Illusione’s Allegria Makes Its Way To Retail
First shipments of Allegria, the sister line to Illusione’s Dion Giolito, Allegria is a stronger cigar.
“The blend still uses Corojo ’98 and Corojo ’99 Nicaraguan tobaccos, but headier and fuller bodied, with a nice fennel-like snap to them on the finish,” Giolito tells Cigar Aficionado. While the Corojo ’99 wrapper is the same leaf used on OneOff, some of the tobaccos in Allegria are from higher primings on the plant.
Allegria comes in five sizes: Corona, measuring 5 1/8 inches by 42 ring gauge; Lonsdale, at 6 1/4 by 44; a 5-by-52 Robusto; Churchill, at 6 3/4 by 48; and a Gordo that measures 6 by 56. They come in 25-count boxes and have suggested retail prices ranging from $9.80 to $12.35. The peace symbol on the lower part of the band references the core OneOff line.
The history of the OneOff brand is an unusual one. In 2001, it was created by Andrea Molinari, who ran a cult-like status among smokers.
By 2009, the trademark ended up out of Molinari’s hands and in the possession of Cuban Crafters, who produced and sold the cigar as a value brand. Giolito eventually the next year.
For a vertical brand tasting of Allegria, see a future issue of Cigar Insider.
