Illusione Epernay D'Aosta (FFSJul24)

[JoeyBones777]

This is a toro sized cigar made in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the Epernay blend. From my understanding, Epernay is blended to pair with champagne, hence the name.

This cigar has a beautiful creamy smoke texture with flavors of roasted nuts, light earth, baking spices and a sweetness that, at times, mixes with the nuts and gives it a brown butter flavor that is quite unique.

A lot of the core flavors are very similar to the core line. Generally, the core blend is punctuated by a nice floral sweetness on the retrohale that isn't present in the D'aosta. The tweak to this blend seems to have done away with the floral component and replaced it with a more prominent nuttiness, that brown butter component and overall smoothness and creaminess.

This is a very smooth cigar with very good flavors. Surprisingly, there is no other Epernay in a 6 by 50, so this fills a gap with a popular vitola. The lack of floral sweetness is an odd move to me since, to me, it is a key component of the Epernay blend. However, it does have enough core flavors to remind me of Epernay while standing on its own with that unique brown butter and a more creamy and smooth profile.

This would score higher but I did have to touch up the burn numerous times and relight it. As it stands this is an 89.

[MrBirdman]

Thanks for the review. Mine are from the first release so original bands, but I’ve really liked them. I prefer the reduced floral notes here since the result is richer. It’s a nice change up within the line. 

[Habanoschris]

👌nice review - sounds good.   The original epernay was quite high in my rotation back in the day when i dabbled much more in NC.  

[ned]

Dion does some incredible cigars.