Foundation Begins Shipping Metapa

Foundation Cigar Co. is now shipping Metapa, its cigar line inspired by a famed Nicaraguan poet.

Metapa’s blend is made up of an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper covering a Connecticut broadleaf binder and filler tobaccos grown in Nicaragua. This is the first time that Foundation has released a blend using Ecuadorian Sumatra tobacco.

Also of note, there are two versions, a claro and a maduro, both of which use the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper.

The new line is named after the hometown of famed Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío, although that town has since been renamed to Ciudad Darío. Darío is considered the founder of modernismo, a Spanish literary movement focused on poetry that also included the Cuban poet José Martí.

“Metapa is a tribute to the poetic soul of Nicaragua,” said Nicholas Melillo, founder of Foundation, in a press release. “The image of Rubén Darío is iconic; he is considered one of the greatest poets in the Spanish language. I have always wanted to make a brand in his honor, and I have always wanted to introduce a blend around Sumatra Ecuador wrapper. Metapa is the result.”

There are four regular production, box-pressed vitolas for both the claro and maduro versions of the cigar, all of which are packaged in 10-count boxes:

• Metapa Robusto (5 x 50) — $15.50 (Box of 10, $155)
• Metapa Corona Gorda (5 1/2 x 48) — $14.50 (Box of 10, $145)
• Metapa Toro (6 x 52) — $16.50 (Box of 10, $165)
• Metapa Double Corona (7 x 54) — $18 (Box of 10, $180)

Like many of Foundation’s other cigars, Metapa will be made by AJ Fernandez at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua. According to a press release sent to halfwheel, boxes started shipping to retailers “in regional batches” today.