Illusione Group of Five Prelight
Illusione is the poster child for boutique cigar brands. Dion Giolito is the founder, and mad scientist behind Illusione. Dion originally owned a retail cigar shop in Reno, Nevada. He eventually started selling his house blends under the name Illusione and grew that into a successful global brand. Illusione was the brand that got me into boutique cigars and opened my eyes to what was available outside of the giants in the industry. I have a lot of admiration for Dion’s work, and if you somehow stumble across this, thank you for putting out some of my favorite blends!
The Group of Five was announced at the PCA 2024 Trade Show, and shipped a few months later, in July 2024. There is only one vitola available, the “RB” which is likely an abbreviation for Robusto, and measures up to 5″ x 52. Illusione has announced there are 4 other vitolas that will later become available. The blend is partially undisclosed, but we do know there is Criollo ’98 and Corojo ’99 as well as a “higher priming viso from a new varietal seed that hasn’t been grown in Nicaragua until recently.” The cigars are rolled in Nicaragua at the Aganorsa Leaf factory. The label is huge, especially given the stout nature of the cigar. That being said, I do like the branding here. It’s esoteric, mysterious, and conspiratorial. I’m personally a huge fan of the original Illusione branding, but this is a unique and interesting design.
This example has a dark maple syrup color on the wrapper with some small but pronounced veins. The aromas are mostly spicy vanilla and a sweet earthy note. The draw is perfectly snug, and there’s a tone on the cold draw that reminds me of dried cherries. I carefully lit this one using a single torch lighter.
Illusione Group of Five First Third
We’re getting some excellent smoke output right out of the gate. This already has some of that signature Illusione flavor. Sweet cedar, lightly toasted almonds, and some cereal tones on the palate. The retrohale is showing a heavy dose of cayenne pepper, chocolate cake, and some vanilla sweetness. The blend reminds me a lot of Mexican chocolate cake, especially on the retrohale. The cayenne is very much at the forefront of the flavor profile here, and I could see it being too much for those who are sensitive to spice. The cayenne seems to be slowly dying down as we get to the end of the first third, which gives way to some more of the sweet and toasty tones in the flavor profile. The ash is a bit flaky, but the burn and construction have been top-notch. There’s a medium finish of vanilla and toasted almond.
Illusione Group of Five Second Third
I’m seeing sweet cedar, toasted almonds, and some earth on the palate. Cayenne, dark chocolate, oak, and some vanilla sweetness on the retrohale. The cayenne has receded into that sweet spot where it’s lively but is no longer overpowering the rest of the flavors. The rich chocolate cake note also fell off with the cayenne, which is a bit of a shame as it was delicious. Construction and burn stayed top tier. Smoke output is still excellent, and there’s a medium finish of cocoa.
Illusione Group of Five Final Third
Sweet cedar, sandalwood, toasted almonds, crackers, and some earth on the palate. Dark chocolate, toasted almonds, cayenne, and some mixed baking spices on the retrohale. The cayenne has taken another significant step down in the profile and has given way to some baking spices and a bit more dark chocolate flavors. Smoke output remained fantastic, but the cigar did need a touchup after it ashed to keep it chugging along. There’s a medium finish of cocoa and baking spices. I put this one down with about an inch left.
Illusione Group of Five Conclusions
I was very happy to see the announcement of a new release from Dion Giolito’s Illusione. The Group of Five is the kind of cigar that you break out once in a while when you’re looking for something different and exciting. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of Illusione’s ECCJ. The ECCJ starts with a heavy dose of cayenne before slowly unveiling a creamy, sweet, and nutty profile throughout the smoke. The Group of Five does the same trick, but the underlying profile is a rich chocolaty flavor that plays a bit better with the cayenne. The overall tones reminded me a lot of a Mexican chocolate cake or an Aztec hot chocolate – especially in that first third. There are a lot of secrets around the Group of Five, but the fact that it’s delicious won’t be a secret for long. At $16 USD MSRP this cigar is just a bit on the steep side especially when you can get an ECCJ for closer to $10 USD, but I’d say it’s worth picking up a five-pack before diving into a box. If cayenne isn’t your thing I’d run 100 miles, but if you’re looking for a fun and dynamic stick the Group of Five will not disappoint.
