Category: Nicholas Melillo

Top 25 Cigars of the Year – 2019

by Emmett | Jan 6, 2020 | A.C.E. Prime, AJ Fernandez, Alejandro Martinez Cuenca, All, Black Label Trading Company, Casdagli, Crowned Heads, Dion Giolito, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, Eradio Pichardo, Erik Espinosa, Featured, Foundation Cigar, Grupo de Maestros, Hector Alfonso Sr., HVC Cigars, Illusione, James Brown, Jas Sum Kral, Jon Huber, Joya De Nicaragua, Juan Martinez, Kyle Gellis, Montecristo (DR), Nestor Plasencia, Nicholas Melillo, Pete Johnson, Plasencia, Reiner Lorenzo, Riste Ristevski, Robert Holt, RoMa Craft, Skip Martin, Southern Draw, Steve Saka, Tatuaje, Top 25, Warped | 0 |

Every year we put together a list of our Top 25 Cigars of the Year. Our list is a bit different from some other lists, it is not simply a rehashing of our top scores from the year, or one person’s opinion. We gave each of our panelists 10 votes to cast how they please for what they enjoyed the most in 2019. The order of their votes matter, so their #1 pick is worth twice as much as #10. The cigars do not have to have been reviewed by Blind Man’s Puff, but the panelist must have smoked it.

Cigar News: Foundation Announces Event-Only “The Grasshopper”

by Emmett | Oct 31, 2019 | All, Foundation Cigar, News, Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

The first event-only Foundation cigar, Menelik, became a national release earlier this year. Now, to replace that comes The Grasshopper. Like the original Menelik, The Grasshopper comes in packs of 5 cigars. However, the cigars in the pack are different blends, two with a San Andres Mexican wrapper, two with Candela wrapper, and one cigar with a barber pole of San Andres and Candela. The internals of the cigars is all the same using a Corojo binder from Jalapa, Nicaragua fillers from Esteli, Condega, and Jalapa Nicaragua. Each cigar measure 5 1/4 x 52.

Blind Cigar Review: Foundation | Menelik

by Zane G. | Aug 19, 2019 | Alan, All, Blind Cigar Reviews, Featured, Foundation Cigar, IPCPR, Isaac M., John A., Maduro, Mexican San Andres, Mickey T., Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo, Rothschild, Ryan H. | 0 |

“I think it’s better than the sum of its parts. It smokes great, the ash was impressive, I liked the shape and ascetics of the cigar. It just could have been a bit more interesting in terms of flavor. It’s by no means bland or wispy in flavors but I’d have to be in the mood for a tobacco flavor profile to really enjoy it at the time. Still, I would recommend this if the price was right and the flavors are in your wheelhouse. ” -Alan (Eulogy)

Cigar News: Foundation Cigars Ships Menelik, #142 Lancero and Highclere Victorian

by Emmett | Aug 16, 2019 | Foundation Cigar, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

This year, Foundation Cigars showed off three new products at IPCPR, all extensions of existing products. These included the Menelink, a previously event-only cigar, Tabernacle Havana Seed #142 lancero, a new size in the line, and the Highclere Victorian, a maduro followup to the previously Connecticut-shade wrapped Highclere Castle. All three of these products are now shipping to retailers.

Cigar News: Foundation Announces Highclere Castle Victorian

by Emmett | Jun 18, 2019 | All, Foundation Cigar, IPCPR, News, Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

Foundation Cigar Company released the original Highclere Castle in 2017. Now they are adding a line extension in the form of a maduro wrapper called Highclere Castle Victorian. This new blend will be shown off at IPCPR 2019 and will ship August 2019.

Cigar News: Foundation Announces Tabernacle Havana Seed CT 142 Lancero

by Emmett | Jun 12, 2019 | All, Featured, Foundation Cigar, IPCPR, News, Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

Foundation Cigar Company has announced an extension to their Tabernacle Havana Seed CT 142 line, a Lancero. In keeping with the tradition of releasing a lancero extension to his new lines the following year, Nick Melillo is bringing this lancero to the 2019 IPCPR trade show and convention.

Cigar News: Foundation Refreshes Upsetters Packaging

by Emmett | Jun 7, 2019 | All, Foundation Cigar, News, Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

Foundation Cigar Company is refreshing the packaging of their infused Jamaican line, Upsetters. Upsetters was first shown off at the 2016 IPCPR trade show and convention. The brand is inspired by the Jamaica’s musicians and created by Nick Melillo’s love for Jamaican tobacco and their culture. These new designs for the Upsetters were done by Foundation’s in-house creative laboratory, The ATOL Collective and were inspired by Jamaican album covers from the 1960’s.

Blind Cigar Review: Foundation | The Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 Corona

by Zane G. | Mar 8, 2019 | All, Blind Cigar Reviews, Corona, Dave, Featured, Foundation Cigar, John A., John I., Mickey T., Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo, Ryan H. | 0 |

“Magnificent cigar in my absolute favorite vitola. The flavor profile hit all of my weaknesses, pepper, coffee, chocolate, and an ongoing background tease of spices from the Indian/North African flavor palette. Loved this smoke, and I want a bunch more of them as soon as possible. ” -John I. (John I.)

Top 25 Cigars of the Year – 2018

by Emmett | Jan 4, 2019 | AJ Fernandez, All, Arturo Fuente, Atabey, Black Label Trading Company, Blk Wks, Carlos Fuente Jr, Casa Fernandez, Crowned Heads, Davidoff, Diesel, Don Pepin Garcia, Drew Estate, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, El Artista, Eladio Diaz, Emilio Cigars, Featured, Foundation Cigar, Hendrik Kelner, IPCPR, Jaime Garcia, James Brown, Jon Huber, Jonathan Drew, Juan Martinez, Kyle Gellis, Max Fernandez, MBombay, Mel Shah, MLB Cigar Ventures, My Father, News, Nicholas Melillo, Pete Johnson, Robert Holt, Southern Draw, Steve Saka, Tatuaje, Top 25, Warped | 0 |

Each of our panelists were given 10 votes to towards our Top 25 Cigars of the Year – 2018. As with previous years, the order of their votes mattered as their #1 vote is worth twice as much as their #10. Our list is made up of cigars that had a wide release this year. The cigars that are eligible do not have to have been reviewed on Blind Man’s Puff, but the reviewer must have smoke it at some point to vote for it.

IPCPR 2018: Our Favorite Videos

by Emmett | Jul 19, 2018 | All, Featured, IPCPR, Nestor Plasencia, News, Nicholas Melillo, Pete Johnson | 0 |

Here are just a few of our favorite live videos from IPCPR including interviews with Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars and Nestor Plasencia of Plasencia cigars.

Cigar News: Foundation Cigars Forms Art Collective

by Emmett | Jul 9, 2018 | All, Featured, Foundation Cigar, IPCPR, News, Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

Foundation Cigars has announced that ATOL will become Foundation’s new creative team and will debut their work at their year’s IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas 2018.

Cigar News: Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 to Release at IPCPR 2018

by Matthew T. | Jul 5, 2018 | All, Featured, Foundation Cigar, IPCPR, News, Nicaragua, Nicholas Melillo | 0 |

At the 2018 IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas, Foundation Cigar Company will release the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142. Nick Melillo shared the information on social media about this line extension for the Tabernacle. It will be available in four vitolas and prices will start at $9/cigar up to $13/cigar. It uses a very unique wrapper that is grown right in the Connecticut River Valley, along with a Mexican San Andres binder and filler leaves from Esteli, Jalapa, and the Jamastran region of Honduras.

Category: Nicholas Melillo

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