Foundation’s Metapa Debuting at PCA 2023

Foundation Cigar Co. has oftentimes turned to Nicaraguan historical figures as its inspiration for its cigar lines, and one of the company’s newest lines will continue that trend.

At next month’s 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, Foundation will debut Metapa, a cigar inspired by Rubén Darío, a famed Nicaraguan poet. As for cigar line, it uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Connecticut broadleaf binder and fillers from Nicaragua, according to a report from Cigar Aficionado. Like many of Foundation’s other cigars, it will be made by AJ Fernandez in Nicaragua. There are four regular production sizes planned, each box-pressed:

• 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)

The new line will debut at the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, which takes place July 8-11 in Las Vegas, and is expected to ship to stores in the fall.

“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.”

Metapa is the hometown of Darío, though it has since been renamed Ciudad Darío, Spanish for Darío City. Darío is considered the founder of modernismo, a Spanish literary movement focused on poetry that also included the Cuban poet José Martí.

An email sent to Melillo seeking confirmation of the release was not returned, though the company has posted about the cigar on social media.

Update (June 23, 2023) — Information from the press release has been added.