Illusione '888'

First review. Let's see how this goes. I picked this stick up today at Fumare, here in Reno. Just found out the owner is also the owner of Illusione Cigars last night, even though I've been going to his shop for 2 months now. Nobody there ever mentined it, go figure. Anyway, figured I should try his stuff out since he's a local and all.

• Appearance: 7
  • Looks well-made. Simple band (serves it’s purpose without being ‘gaudy’). Nice oily sheen. A couple distinct veins. Wrapper leaves are 2 slightly different shades of chocolate brown.

• Draw: 9
  • Loose draw throughout.

• Burn: 6
  • Started even, but then 1 side started canoeing a little bit. Maybe 3/4” difference between sides. Never got worse, stayed consistently slanted through 2/3 of the stick. Started correcting itself in the final 1/3.

• Construction: 9
  • Very well constructed. Fully packed while maintaining the loose draw. No soft spots. Triple capped on the head.

• Taste:
  • Flavor: 9
    • Full Flavor. Advertised as Medium-full, and I guess it was for the first inch or so. By the final 3rd it was a solid full body smoke. Exhaling through the nostrils burns like hell. Very peppery and leathery, with lots of smoke that coats the mouth well.
  • Consistency: 8
    • It builds in strength through the entire smoke. The last 1/3 is very strong.
  • Complexity: 8
    • Did not seem overly complex. It picks a flavor profile and runs with it. The flavors work very well together though.
  • Finish: 9
    • Had a good finish. Spicy and a slight cocoa flavor with a definite hint of sweetness at the end to balance the strong bite from the spiciness.

• Would you smoke this again: 10
  • Not often, but I can definitely see myself smoking more of them. Churchills are a bit long for me, as I usually go for a Robusto or Toro. Definitely a good smoke to relax with if you have time.

• Would you recommend it to a Friend: 10
  • It’s a great full flavor stick. Anyone that has a taste for strong cigars would do well to give this firecracker a try.

• Overall Impressions:
  • A very enjoyable smoke. Make sure you have the time to relax and enjoy it properly. The flavors play well with each other. Aside from the slight burn issue, I can find no real faults with this cigar.

• Stats
  • Smoke Date: 05/21/2010
  • Burn Time: 105 Minutes
  • Hand Made: Yes
  • Manufacturer: Illusione
  • Brand: ‘888’
  • Shape: Churchill
  • Country Of Origin: Nicaragua
  • Length: 6 3/4”
  • Gauge: 48
  • Strength: Full
  • Body: Full
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Cost: Just over $7