Based in Reno, Nevada, Illusione Cigars is something of a host manufacturer whenever the PCA Show comes to Las Vegas and this year was no different. Founded by Dion Giolito, the company sponsored the PCA cocktail party on the evening of the show’s first day and used the occasion to introduce two new cigars and new packaging for its Epernay brand.
Dubbed as the first of Illusione’s Limited Release Series, the One Off black Robusto (5 x 52) is made using a new varietal seed that Giolito specifically set aside for this project. The tobaccos have been aged for three years to produce a mild- to medium-bodied smoke with complex flavors. Only 1,000 10-count boxes are available in what will prove to be a very popular smoke for those lucky enough to enjoy one.
Illusione’s The Group of Five RB is the initial release in a new cigar line that will eventually grow to five vitolas. The RB (5 x 52), is made with a blend of high primings of Criollo ’98 and Corojo ’99 tobaccos and a new varietal seed that had never been grown in Nicaragua before. The cigars are made by Aganorsa Leaf in Nicaragua and are packaged in 15-count boxes and that’s all the news that Illusione is willing to share at this time. Indeed, the band hints at the mystery behind the cigar with the phrase “Whispering Tongues are Treachery” emblazoned in English and Latin. More will certainly be reveals as other vitolas get released over time.
Finally, the company’s iconic Epernay line is getting an update to bring it closer in line with its “Marquis Deluxe” standing in the premium cigar industry according to a press release announcing the change. Illusione introduced Epernay to pay tribute to the French town where many of the world’s most famous champagne producers are based.
