mjolnir01
El Cañón de Latón
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2008
- Messages
- 2,656
The Illusione Singulare 2014 Annunaki is a great looking cigar. True to Dion’s naming convention, the Annunaki were ancient Mesopotamian deities that apparently have some connection to the modern conspiracy/UFO culture that runs through the core of Illusione’s branding. I don’t understand it, but I do understand tasty AGANORSA cigars, so I’m okay with it. On a side note, I’m hoping the Singulare 2015 is a Petite Edmundo named the “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe” but that’s probably a long shot.
Levity aside, the Annunaki is a large robusto. In the hand it almost feels like a Cohiba Siglo VI or a Johnny-O Canonazo. Normally I prefer narrower ring gauges, but there’s something boss-like about the Canonazo vitola that I dig. I pair the cigar with a big cup of Café Au Lait in my Boeing totem-logo mug. Channeling my inner Kingantz, I punch the cigar with my Swiss Army punch. The wrapper smells of sweet honey, while I get a barnyard aroma from the foot. There isn’t much flavor in the cold draw. I toast and light with a single large match. The Annunaki lights easily producing clouds of blue smoke. I detect some mineral flavors on the first draw, along with woodiness and white pepper in the back of the throat. The draw is spot-on.
Once the cigar settles down a bit, I am rewarded with continued hardwood (Oak? Nordic cherry? Alder? Brazilian Mahogany? Let’s just call it oak…) flavors with a definite red-pepper flake finish like you would get with good Thai food. Not too shabby, but it slowly morphs into a more creamy, milk chocolate flavor with a pronounced bit of green bell pepper on the finish. There are fleeting notes of bakers’ spices throughout.
On into the second third, the Singulare changes things up a bit. I get a distinct honey and nut flavor reminiscent of the Epernay, but with a little spice on the end. There’s also a bit of orange-peel zing there that has me intrigued. Oak is still sits at the core of the profile of this solidly medium-bodied cigar.
I recharge my coffee and purge the Annunaki as it burns into the final third. Oak flavors persist, but I’m also getting a bit of a bread/toast note along with some buttery creaminess. There’s also a bit of black pepper spice here as well. I take it down to about half an inch and then let it go out.
The Singulare 2014 Annunaki is a very good cigar. I’m a little miffed that the pairing wasn’t as good as I would have liked; a Belgian ale would have gone with the cigar much better than the coffee. As for the cigar’s flavors, some time will do it well, but for now I think it holds up respectably against the 2013 Rose Croix. Had I not gone deep on those, I’d probably be getting a box of Annunakis—the flavor profiles and smoking experiences are very similar. If you didn’t get in on the Rose Croix when they were still around, I think this is a no-brainer box-purchase.
Levity aside, the Annunaki is a large robusto. In the hand it almost feels like a Cohiba Siglo VI or a Johnny-O Canonazo. Normally I prefer narrower ring gauges, but there’s something boss-like about the Canonazo vitola that I dig. I pair the cigar with a big cup of Café Au Lait in my Boeing totem-logo mug. Channeling my inner Kingantz, I punch the cigar with my Swiss Army punch. The wrapper smells of sweet honey, while I get a barnyard aroma from the foot. There isn’t much flavor in the cold draw. I toast and light with a single large match. The Annunaki lights easily producing clouds of blue smoke. I detect some mineral flavors on the first draw, along with woodiness and white pepper in the back of the throat. The draw is spot-on.
Once the cigar settles down a bit, I am rewarded with continued hardwood (Oak? Nordic cherry? Alder? Brazilian Mahogany? Let’s just call it oak…) flavors with a definite red-pepper flake finish like you would get with good Thai food. Not too shabby, but it slowly morphs into a more creamy, milk chocolate flavor with a pronounced bit of green bell pepper on the finish. There are fleeting notes of bakers’ spices throughout.
On into the second third, the Singulare changes things up a bit. I get a distinct honey and nut flavor reminiscent of the Epernay, but with a little spice on the end. There’s also a bit of orange-peel zing there that has me intrigued. Oak is still sits at the core of the profile of this solidly medium-bodied cigar.
I recharge my coffee and purge the Annunaki as it burns into the final third. Oak flavors persist, but I’m also getting a bit of a bread/toast note along with some buttery creaminess. There’s also a bit of black pepper spice here as well. I take it down to about half an inch and then let it go out.
The Singulare 2014 Annunaki is a very good cigar. I’m a little miffed that the pairing wasn’t as good as I would have liked; a Belgian ale would have gone with the cigar much better than the coffee. As for the cigar’s flavors, some time will do it well, but for now I think it holds up respectably against the 2013 Rose Croix. Had I not gone deep on those, I’d probably be getting a box of Annunakis—the flavor profiles and smoking experiences are very similar. If you didn’t get in on the Rose Croix when they were still around, I think this is a no-brainer box-purchase.
