Illusione Gigantes has a lot of flavors packed into a lot of cigars. At 6.5 x 56, it's bigger than its Illusione siblings, such as the Illusione Rothchilde and Illusione ECCJ 20th. That means there's even more room for a complex flavor profile combining vanilla, leather, nuts, and pepper, all of which dance back and forth throughout the 95-minute smoke time.
The line is named after its studio, Illusione Cigars, which has quickly made a name for itself since launching in 2006. The Illusione label is associated with premium handmade cigars that contain a blend of vintage Nicaraguan Criollo '98 and Corojo '99 long-filler tobaccos.
These are expertly aged and artisanally rolled in top-shelf wrappers such as Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade or, on the Illusione Gigantes, a dark and oily San Andres Mexican Maduro tobacco.
Available in boxes of 50, you get great value when you buy Illusione Gigantes, along with enough sticks to last you for a good long time to come. Fill your humidor today when you order Illusione Gigantes from Cigars.com.
Brand overview
Illusione Cigars was founded in 2006 by Dion Giolito, a former cigar shop owner who wanted to recapture the glory days of Nicaraguan cigars from the years before the Sandinista administration. Giolito was determined to bring back those 1970s blends and teamed up with the Casa Fernandez Company to bring his dreams into the real world.
The result is a line of much-loved cigars including Illusione Cruzado, Illusione Garagiste, and Illusione Original Documents, to name just a few. There's also a Connecticut Shade sibling to the Gigantes, simply named Illusione Gigantes Connecticut.
Whether modern-day Illusione Cigars fully capture the essence of those pre-Sandinista Nicaraguan smokes is up for debate. In the end, the important thing is that each unique blend holds its own in the present-day market, which is more than apparent from Illusione's popularity and reliably high ratings.
Cigar specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium
- Wrapper: Mexico Maduro
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Smoke Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Sizes Available:
- Illusione Gigantes (6.5 x 56)
Cold Draw
Some cigars look good, and some cigars smoke good, and Illusione Gigantes is in the second category. A simple band design and understated construction are the real illusion here, as inside that Maduro wrapper is an expertly hand-rolled blend just waiting to transport you to new heights.
On the cold draw, there are sweet cocoa, cashew, and woody notes including cedar and oak. A peppery finish leaves the palate invigorated and ready for the light.
Flavor profile: first third
The flavor profile starts out as a continuation of the cold draw, with cocoa and cedar, along with nutty flavors like cashew and macadamia. All of this is layered over a leathery base, which holds things together well to prevent the complexity from becoming confusing.
Plenty of billowing smoke adds to the experience even further, the nuts fade into the background and the leather comes to the fore, sparkling with a sprinkle of black and white pepper.
Flavor profile: second third
Elegant transitions continue into the middle third, as the strength climbs toward the medium. All of the flavors are apparent, from the leather to the woods, to the nuts, still with those peppery explosions in the aftertaste. No one element is overwhelming, or even out of balance.
Just a full-bodied smoking experience with a straight and steady burn and clouds of velvet smoke. It's clear to see why Illusione Cigars have been so popular despite being a relatively young studio.
Flavor profile: final third
Just a couple of inches left now and the flavors are finishing strong, with the nuts climbing to the forefront along with the leather. Body and strength are consistent right down to the nub, so there are no late surprises to contend with. That understated construction holds together well, allowing the cigar to burn with little to no touchups required, and finishing like a firework display with a crackle of pepper.
Conclusion
If you're keen to try something new that upholds the old traditions, Illusione Cigars is the perfect boutique cigar studio to sample from. Giolito's commitment to evoking the pre-Sandinista golden age of Nicaraguan cigars will have you nostalgic for the 1970s, even if you weren't around yet back then.
A box of 50 cigars is an excellent investment, stocking your humidor to the lid (or why not buy a new 50-count humidor to devote to your Illusione collection?).
Of course, buying in bulk also means you can get a great value on your order, so it's no surprise that Illusione Gigantes is in high demand. Check our stock levels today and don't delay before placing your next order at Cigars.com!