Spearheaded by Justin Andrews, business development manager of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), we’ve seen the company continue its push into the craft space in recent years. Perhaps this became first apparent with 2019’s Espinosa Warzone, expanding to include the acquisition of Room101 Cigars in 2022. But this wasn’t the only such collaboration for 2022, as Justin also partnered with Dion Giolito and his Illusione Cigars to create the limited-edition The Illusione of Excalibur cigar, made as an homage to the original Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur cigars that Dion first became fond of while in college. Homing in on the bold character and packaging of the brand’s origins, Dion blended The Illusione of Excalibur using a Corojo ’99 wrapper from Nicaragua’s Jalapa growing region; this leaf surrounds the AGANORSA farms’ new Corojo 2012 leaf as the binder, as well as Criollo and Corojo tobaccos from the Estelí region. The cigars were rolled in a massive 7¼” x 54 double corona format, making for long and slowly evolving experiences of more than two hours. The cigar is medium bodied and exceptionally balanced, coming across as something of a cross between the famed ~eccj~ and the OG Original Documents, with long-lasting flavors of bright and citrusy coffee, clean cedar, sugar cookie, and touches of white pepper through the retrohale.
The Illusione of Excalibur Breakdown
- Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa Corojo ’99)
- Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa Corojo 2012)
- Filler: Nicaragua (Criollo | Corojo)
- Factory: Aganorsa Leaf (Nicaragua)
- Production: 49,600 Cigars
- Vitolas: 1
- Price: $19.99 (MSRP)
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