I’m starting something new today to talk about the cigars that hold my attention throughout the week. An outlet, if you will, for cigars that I can’t stop gushing about anyway.
Today we’re kicking it off with the OneOff by Illusione! All week I’ve been waiting patiently to smoke this cigar again as the humidity kept me inside. Couple this with my recent fascination of the Illusione La Grande Clase Rex and you’ve got my motivation to put fingers to the keyboard.
Please drop us a comment below if you were privy to original OneOff series before they sold to Cuban Crafters. The early 2000s were before my time, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What’s interesting to me about this cigar is how Dion talks about it gaining a cult-like following, and being the first in his memory to do so. Many boutique favorites in today’s cigar scene credit Dion Giolito of Illusione with paving the way for our modern boutique culture and expectations. It’s also interesting that pricing seems to have remained relatively similar almost 15 years later.
I haven’t had the original, but I have to believe that Dion did this cigar justice. That, or I need to invent a time machine ASAP because it doesn’t get much better than this!
OneOff Experiences
At the time of writing, I’ve only enjoyed two sizes from the new OneOff reboot. What got my initial attention was the regular production Robusto size, and what I’m smoking today is the Corona Gorda.
The robusto wowed me with an easy-going sweetness. A dynamic and flavorful cigar in the mild-medium category. Like most things that Dion does, the OneOff Robusto holds its own against a bottle of water or a more traditional pairing. Got coffee? Hold the sugar and smoke OneOff. Got water? Savor the moment and get lost in your cigar. Got rum? Now you’ve got a party!
Check out the Blind Review of the OneOff Robusto
So what did I do? I bought the Corona Gorda. Lol.
The Corona Gorda is a fantastic smoke, but the characteristics are (understandably) different. As we’ve discussed before about the necessary and probably deliberate changes for each size, this Corona Gorda swaps the easy-like-Sunday-morning personality for a bit more punch.
More of a medium to medium+ bodied cigar at times, the Corona Gorda tastes like it will perform very well over time. I think it was an excellent box purchase that will be a treat to sample every few months. The sweet tasting notes are present, but share the spotlight more with different woods, peppercorn, subtle leather, and mild coffee.
Recommendations
If you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on OneOff Robustos. But I would only recommend buying what you think you will smoke in the next six to nine months, as this format already sings like it’s in the sweet spot.
If you’re slow to getting around to an entire box like me, or like your cigars with a little more attitude, I’d recommend the Corona Gorda at this point in time.
I’ve also heard plenty of excellent things about the Julieta (Churchill) size, so it would be reckless of me not to recommend the catch-all approach of adding the OneOff Sampler to your cart. I'm taking my own advice on this one.
Tell us! What are YOUR thoughts on the OneOff reboot by Illusione?
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