To understand Foundation Cigar Co., first you need to know a little history behind its creator, Nick Melillo. Nick ventured to Estelí, Nicaragua in 2003 to work directly under Jonathan Drew at Drew Estate. Nick quickly moved up the ranks, and after 11 years of living & working in Nicaragua, he became an integral member of the DE team, working on blends such as the Liga Privada No. 9, Liga Privada T52, Nica Rustica, and many more.
In 2014 Nick left Drew Estate to pursue his own ventures, this has been realized in the form of the recently-launched Foundation Cigar Co., debuting their brand and first cigar release at the 2015 IPCPR show to much fanfare. The cigar is named El Güegüense (pronounced "El-Wah-Wen-Say”), taking its name and inspiration from Nicaraguan heritage - it translates to “The Wise Man”, which is a famous Nicaraguan satirical drama created in the 16th century.
For El Güegüense, Nick has built the blend from the ground up, saturated with his appreciation for the Nicaraguan culture. Everything from the cigar’s concept, to the packaging, and blend is distinctly Nicaraguan. For this Nicaraguan puro blend, the cigar uses a Corojo 99 wrapper over a Jalapa binder & fillers of Criollo and Corojo tobaccos from 2011 and 2012 vintages. This is no doubt a complex smoking experience, having a classic profile with a modern punch of flavor, a must-try cigar!
David Moorhead - El Gueguense Toro Huaco
Foundation has delivered some great cigars for my palate. This is another one that consistently delivers. Beautiful coffee and cream colored wrapper and a ring gauge pushing the boundaries for what I enjoy. From 1st lighting I grab a seat to take in all the flavors and try to decide if it's toffee or caramel that I am picking up on. The retro give me earthy hays and mellow flavors without the predominate pepper that I tend to enjoy. The size tells you to sit back and relax for a couple hours, and I have nothing but time for this cigar. The construction was spot-on and the burn was crisp and even. I have no bad comments on this cigar, and at this price point, there isint too much out there that can top this for a great evening cigar.
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Judah Pelligra - El Gueguense Toro Huaco
Completely taken back by how good this was. Received it in May’s COTM, and was immediately aware something special was going on. Great flavor, burn, and a perfect experience right to the end.
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Carlos Line-Torres - El Gueguense Toro Huaco
A very good cigar from foundation. If you haven’t tried their cigars yet and are looking to. Grab a fiver of these you won’t regret it
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Chad M - El Gueguense Torpedo
This is such a great cigar and one that I go back to so often. Great cigar with rich leather and spice flavor. Always a great construction from Foundation.
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Albert Anguiano - El Gueguense Robusto
Medium bodied, all around smooth
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JACOB NEELY - El Gueguense Robusto (Verified buyer)
Nick Melillo's flagship and an absolute bombshell. This is one of the best cigars on the market; rich, strong, perfectly balanced, impeccable construction. I go through boxes of these.
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David durben - El Gueguense Macho Raton
Another great release from the folks at foundation...this has become a regular in my weekly rotation...big flavor and big strength...
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