Illusione’s Cigares Privé line was a series of single-store releases that were limited in quantity. That was until 2016. During that year, the line became a regular production in two wrapper variations: Corojo and Maduro.
The line is made up of three sizes and, like almost every cigar from Illusione, is made at the Aganorsa factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. All sizes are sold in 25-count boxes.
The slightly box-pressed cigar is dressed in an oily Colorado-colored wrapper that is silky smooth to the touch. There are only a few small veins present, and the construction is excellent.
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Size: 56 x 140 mm (5 1/2″)
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Price: $9.25 | € –
Illusione Cigares Privé Boxed Pressed Toro Corojo: the cold draw reveals vegetal and spicy aromas. Once lit, the cigar opens with leather, herbs, and cappuccino notes.
An evident sweetness comes through in the first third, behind the cappuccino, leather, and herbs, with hazelnut in the background. There is a light white pepper nuance revealed through the retro-hale. Strength is close to medium-bodied (2,5/5).
While the leather, herbs, and hazelnut flavors are still well present, the cappuccino note has disappeared. The sweetness is still perceptible but not as pronounced as before, while the white pepper is still only present in the retro-hale. Strength is unchanged.
The flavor profile is still complex in the last third, with the mix of leather, herbs, and nuts still being the core flavors, followed by the white pepper, which has moved to the foreground. The sweetness comes through only occasionally, and the herbs become balsamic towards the end.
Overall, the Illusione Cigares Privé Box Pressed Toro Corojo is a complex and flavorful smoke, with an interesting flavor profile, especially in the first two-thirds. The only thing that takes away from a great smoking experience is the burn, which is quite wonky and uneven for most of the cigar and thus needed to be corrected more than a couple of times.