See Also:

• Thursday, May 16, 2013
  La Gloria Launching First Nicaraguan Lines
• Wednesday, May 15, 2013
  North Carolina Bill Would Allow Outdoor Smoking
• Tuesday, May 14, 2013
  Altadis Releasing Next Generation Saint Luis Rey
• Tuesday, May 7, 2013
  Aurora Releasing Maduro 107
• Monday, May 6, 2013
  Small Batch Smokes
• More from News & Features

New Illusione Has A New Factory

Gregory Mottola
Posted: May 4, 2012

If you’re wondering why you didn’t see a Singulare release from Illusione last year, it isn’t because you missed the cigars—they never came out. But brand owner Dion Giolito is almost ready to simultaneously release two vintages of Illusione Singulare. The new cigars will come in the same package as previous ones, but these new cigars are being rolled in Nicaragua, rather than Honduras.

“Last year we were back-ordered by about a half million  Illusione cigars,” said Giolito. “It doesn’t make sense for me to release a limited edition when I can’t get my regular product out to my customers. But now we’ve caught up.” Each box of 15 cigars will contain two different vintages, the 2011, which has a Corojo wrapper, and the 2012, which comes wrapped in a Mexican San Andrés cover leaf. Both measure 6 inches by 52 ring, a size that Giolito has dubbed Vimana (Sanskrit for U.F.O.), and will retail for $11 each.

“The blends on these cigars are both completely different,” said Giolito. “But they do share common leaves from a Nicaraguan farm called Chilamate, which grows very distinct tobacco.”

The cigars will be easy to tell apart as the 2012 San Andrés will come wrapped in tissue paper, the 2011 Corojo without.

Unlike all other Illusione cigars, this year’s Singulares are made in the TABSA factory (Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A.) in Nicaragua, which is owned by Eduardo Fernández, the principal in tobacco conglomerate Aganorsa S.A. All other Illusiones are made in Honduras, at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L. (Despite being rolled in Honduras, most Illusiones are made entirely of Nicaraguan tobacco.)

“This factory is much closer to the source,” explains Giolito. “It’s right up the street from the preindustry tobacco. If we need to make a last-minute change, logistics are much easier.”

Around 1,200 boxes of these Illusione Singulare cigars have been produced. Expect to see some of them in retail shops by the end of the month.