Original Documents ~88~ Candela review

Back with another review, today we have the

Original Documents ~88~ Candela

by Illusione

If this is your first time here, my reviews rate each cigar on 10 factors and each factor gets a rating out of 10 giving me an overall out of 100. The 10 factors are: Construction, Draw, Burn, Flavour, 1/3 overall, 2/3 overall, 3/3 overall, Journey (how well it flows), Value for money and Overall Enjoyment. let’s take a look at how this stick is put together. Brand Illusione

Size Robusto ~88~

Origin Nicaraguan

Wrapper Double Claro / Candela (green) Habano

Binder Nicaraguan

Filler Criollo '98 and Corojo '99 -- Ok, so first lets talk a little about the Candela wrapper. Candela Leaf is a fairly rare tobacco leaf now days, known primarily for its looks. The green color of this leaf is obtained by early harvesting, and speed-drying the crop at a high temperature. While most cigar tobacco is fermented in bales or pilones over extended periods of time the Candela leaves are actually baked, within just a few days. The leaf is hung above high temperature fires, this process cooks out the sorts of compounds that fermentation leeches out, but without the yellowing and decomposition of the chlorophyll. The result is that candela keeps its green hue. They are also known as Clarisimo, Double Claro or American Market Selection. - Commonly the 'greener' ones get labeled as Candela while lighter or more golden ones don the name Double Claro. Traditionally, they were fermented with candlelight, which earned the named “candela”. -- Right off the bat this cigar screams Candela, other than its bold green appearance, you get hit with the smell of freshly mown grass as you remove the cellophane; inside you notice the oily yet smooth wrapper that almost still has a leafy feel to it. I'm excited to see how this stick goes so lets get into it! Construction 10/10

Burn 8/10

Draw 10/10

Flavour 9/10

Complexity 9/10

Strength 50%

First 1/3 8/10

Second 1/3 9/10

Third 1/3 10/10 Construction & Burn I've never seen a badly made Illusione cigar and this is no exception. Perfectly rolled with a nice smooth, oily wrapper. Consistent shape and density throughout. Burn is good, but with a bit of a wave that I've come to expect with Candela wrappers. I put the burn down to the process of the Candela, in my mind it makes sense that the burn would be less consistent with this process that the slower, more common curing method. Flavour & Complexity I would go as far as to say I am a fan of the Candela wrapper, which is a little odd for me as its a mild smoke. There is something about the freshness and grassy notes that compliment the smoke well giving it something different whilst satisfying the classic cigar desire. Flavour wise, this cigar gives me Almonds, vanilla, cane sugar, some on and off cocoa and a slight 'mistiness'. Strength Mild to medium, which normally I would be a little upset about, but when a lighter strength cigar is done well, it can be outstanding and this is an example of that. Overall Yet another outstanding cigar by the team at Illusione. I found this blend perfect for the Candela wrapper personally. If you haven't had the privilege of smoking a Candela cigar yet this would be one of my top recommendations to try without doubt. I give this cigar 93 points. Get hold of some of these here (right at the bottom of the page)