IPCPR 2016: Foundation Cigar Co.

The sophomore year for Nicholas Melillo is a big one. There are three new lines and extensions. To give you an idea, the Foundation Cigar Co. portfolio has increased from five SKUs to 31 with this trade show alone.

As for the booth, it’s located next to Illusione who handles distribution for most the company’s brands, everything except The Upsetters. It was still crowded, busy and eclectic, but it certainly was much less chaotic than Foundation’s display within the Casa Fernández booth last year.

Charter Oak

It’s the homage to Melillo’s home state of Connecticut, offered in two different forms of Connecticut wrappers. While Tabernacle got the bulk of interest, it’s important to remember there’s a sub $6 Connecticut broadleaf-wrapped cigar coming from Nicholas Melillo. Both are produced by A.J. Fernández.

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Sumatra
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Charter Oak Petite Corona (5 1/4 x 42) — $4.80 (Boxes of 20, $96)
• Charter Oak Rothschild (4 1/2 x 50) — $5 (Boxes of 20, $100)
• Charter Oak Lonsdale (6 1/4 x 46) — $5.30 (Boxes of 20, $106)
• Charter Oak Toro (6 x 52) — $5.50 (Boxes of 20, $110)
• Charter Oak Grande (6 x 60) — $5.80 (Boxes of 20, $116)

• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Charter Oak Petite Corona (5 1/4 x 42) — $4.80 (Boxes of 20, $96)
• Charter Oak Rothschild (4 1/2 x 50) — $5 (Boxes of 20, $100)
• Charter Oak Lonsdale (6 1/4 x 46) — $5.30 (Boxes of 20, $106)
• Charter Oak Toro (6 x 52) — $5.50 (Boxes of 20, $110)
• Charter Oak Grande (6 x 60) — $5.80 (Boxes of 20, $116)

Launch Date: Shipping Now

Production: Regular Production

El Güegüense Extensions

Two new thin ring gauge sizes for The Wise Man. Proceeds from both sizes will help benefit BOTL.org’s Operation Estelí, which benefits a school in Estelí, Nicaragua.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• El Güegüense Lancero (7 x 40) — $12.50 (Boxes of 13, $162.50)
• El Güegüense Short Lancero (5 1/2 x 40) — $11.50 (Boxes of 20, $230)

The Tabernacle

It’s the premium broadleaf offering from Nicholas Melillo also comes out of Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. And yes, there is a lancero.

• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: Mexican San Andrés
• Filler: Nicaragua

• The Tabernacle Corona (5 1/4 x 46) — $9 (Boxes of 24, $216)
• The Tabernacle Robusto (5 x 50) — $10.50 (Boxes of 24, $252)
• The Tabernacle Torpedo (4 1/4 x 52) — $10.50 (Boxes of 24, $252)
• The Tabernacle Toro (6 x 52) — $11.50 (Boxes of 24, $276)
• The Tabernacle Doble Corona (7 x 54) — $12 (Boxes of 24, $288)
• The Tabernacle Lancero (7 x 40) — $12.50 (Boxes of 13, $162.50)

Launch Date: Shipping Now

Production: Regular Production

The Upsetters

It’s an infused/flavored line by Melillo. I smoked one and it was very sweet, though I’m not sure how much sweeter than the rest of the competition as I don’t smoke many flavored cigars. It’s offered in three different wrapper varieties across eight sizes. The Upsetters is distributed by Miami Cigar & Co.

• Wrapper: Candela / Claro / Maduro
• Binder: n/a
• Filler: Jamaica & Nicaragua

• Candela
  • The Upsetters Para El Sapo (4 1/2 x 38 x 54) — $7 (Boxes of 20, $140)
• Claro
  • The Upsetters Django (5 x 54) — $9 (Boxes of 20, $180)
  • The Upsetters Small Ax (4 1/2 x 40) — $7.50 (Boxes of 20, $225)
  • The Upsetters The Skipper (4 1/2 x 38 x 54) — $7 (Boxes of 20, $140)
  • The Upsetters Rock Steady (7 x 48) — $11.50 (Boxes of 20, $230)
  • The Upsetters Ska (4 x 32) — $6 (Boxes of 60, $360)
• Maduro
  • The Upsetters The Original Rude Boy (6 x 60) — $13 (Boxes of 20, $260)
  • The Upsetters ZOLA (6 x 52) — $8.50 (Boxes of 20, $170)

Launch Date: Shipping Now

Production: Regular Production