in flavor. The cg4 was a wonderful cigar but the 88 absolutely blew me away. But 1 of each is a pretty lousy point of comparison, I realize, so I hope to smoke a bunch more of each and see

[Cypress]

Thanks for the great review...Since you have all this time on your hands at home!!! HAHAHAHA

[darkninja67]

Excellent review.
My first Illusione was the 88 and I was very impressed with this cigar. I really need to get a box of these for cheap.

[jedipastor]

Originally Posted by darkninja67

Excellent review.
My first Illusione was the 88 and I was very impressed with this cigar. I really need to get a box of these for cheap.

If you find a place to get a box for cheap, let me know!!

[darkninja67]

Originally Posted by jedipastor

If you find a place to get a box for cheap, let me know!!

I know The Party Source had them really cheap a week or so ago, then the price went back up.

PM sent

[azpostal]

Thanks for the great review and pics.

[asmartbull]

Originally Posted by jedipastor

If you find a place to get a box for cheap, let me know!!

The last box I purchased was from Famous Cigars,,,,they were the cheapest,,,come to think of it, I need to buy another box