An interesting partnership will result in a new cigar at next month’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, as Foundation Cigar Co. has partnered with Highclere Castle Cigar Co. on a new line of cigars called Highclere Castle.

The new line is based on the idea of creating an early 1900s style of cigar, the kind that would have been enjoyed by the ancestors of George Herbert, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon and current owner of Highclere Castle and its surrounding campus.

To do so, Herbert and Nicholas Melillo of Foundation Cigar Co. selected a Connecticut shade wrapper, a Brazilian Mata Fina binder and filler from the Jalapa and Ometepe regions of Nicaragua, including criollo, corojo, and a hybrid seed called Nicadán. Five sizes are being released, all of which are produced at Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua and range between $12 and $16 in price:

  • Highclere Castle Churchill (7 x 48)
  • Highclere Castle Corona (5 1/2 x 46)
  • Highclere Castle Petit Corona (5 x 42)
  • Highclere Castle Robusto (5 x 50)
  • Highclere Castle Toro (6 x 52)

The line is slated to begin arriving at U.S. retailers in early September, followed by international distribution, including at the Highclere Castle in England.

Melillo declined to comment to halfwheel about the project. Cigar Aficionado was first to report the new line.

Update (June 30, 2017) — Foundation Cigar Co. issues a press release and images about the Highclere Castle project today. Those images have been added to the story.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2017 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.