Nick Melillo of Foundation Cigar Company released a few new blends to add to his portfolio this past week at the IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas. One of them is his new Connecticut broadleaf wrapped cigar dubbed ‘The Tabernacle’ which is rolled at A.J. Fernandez’s factory down in Nicaragua. David Garofalo was kind enough to get a few samples for us to try, which were smoked on The Cigar Authority podcast this past weekend.
What am I smoking?
Cigar Review: The Tabernacle
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: A.J. Fernandez
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Mexican San Andreas
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras
Length: 6 Inches
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: Toro
Packaging & Design
The Tabernacle will arrive to retailers in 24 count wooden cabinet-style boxes wrapped in a black fabric ribbon. The bands on these cigars are made of a heavy-stock paper, embossed in black and gold with an image of a bearded man from biblical times. It’s a slick looking band, and looks great against the dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper.
First Impressions
The cigar itself appears to be very well constructed. It’s somewhat spongy to the touch yet even throughout. It’s wrapper has plenty of tooth which adds a nice texture in the hand. The filler tobaccos inside are dark and give off a rich raisin-like aroma. Prelight notes include leather and a black pepper backbone.
The Smoke
The Tabernacle lit up fairly quickly, and right away started giving off nuances of dark fruit, leather and black pepper. The broadleaf wrapper added a lot of natural sweetness to the profile, balancing out the spicy notes present on the draw.
During the halfway point, the body has increased quite a bit and notes of aged tobacco started to appear. The Tabernacle has also started to take on more of an earthiness as I neared the end of the second third. The cigar did start to burn unevenly on one side, but a quick hit with my torch brought things back in line.
Finishing up on Melillo’s new blend, and the dark nuances from the wrapper are playing a starring role. Notes of black pepper and dried dates have increased quite a bit as the cigar heats up. The finish lasts a good long while, leaving an oily mouthfeel in its wake. I did have to touch up the burn a couple more times, but that issue didn’t affect the overall flavor.
Final Thoughts
I’m excited to try the other sizes in this line. Especially after they get some time on them. I feel that in a few months this cigar will age well and offer a few more complexities than it has now. His use of a Mexican San Andreas binder with Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers under a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper certainly made for an interesting smoke.
Rating: 92
Price: TBD
The Tabernacle by Foundation Cigar Company
The Tabernacle by Foundation Cigar Company Burn
The Tabernacle by Foundation Cigar Company Band Details
