Illusione Epernay

The Illusione Epernay is a cigar that needs little introduction, being one of the most legendary blends of the modern era. The cigar taps into Illusione Cigars owner, Dion Giolito's, heritage, named for the Épernay region of France, close to where Giolito's family is based. With the region being well known for its effervescent Champagne, Dion made good use of his pitch-perfect palate in order to craft a smoking experience to pair with the famed Champagnes of Epernay.

The cigar is actually a spinoff of the once-limited Illusione ~eccj~ cigar of 2008, being popular enough to warrant a more readily available version, with the Epernay arriving a year later in 2009. This exquisite blend begins with special AAA-Grade Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 Cafe Rosado wrapper, boasting a much lighter shade than expected from the varietal. This leaf surrounds Criollo '98 and Corojo '99 tobaccos from the famed AGANORSA fields of Nicaragua. Additionally, the recipe is sans ligero-priming tobacco, a strong leaf that is commonly found at the core of any given cigar, providing strength and rich flavor. Instead, Dion showcased his blending expertise, bringing flavor and complexity through the more aromatic qualities of lower-priming leaves.

The end result is Illusione's most awarded cigar to date, ranking amongst Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of the Year on multiple occasions (including a No. 3 spot in 2011). The cigar is mild-medium bodied, placing emphasis on nuance and finesse over strength. This includes layered complexities of buttered toast, citrus zest, Nilla Wafers, raw honey, and creamy almond butter.