Illusione Event/meet up with Dion Giolito

So thursday night, I happened to notice on Twitter that Dion, the man behind Illusione cigars was going to be in the Chicago area. Hmm...do I want to meet up with the guy behind one of my favorite cigar brand? I think you know the answer! I found out he was going to be at a shop about an hour from here called Burning Leaf Cigars. This was definitely not an opportunity to be missed!

After arriving at the shop, I was amazed. This was a brand new store, with an amazing selection and HUGE lounge, definitely worth the drive and I will be returning for sure. The event started at 5, which is about when I got there and it was already packed. There was an open bar (yes!) and catering from a fantastic BBQ place that I didn't catch the name of. The man of the night hadn't arrived yet, so I had a look around the shop and bought my cigars for the night. They were running a deal that if you bought 3 Illusiones, you got an MK free. I picked up an mj12, Cruzado Domenicos, and an 88. I started out smoking the mj12, and that's when Dion showed up. Dion has to be one of the nicest guys I've had the chance to talk to. As soon as we started talking he handed me a Cuchillos Habanos, a budget cigar he makes that is comprised of 60% long filler/40% short filler. He was extremely approachable and certainly knows his cigars! We talked about everything from cigars (surprise, i know) to beer to comparing tattoos. I was just about done smoking my mj12, when Dion hands another of his cigars, the Epernay La Ferme, which I promptly lit up and continued talking with Dion and all the other guys at the shop.

I got to talking to this guy, Justin i think? (i am terrible at remembering names) and after talking about different cigars, he goes to his locker and pulls out a Tatuaje T110, which was released only in Hawaii and hands it to me and tells me to take it home and review it! The locals at this shop were some great people!

My third and final cigar of the night was the mixed filler Cuchillos Habanos, which was pretty tasty for not being a 100% longfiller cigar. I would definitely pick up some of these for a good cigar when you want really nice flavor, but don't want to spend a ton (i think you can get 5 for around 18 bucks). This would be a great driving cigar. To finish off an already great night, Dion hands me a cigar I have been dying to get my hands on, the Nosotros. This is his new line that will be coming out in the next few months, and is a team up between him and Drew Estates. Now this particular cigar isn't just an unbanded Nosotros. When Dion was testing blends for this cigar, he had a batch made up of what ended up being the final blend, and this is from that batch. So, this is a pre production sample of a cigar that hasnt even been released yet!

Thanks again to the guys at Burning Leaf cigars for putting on a hell of an event, and of course, to the man, the myth, the legend, Dion Giolito!