Illusione Ultra = Ultra bad!

[ZachF88]

So, my brother gifted me an Illusione Ultra corona a few weeks back. I have never had an Illusione before, so I thought I would fire this sucker up. I cut it and then took a puff before I lit it and it was really tuff. So I go get a spearand try to poke it through to loosen up the knot in it. I had to put soo much force into getting the spear that it ended up bending and creating a hole in the wrapper. I figure, what the hell, I'll go ahead and try to light it. No luck! So I snip off the damaged wrapper part and try lighting it again. Still no dice! The draw was soo tight, I felt like I was puffing on a candle stick. Since it is unsmokable (and now that a $9 cigar is going straight to the trash), I take my exacto knife to it. Not only was the last third way to tightly rolled, but there were THREE loose twigs in there, each about 2-3 inches long and 2mm or so in diameter. Now I was really looking forward to smoking tonight, since I haven't had a cigar in 2.5 weeks. Thank you Illusione for ruining my night! I have four other Illusione cigars in my humidor that I'm thinking of using as compost!

/Rant!

So, what do you guys do in this situation? I can't take it back to the shop, since it's in another state and it was purchased like a month ago. I'm just really upset by this. I've smoked plugged cigars before, including a lot of plugged CC's, but this one was by far the worst! I took my torch lighter to it for about 3 minutes and couldn't even get the slightest amber on it. I'm really thinking of writing Illusione a letter..... but I doubt that will do anything!

[Ogre]

Sorry to hear this brother. I have smoked a couple of these with no issues. Maybe something to keep an eye out for.

[DaBear]

Typically I just calm myself down by grabbing another stick out the ol desktop.

Every cigar company is going to have a couple duds make their way into boxes, try to give them another chance down the road. I tend to never write a company off as producing bad smokes, but thats just me.

Just my .02

[DPD6030]

You could always contact Illusione and see if they will do anything. Worth a try

[Ogre]

Originally Posted by DPD6030

You could always contact Illusione and see if they will do anything. Worth a try

Thats what I would do.

[Bill86]

That'll happen. I've had plugged Illusiones, Partagas, Punch, Cohiba, Montecristo....You name it, they are hand made and so every now and then you'll catch a dud.

I wouldn't let one plugged cigar turn you off of any brand.

Originally Posted by Bill86

That'll happen. I've had plugged Illusiones, Partagas, Punch, Cohiba, Montecristo....You name it, they are hand made and so every now and then you'll catch a dud.

I wouldn't let one plugged cigar turn you off of any brand.

I'm close to finishing off a box of Illusione CG4s. Early on in the box I had a bad one that literally looked like a cigar load had gone off on the end of it. All the rest have been great. Illusione makes some great cigars (for my taste) so I wouldn't give up on them yet.

[kaisersozei]

Not sure what I would do, as I've smoked dozens & dozens of illusione's over the past few years and never had a problem. Sorry you had a bad experience.

[ZachF88]

well, I emailed Illusione and I already got a response from them. I am quite impressed that they responded so quickly, but very surprised by what they had to say:

"I'm sorry that my cigar ruined your night. Humans roll cigars and humans aren't
perfect. I hope I can live up to your rigorous standards in the future by making
every single cigar plug-free. Thank you for your comments. They will be passed
along to the factory." ~Dion Giolito

Now, I understand that not every cigar is perfect and there are a few duds in every batch, but this thing had three twigs and was overloaded with tobacco that was too tightly rolled. My letter to Illusione was long, but very nice. I just expressed my concerns, especially with this being such a new cigar and their first batch (don't they want customer feedback?). I have dealt with a few cigar manufacturers before (Padrons, etc) and have had great exeriences compared to this. I am just appalled by Illusione's response! It's people like this that really ruin the cigar experience. I will never buy Illusiones ever again! A simple reply along the lines of "Thank you for expressing your concerns; I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with Illusione; I can assure you that ony a very few of our cigars are duds; blah blah blah," and not what Mr. Giolito responded.

[gbum]

a picture will be great...

[Patrick B]

I'm surprised by both the cigar and the response. Years of top notch experience with Illusione here. Maybe you caught him in a bad mood. Not trying to make excuses but Dion had a great rep as far as I know. Please don't write them off, they make great stuff.

