If you’re a seasoned cigar smoker I can only assume you’ve heard of, and even smoked a cigar or two from Foundation cigars. If you’re a novice like I once was a short time ago, you most likely never heard of the acclaimed cigar company and the eccentric owner and manufacturer behind the beloved company. Nick Melillo made a name for himself when he was at Drew Estate and was the reason the Liga Privada line took off as it did. But like all good things in this life, Nick’s time at Drew Estate came to an end.

But in 2015, Nick Melillo launched Foundation cigars as well as the El Gueguense to the world. With 20 years of experience as well as working both in Nicaragua and Connecticut, Nick’s mission is to treat every cigar with top-notch tobaccos, all while providing a balance in flavor, quality, and consistency.

Here at JR, Foundation cigars are one of our favorite companies to smoke as well as Nick is one of our favorite manufacturers to sit down and chat with. Sow e figured for this Top 5, we’d show Foundation the love it deserves and do showcase our Top 5 Cigars from Foundation Cigar Company.

Don’t forget to get this limited-time sampler below.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Mexican San Andres

Binder: Nicaragua Corojo 99

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium-Full

Size: 6 x 56

Smoke Time: 100 minutes

Leading off our Top 5 Foundation Cigars is actually a sequel to the cigar line that launched Foundation Cigars in 2015. The Wise Man Maduro is the sequel to the El Gueguense and like most sequels, they’re hit or miss, the Wise Man Maduro was a complete hit and then some. Cigar Aficionado isn’t usually the one to name boutique brands to their Top 25, the Wise Man Maduro was named the number 3 Cigar of the Year in 2018. Although they both share the same name, one being in Spanish and one in English, the Wise Man Maduro and El Gueguense are so different in so many great ways.

Cloaked in a Mexican San Andres wrapper, this Medium-Full bodied gem has Nicaraguan Corojo 99 tobaccos featured for the binder and the filler. Although this 6 x 56 might take you two hours to get to the nub, the flavors you’ll detect are not what you’ll expect when you first light up this bad boy.

After toasting and making your way through the first third, you may detect notes of white pepper, leather, espresso, cashews, chocolate, and a dash of honey on the back end. When it comes to the five different sizes under this line, you can snag them in a box of 25 at an extremely affordable price most boutique brands don’t go for. So stop by JR today and snag the Wise Man Maduro to experience a Foundation Cigar at its best.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium-Full

Size: 5.62 x 46

Smoke Time: 90-100 minutes

As mentioned in the paragraph above, this cigar line was the first one Nick Melillo released when he launched Foundation Cigar Company. The El Gueguense,  Spanish for “Wise Man” is named based on iconic Nicaraguan folklore. When looking for the El Gueguense, whether it be in-store or online, this delicious medium-full-bodied smoke arrives in five delectable sizes. For our sampler, we have the 5.62 x 46 Corona Gorda.

This Nicaraguan puro utilizes Corojo ’99 for the wrapper and binder, while the filler tobaccos are composed of vintage Corojo ’99 and Criollo ’98 tobaccos. Nick was able to gather tobaccos from Jalapa Valley in Esteli, a popular growing region in Nicaragua, to make this award-winning cigar taste as scrumptious as it’s said to be. Flavor notes you may detect while smoking this gem are wood, toffee, spice, and cedar.

If you found yourself falling in love with the El Gueguense after your hour-and-a-half smoke session of the Corona Gorda, then come to JR Cigar and get s box of 25 to add to your collection today!

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Mexican San Andres

Filler: Nicaragua/Honduras

Strength: Medium-Full

Size: 7 x 54

Smoke Time: 100-110 minutes

Next up on our Top 5 Cigars from Foundation is a fan favorite. This smoke seems to be the one Foundation fans seem to love and post all over social media. The Tabernacle was the second line that Foundation launched right after the El Gueguense. The imagery on the box and band features the 225th Emperor of Ethiopia. Now if you’re familiar with Nick Melillo and Foundation, you know since day one he always incorporated a part of history into his cigar lines. He combines his love of history with cigars and it is always a hit!

Manufactured at AJ Fernadez’s factory, this medium to the full-bodied gem is cloaked in a dark and oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, all while utilizing Mexican San Andres tobacco for the binder, and tobaccos that hail from Nicaragua and Honduras for the filler. This 7 x 54 smoke will take you close to two hours to enjoy each and every third. While smoking the Tabernacle, you may detect notes of chocolate, nuts, espresso, and cinnamon.

If you liked what you smoked, then the Tabernacle is available in four different sizes that come in a box of 24. So add a piece of luxury and history to your humidor by getting the Tabernacle by Foundation at JR today.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Havana

Binder: Mexican San Andres

Filler: Honduras/Nicaragua

Strength: Medium-Full

Size: 5 x 50

Smoke Time: 80-90 minutes

For our next cigar on the Top 5 Cigars from Foundation, we have the sequel to the cigar we just talked about. The Foundation The Tabernacle No. 142 Havana Seed Connecticut came out in

With the same binder and filler as the original Tabernacle, the difference lies in the wrapper. A Havana seed wrapper is cloaked over this 5 x 50 gem. With this medium to full-bodied smoke being manufactured at AJ Fernandez’s factory, you can only think the finest Nicaraguan tobaccos were used to create a great cigar for Nick and Foundation Cigars.

Some similar flavor notes you’ll taste between the original Tabernacle and the No. 142 are the sweet spice and espresso that live on the tip of the tongue. However, the Havana Seed wrapper added an abundance of earthiness that the Connecticut Broadleaf on the first installment does not provide at times.

If you liked the original Tabernacle then I don’t see you veering off the beaten path and not liking the Foundation The Tabernacle No. 142. Also available in four different sizes that come in boxes of 24, you can find the Foundation The Tabernacle No. 142 now on JR Cigars.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Habano

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium

Size: 4.50 x 50

Smoke Time: 75-80 Minutes

Last but not least, we have a cigar from Foundation Cigars named after a famous landmark in Connecticut back in the 1800s. The Charter Oak was an abnormally large white oak tree in Hartford, Connecticut. Being a famous landmark on the east coast in the 12th or 13th century, the Charter Oak fell during a storm in 1856. So Nick Melillo being the history buff that he is, he decided to name a cigar line after this historic landmark AND paid homage to the tree by putting it on the band of his delicious Charter Oak cigar line.

This 4.50 x 50 medium-bodied smoke is cloaked in a golden Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper while being bound by Habano seed tobacco and filled with Nicaraguan leaves. For about 75 to 80 minutes, you’ll be tasting a plethora of scrumptious flavor notes such as chocolate, spice, cedar, and honey.

Available in fourteen different sizes, you can grab the most Connecticut cigar there is in a box of 20 today at JR Cigars.