Info:
I’ll be the first to admit that I do not smoke Illusione cigars on a regular basis. There are definitely a few that I have really enjoyed, like the MJ12 Maduro and Rothschild, but overall, I have not been that impressed with the others I’ve smoked. Luckily, it takes a lot for me to completely write a brand off.
According to the Internets, the Fume D’Amour (French for Smoke of Love) is the first addition to Illusione’s core line in three years. Seeing how it received the #3 award for cigar of the year from Cigar Aficionado, I’d say it was worth the wait. Of course, the vitola that won was the Clementes (toro), not the Viejos (robusto).
Another interesting thing about this cigar is that it contains no ligero. I find this even more unusual due to it being a Nicaraguan puro. The theme these days seems to be ligero, ligero and more ligero. Not with this guy! The filler is just seco and viso.
There are four vitolas in the Fume D’Amour line: Capistrano (toro gordo), Clementes (toro-#3 in CA), Viejos (robusto) and Laguna (petite corona).
This cigar is one I purchased from a local shop.
Looks:
For a “smoke of love”, the Illusione Fume D’Amour is not very attractive. I guess it just proves that “love is blind”. It has a natural, light brown wrapper that is veiny and lumpy-looking. The seams are visible but not really raised. It has an overall soft appearance, like I could squeeze it. I’ll be careful doing that though!
The band is rather simple, but has a nice classic look to it. It is mostly brick red and gold with white ovals. The print is red a gold. The rustic, classic look is perfect and helps offset the ruggedness of the actual cigar.
Function:
As suspected, the Illusion Fume D’Amour is very soft and squeezable. There are several soft spots and lumps. It is also a bit bumpy. While this is not always a problem for the burn and draw, I know that it can be. I’ll just have to hope for the best.
I am interested to see what kind of aromas I get off of this stick. The foot has a grassy molasses aroma to it. The barrel is a rosy chocolate, which is pretty unique for me. After I clip the cap, I check the draw. It is a bit open and airy, but not too bad. Again, I get the molasses and grass that I smelled on the foot.
Smoking:
With the foot being a bit loose, I expect the light to be quick and easy. This holds true, and it lights evenly too. It doesn’t take long for the burn line to get a tad wavy but never becomes a problem like I thought it might.
The ash holds on better than I thought it would as well. It is mostly white and gray and rather solid, only flaky in spots. It reaches the 1”mark pretty solidly. Near the end, I did get a little too lax with it and had one fall in my lap.
Flavor:
Seeing as how this cigar (well the toro) received the number 3 rating from CA, it better taste like a river of milk and honey (or coffee and cocoa, or whatever you love), right? Well, I won’t place my expectations that high, but am looking forward to seeing how this Illusione Fume D’Amour Viejos performs.
The first few puffs greet me with a light white pepper spice. This quickly becomes a floral spice that includes a hint of jasmine. To make it even better, a sweet graham cracker note develops as well. The retrohale is nice and spicy in a fragrant way, which is something I really enjoy.
The next third continues with the fragrant floral spice. The graham is still there and is melding with a creamy butter note. Throughout this third, the sweetness and butter increase, helping to smooth out the spice.
The final third begins with a sweet buttery note combined with the fragrant spice. This section sees some noticeable wood, nut and salt notes appear. There is a slightly bitter note that lasts a few puffs near the end, but it goes away quickly. The cigar finishes with mostly wood and nuts.
The Illusione Fume D’Amour Viejos is medium-full in both strength and flavor. Though it is spicy, it is never overpowering. The sweet and buttery notes really help smooth it out. It did smoke a tad fast, coming in around 1 hour.
Would I Buy It Again?
Absolutely
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
I could see that
Would I Buy a Box?
Very possible
Conclusion
I have to say, I am not mad at CA for putting this one high on the list. The Illusione Fume D’Amour is certainly a top-notch cigar that I think will appeal to wide variety of palates. The flavor and strength are perfect and the price is quite affordable. My only complaint is that it is a little loose and burns a tad fast. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar and think you will too.
