A New, Graceful Look For Illusione Epernay
The next time you reach for an Illusione Epernay at your local tobacconist, you might notice a change in the packaging. First shipments of Epernays with newly-designed boxes and bands are shipping this week, and the motif is quite a departure from the original imagery.
Gone are the box’s double-headed eagles that evoked the Russian Empire. In order to better reflect Epernay’s character, Dion Giolito, who created the brand 15 years ago, has turned the imperialistic coat of arms into a gliding swan.
“I wanted something that conveyed wisdom, grace and balance,” Giolito tells Cigar Aficionado. “Everything that represents the brand. Swans have a tremendous emotional attachment through history.”
When Illusione released Epernay in 2009, it was meant to be a lighter alternative to the core line, and contains no ligero in the blend (the strongest type of tobacco). The name Epernay is a Champagne reference meant to signal the cigar’s balance, elegance and effervescence.
Epernays are made in Honduras at the Raices Cubanas factory, but consist only of Nicaraguan tobacco. Over the years, the brand has scored well in our blind taste tests, and sizes such as Le Taureau, Le Ferme and the 10th Anniversary D’Aosta have appeared on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 lists.
While the packaging has changed, Giolito says that the blend is still the same.
This wouldn’t be Illusione’s first makeover. Two years ago, Giolito scrapped the original symbols and fonts found on many of his brands and introduced an entirely new look. The double-headed eagles that also appeared on the box seals of many Illusione brands have been retired as well.
