Foundation Travels to Jamaica for Sophomore Release
Nicholas Melillo has a new cigar.
Next month, his Foundation Cigar Co. will release The Upsetters, an eight-size line that features Jamaican tobacco in the filler.
“I want to put Jamaica back on the map for premium tobacco,” said Melillo in a press release. “Most people don’t know this, but Jamaica has a long history of growing tobacco that rivals Cuba.”
Last February, Melillo traveled to Jamaica for Bob Marley’s 70th birthday celebration. While there, he met with one of the country’s growers. From there is where The Upsetters was born.
It’s offered in eight sizes, all featuring a blend of Jamaican and Nicaraguan fillers but with different wrappers. The Django (5 x 54), Small Ax (4 1/2 x 40), The Skipper (4 1/2 x 38 x 54), Rocky Steady (7 x 48) and SKA (4 x 32) all use a clara wrapper. The Original Rude Boy (6 x 60) and ZOLA (6 x 52) use a maduro wrapper, while the Para El Sapo (4 1/2 x 38 x 54) uses a candela wrapper.
Production is being handled by an undisclosed factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
“We are in it for the long haul and, like The Upsetters we named our cigar after, we will fight to the end,” said Melillo. “Foundation is committed to bringing innovative products to the market place.”
The Upsetters is the name of both the house band and record label of the Jamaican musician Lee “Scratch” Perry.
Charlie Minato
I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.
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