Charter Oak Especiales

Growing up in the Connecticut region, Nick Melillo (onwer/founder of Foundation Cigar Co.) began his cigar-smoking journey steeped in the contrasting profiles of the region's beloved tobaccos: Connecticut Shade and Connecticut Broadleaf. He began his career in the cigar world at the tender age of 18, though his fondness for the leaf was instilled long before, learning from his grandfathers and their enjoyment of Connecticut tobacco.

In 2023, Nick and his Foundation Cigar Company moved their headquarters to a functioning tobacco farm in Ellington, Connecticut, solidifying Foundation's commitment to Connecticut tobacco. Paying tribute to the Connecticut region, as well as each of Melillo's grandfathers, Foundation debuted the Charter Oak Especiales line, marking the most premium cigar blends within the fan-favorite Charter Oak series to date. Charter Oak Especiales consists of two cigars: Charter Oak Pegnataro and Charter Oak Pasquale, with each being made to suit the smoking style of the cigar's namesake.

Charter Oak Pegnataro

Nick's grandfather Pegnataro was known to smoke cigars wrapped in Connecticut Shade tobacco, and the Charter Oak Pegnataro cigar was made in his honor. Sized at 5½” x 48, the Pegnataro begins with an all-Nicaraguan core from the country's Jalapa and Estelí growing regions. This filler is bound in a Nicaraguan leaf from Jalapa and finished with the blend's signature Connecticut Shade wrapper, offering a medium intensity and a rich yet nuanced profile of cedar, barnyard hay, sage, and browned butter.

Charter Oak Pasquale

At the other end of the spectrum, Nick's grandfather Pasquale was fond of the grittier characteristics of Connecticut Broadleaf. In his honor, Nick has blended the Charter Oak Pasquale cigar, being offered in a 5½” x 48 format. The cigar features Nicaraguan Estelí and Jalapa tobaccos as the filler, a Nicaraguan binder from Jalapa, and a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. This combination makes for a medium-full body, showing a punchy, bitter-sweet profile of earth, black pepper, baker's cocoa, and mocha.