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.
Foundation Cigars and The Foundation Art team in Nicaragua announced today a new web-based animated series ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Upsetters.’ The series will showcases one of Foundation’s first brands, The Upsetters. Three shorts have been released today, and more will follow monthly.
Southbury, CT – July 8, 2016 - Rick Ardito has officially joined Foundation Cigar Company as Brand Manager, for the highly anticipated July 2016 release of Nick Melillo’s exciting new brand, “The Upsetters.” Ardito brings a wealth of knowledge and valuable experience to the project backed by nearly two decades of industry experience beginning with Drew Estate in 1997, retiring in 2010 as both a Partner and Executive Vice President of Public Relations. Ardito also served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for 7-20-4 Cigar Company from 2012-2015. Prior to the cigar industry Ardito served 8 years as a Cryptologist for the United States Marine Corps. Upon leaving the Corps Ardito began a career in comedy performing mainly from NYC to Miami Florida, residing in both cities during the 1980’s and 1990’s, moving back to his home state of CT in 1995 becoming a successful Restaurateur in New Haven.
Every year around the 4th of July, United Cigars comes out with a special limited edition of their Firecracker series. Each year is with a new company. This year's release is with Foundation Cigar Company and will be the Wiseman Maduro Firecracker 2021. Last year's Perdomo Firecracker made #23 on out Top 25 Cigars of the year list.
Foundation Cigars is adding a 6 x 52 Toro to the Menelik line. The new size will be shown off at the PCA trade show next month. Menelik has been around since 2016 and was originally a event-only cigar. In 2019, it became more widely available in boxes of 12 as a limited release. The original size was a 4 1/2 x 52 short robusto.
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.
Southbury, CT July 5th, 2016 - Nicholas Melillo, owner of Foundation Cigar Company formally announces the appointment of Miami Cigar Company as the Exclusive Distributor for the long awaited UPSETTERS brand set for release just prior to the 2016 IPCPR Show in Las Vegas.
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.
Foundation Cigars is adding a new size to its El Güegüense Corojo and The Wise Man Maduro lines. Macho Raton is a 4 ¾ x 60 perfecto that happens to be the same size as the company's 5th anniversary releases. The name Macho Raton is the nickname for the main character, El Güegüense, in the play of the same name. El Güegüense is a transcendent satirical drama that embodies several facets of the Nicaraguan experience
Foundation Cigar Company has announced two new cigar blends, "Charter Oak Pegnataro-CT Shade and Pasquale-CT Broadleaf." These new cigars are a tribute to the lasting influence and cherished memories of Nicholas Melillo's grandfathers, whose passion for tobacco inspired his own.