[ZachF88]

I'm really thinking about digging through the trash to collect all the pieces for this one! I really should have snapped a photo with my iPhone, but I was really distraught at the time. I'll see if I feel like digging through the trash tomorrow to snap a photo. A video would have been better to show how the exacto knife had trouble going through certain parts of the cigar (blade all the way in) and how quickly the wrapper burst in the last third (when exacto blade slid on top of the wrapper), since the filler was so tightly wrapped

But one thing I don't get - I've been in business for quite some time. While positive feedback is always great, it's the negative feedback that really matters, since you can get the customer's opinions and wants, and manipulate your product to suite them better. I'm not trying to get a free cigar here. I'm only expressing my concerns, since a $9 cigar is a splurge for some people and I don't want them to go through what I went through tonight.

[Skywalker]

I think the response was appropriate!

You got an apology! And were told that he would try harder in the future to communicate with the factory so that the quality will be better.

I personally, have not had a problem with Illusione cigars or their service!

I love their cigars and look forward to smoking an Ultra tomorrow!

If I have the same problem with the one I smoke, I'll report it on this thread!

[TBone]

I recently smoked an Epernay, CG4 and 888 and all of them were nothing but fantastic. I understand your upset because the response given wasn't the response expected but as others have said try other Illusione's and see how they are. It seems to me you just got the 1 in a million dud.

[Pat1075]

Like all cigar companies illusione is sure to make a few duds. I think it is unreasonable to expect otherwise. I have been on the receiving end of a plugged padron and a plugged behike 56, even the venerable sir winston can be plugged. The cost of these are far more than $9 and are from far more prestigious factories than tabacleria tropical.
As to Dion's reply, I can see where you thought it might be rude. But do understand that these are indeed products made of organic materials by the hands of humans. There is alot that can go wrong. For a cigar that smokes perfectly every time may I suggest Bances, an OK but inconsistent (flavor wise) machine made from Canada. The fact that he felt the need to say that the factories quality control standards were to be upped was able to be interpreted as snarky yes. However this was most likely true. I hope you have all had a wonderful day if you are just catching this, and if you see this in the morning well good morning to you all.
-Patrick

[alfredo_buscatti]

Two days ago I smoked 4 Oliva O's in a row that had such defects in the draw and the wrapper at the head that I rejected them, but by that time lighting four cigars in a row scorched my mouth.

I took it up with Cigar Place, where I'd purchased them, and by being cogent and insistent I netted a $18.40 refund. Over the past year I've bought ~50 boxes from them, and that's why customer service bent the rules to accommodate me.

Between the 10% sale, $1 shipping and the refund above, I reduced a box of the Ashton VSG churchills from $225.00 to $185.00, buying them in the same transaction.

Do I love this cigar! dark, rich, extra strong.

[tsolomon]

Not sure what would make you happy at this point, but I think Dion's reply was appropriate and correct. I really like the Illusione cigars and I have fiver of the mk ultras. Haven't smoked any yet, but it's on the menu for this weekend.

[ninjavanish]

Expecting perfection? Prepare for disappoinent.

Dion's response may have been a little tongue-in-cheek but understandably so.
I'm not saying you need to lower your expectations... But you might want to lower your expectations.

These are rolled up bunched of organic materials, selected and rolled by hand, that travel thousands of miles across land, sea and air, to reach your desktop Humidor, without you ever actually needing to set foot outside of your house if you so choose. Bear that in mind the next time you pull a cigar out to smoke it.

Something i started doing a while back really enhanced my experience while smoking cigars and helped me understand the reality of this luxury: Take a little extra time to try to imagine how many different sets of hands touched that product before your own. Try to imagine the face of the roller. Then of you still feel like you have been somehow slighted because your $9 illusione wasn't all you'd hoped for, consider that if you paid what you should for that cigar, or pretty much any other, most of us would not be able to afford to smoke anything at all.

Sorry you had a bad one, but you have to take the bad with the good. Keep on puffing and pursuing that perfect cigar, but don't be too disappointed if you never find it, most of the fun is in the pursuit anyway, right?!

[688sonarmen]

Very tong in cheek and not what I would expect from a company of any kind.

As for the cigar I have found it happens and more often with fresh sticks. Not saying this is the case but if you take a stick that already has somewhat of a tight draw and smoke it ROTT it may not have had time to stabilize at a decent RH, however low the RH of the day may be. Some say 70% some as low as 60%. Either way I can attest like most others that it's a rare case in Illusione cigars. And up to you to continue business with them if you felt insulted.

Edit: Is Dion a member on here? If so based on the OP I can see where the response may have come from.

[Neens]

I understand theres going to be problems with some of the cigars seeing as they are made by hand but I also dont like the tone of the e-mail. It seems more like hes mocking the OP more than anything else. Maybe seeing the email you sent him might give us some insite into the answer you got.