Agile Cigar Reviews replace what we termed “Assessment Updates”. The concept is the same, but the name is different. Agile Cigar Reviews use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or providing a score for a first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Illusione ~68~ Maduro. This is a cigar where we assessed the several other sizes in this line before, most recently the Illusione ~mj12~ Maduro.

Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (TABSA)
~68~: 4 x 44

The Illusione Maduro line made its debut at the 2011 IPCPR Trade Show. This line added a maduro counterpart along side the Illusione Original Documents line. It wouldn’t be until May 2014 when the Illusione Maduro line would receive its first line extension with the addition of the Illusione ~68~ Maduro. The ~68~ is a 4 x 44 petite corona that has been a staple size in the Original Documents line. The addition this vitola brought the total number of sizes in the Illusione Maduro line to six.

For the Illusione Maduro line, owner Dion Giolito uses a San Andres Maduro wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigar is produced at the TABSA factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. TABSA is best known as one of Casa Fernandez’s factories with whom Giolito has a long standing relationship with.

When it made its debut back in 2011, the Illusione Maduro line finished as our Cigar Coop #14 Cigar for 2014.  The Illusone ~68~ Maduro continues the excellence this line has established.  The ~68~ delivers notes of cocoa, earth, white pepper, and a slight cherry syrup component.  There will be a little more in the way of cocoa early on and more of an earthy profile later on.  The cigar delivered medium to full-bodied notes countered by medium strength.

I’ve always liked how Giolito has leveraged the San Andres Maduro wrapper with his blends as the wrapper does not overwhelm the rest of the blend. This will deliver a nice short and flavorful smoke. This is a cigar I’d probably steer to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast, but I would not discourage a novice from trying this. It’s a cigar I’d smoke again and it’s easily worthy of a box split.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium to Full
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: 3.5 – Box Split
Score: 91

References

News: Illusione mj12 Maduro, Illusione cg4 Maduro
Price: $6.20
Source: Cigars Provided by Manufacturer
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