It’s hard to believe that it’s been 5 years since Nick Melillo launched Foundation Cigar Company with their initial release of El Gueguense. To celebrate the 5 year anniversary the company has released this special limited edition perfecto that comes packaged in a collectors edition chest. The brand is named after a traditional dance that is a part of Nicaragua’s annual Festival of San Sebastian. El Gueguense in English means “the wise man.” Due to the hard nature of the name, the company adapted the translation for its Maduro release a couple of years later.
Cigar Review: El Gueguense 5 Year Aniversario
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99
Binder: San Andres
Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa and Esteli)
Length: 4.75
Ring Gauge: 60
Size: Perfecto
The Look: The box really stands out on the El Gueguense 5 Year Aniversario Perfecto with the cigars laid out in one row of 10 at the bottom, there are two fold out 5 count boxes giving the appearance of a jewelry box. In fact, I bought a box an to justify the box, I told my wife she can have the box for a craft project to turn it into one which created a win-win situation. The 5 Year Anniversary has a different band than the rest of the line and the cigar has a familiar feel to it. It’s firm to the touch with a hefty weight.
The Notes: With the cigar clipped just enough to open it up the cold draw serves up notes of orange marmalade with the aroma off the wrapper and foot showcases an abundance of cedar and cocoa. As we smoke the first third the cigar starts off with cedar before it is joined by warm chocolate. As the first third comes to a clothes a subtle earthiness develops. The retrohale offers up some brown sugar and pepper.
In the second third brown sugar becomes the dominant flavor profile before giving way to leather and earth as we get to the middle of the cigar. The cigar sees the strength kick it up a notch as well as this cigar appears stronger than the original release. Occasionally on the finish a touch of cinnamon shows that I wish occurred more often to give the cigar some added depth.
The last third sees notes of nuts and earth with a subtle coffee along for the ride. While the earth remains dominant there is the nice addition of some black pepper especially on the aroma and retrohale that liven things up.
The Finish: While I am not a fan of the size, the packaging for this release is simply outstanding. Is that enough to buy the cigar if you don’t like the size? I think so because of the collectability, but that is up to the buyer. As I mentioned before, I picked up a box just because of it. The cigar, I have to be in the mood to smoke. Not because of the flavor profile, but once again because of the size. If you are a fan of the cigars Nick Melillo has been associated with, and you like the El Gueguense (which I do), then it’s worth a try.
Score: 91
Price: $15.19 / $269.99
El Gueguense 5 Year Aniversario
El Gueguense 5 Year Aniversario Foot
El Gueguense 5 Year Aniversario Burn
