Illusione OneOff Allegria cigars are a case of old brands being made new in some skillful hands. Dion Giolito, founder of Illusione, has revived both OneOff (along with the peace sign band) and Allegria from a previous brand owner. They were a hot commodity in the early aughts. Hard to find, mysterious in origin, and desired by many who enjoyed a fine smoke. OneOffs were made by the Plasencia's in Nicaragua, who were tapped by Andrea Molinari, owner of La Casa del Habano in Milan.
Now, things are more straightforward, but the smoke is just as good, if not better.
Illusione’s first stab at the OneOff was a hit. The brand was purchased because Giolito was inspired by early boutique cigar companies that drove him to find his own seat at the blending table. Aganorsa’s Eduardo Fernández lent a hand, and the first OneOff was born: a Nicaraguan puro that was Cigar Aficionado’s #23 cigar of 2018. It pulled in a 92-point rating, and something old was new again.
And now we take a step forward with OneOff Allegria (“joy” in Italian).
This one is packed with Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 tobaccos. It’s got a beautiful light brown wrapper and a wonderful nutty aroma, one of the main things you’ll be tasting once you get it lit up. It’s lightly sweet and pleasantly complex as you puff along, offering flavors of cinnamon, cedar, and earthy espresso. The primary flavor, though, is something creamy and nutty, not unlike Irish cream (without the alcohol… you can add that yourself!)
It ends up being quite a different smoke from the OneOff that hit Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 list of 2018. It’s far more accessible, however. The price and experience are a lot more down to Earth, which should speak to many smokers out there. It’s another high-quality blend from Illusione that we certainly would not kick out of our humidors for dropping leaf crumbles.
Please browse our selection of Illusione OneOff Allegria cigars at your leisure.
