The Charter Oak Pegnataro cigars embody the commitment to excellence and artistry that define Foundation Cigar Company. Crafted by Nicholas Melillo, Founder and Master Blender, these cigars pay homage to the unwavering spirit and timeless wisdom passed down by his grandfathers. They also serve to pay tribute the opening of Foundation’s new office on a 300-acre farm in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley tobacco growing region. The Charter Oak Pegnataro features a classic […]
This week on The Cigar Authority Live from the Toscano Sound Stage in Salem, New Hampshire.. It’s the release of the 2021 Firecracker and this year we let Nick Melillo take a crack at it with The WiseMan Maduro Firecracker. Nick will join us LIVE in studio as we talk about the collaboration with United Cigars and so much more. In the first hour we will smoke something from The Cigar Authority Care Package, the […]
Following the success of the Charter Oak Connecticut Shade & Broadleaf, Nick Melillo has released the Habano which he describes as filling the profile gap between the two lines. The cigar which was offered to retailers in early September has begun to reach the shelves albeit at the time of this review in only one size. In the past we reviewed the Connecticut Shade which scored a 92 as well as the 91 rated Connecticut […]
An homage to the world-class soil and the storied cigar brands of Foundation Cigar Company’s and its founder Nicholas Melillo’s native state. The Charter Oak cigars, currently offered in a silky Connecticut Shade and rustic Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, have been highly regarded since their release. Now, Foundation is proud to announce a new edition to this highly popular line. Coming late September the Charter Oak will now be offered as well in a rich Habano. The […]
The Wise Man Maduro has been getting a lot of accolades across the blogsphere and in social media. It was the follow up to the El Gueguense, but there is one cigar that I think is unduly being ignored and that is the Charter Oak specifically the CT Broadleaf wrapper. It’s a cigar with a phenomenal price point, and today we offer up that review. Cigar Review: Charter Oak CT Broadleaf Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Nicaraguan Habano […]
Dave returns from Florida after making the trek last weekend to show his respects for Old Man Padron. He’ll fill is in on the Celebration of Life and let us know who was there and who he rubbed elbows with. We will light up The Upsetters from Foundation Cigar Company as we sit down with Rick Ardito. We will discuss his history with Drew Estate, ACID and now his relationship with Foundation Cigar Company with […]
This week we welcome the owner of Foundation Cigar Company Nick Melillo aka Nick R. Agua to the show and we discuss his company which makes cigars such as Charter Oak and Tabernacle which we will smoke, and we will discuss El Gueguense and the Upsetters. It’s Labor Day weekend and we discuss our Labor of Love cigars with one of the most passionate owners in the business. Join us live for the madness known […]
Today is day 3 of smoking on a budget and we take a look at a relatively new brand that came out less than a year ago. Charter Oak is available in both a Connecticut Shade and Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. It’s made by Foundation Cigar Company which is owned by Nick Melillo who made his name while working for Drew Estate. In naming the cigar, Melillo chose a name that represents the greatest symbol of […]
The Changing “FACE” of the Cigar Industry! The Faces of the Brands and the ones that could be changing another Editorial by David Garofalo We know a small business owner, as is in the cigar industry, must be a jack of all trades and one of the tools they should possess is being the face of their brand. Today even some of the huge corporations and brands have attempted to put faces and personalities to […]
Since his departure from Drew Estate a couple years ago, Nick Melillo has been holding his own in the cigar industry. He has been cranking out several popular brands from his company, known as Foundation Cigar Company in Nicaragua. Today I wanted to review the Charter Oak Shade. What am I Smoking? Cigar: Charter Oak Shade Wrapper: US Connecticut Shade Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Length: 4.5 Inches Ring Gauge: 50 Power: 4 / 10 Packaging […]