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The Cigar Almanac

A classical cigar encyclopedia · English and Traditional Chinese

Home · Brands · Foundation

Nicaragua

Foundation

Original entry · Not for sale · Prices are approximate

Still life of wrapper colors for the Foundation entry. Not that brand’s packaging.
Still life of wrapper colors for the Foundation entry. Not that brand’s packaging.

Nick Melillo’s boutique brand; The Tabernacle and Charter Oak are the two faces.

BrandFoundation
CountryNicaragua
Typical strengthMedium-full
Typical price bandPremium
Founded2015
Typical wrappersMexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua

Flavor tendencies often mentioned

  • cocoa
  • cedar
  • pepper
  • sweet earth
Flavor notes summarize public talk. They are not scores from this almanac.

Five-axis editorial estimate

Strength follows the strength field; price follows the price band or approximate USD. Body, flavour richness, and smoothness are editorial estimates from the taste notes—not ratings.

StrengthBodyFlavourrichnessPriceSmoothness
Editorial estimates, not ratings or lab scores.
Strength4 / 5
Body5 / 5
Flavour richness5 / 5
Price4 / 5
Smoothness4 / 5

The Tabernacle uses Mexican San Andrés and is the fuller, cocoa-earth line. Charter Oak is the easier everyday line, often milder and cheaper.

Notable models

Approximate price per stick. Tax varies widely.

The Tabernacle Toro

StrengthFull
Typical vitolas6¼ × 54
Taste notescocoa, sweet earth, pepper
Approx. USDapprox. US$11–19
Approx. HKDapprox. HK$85–150
Price bandPremium
StrBodyFlavPriceSmooth
Editorial estimates, not ratings or lab scores.
Strength5 / 5
Body5 / 5
Flavour richness4 / 5
Price3 / 5
Smoothness2 / 5

Tabernacle Havana Seed

StrengthMedium-full
Typical vitolas6 × 52
Taste notescedar, spice
Approx. USDapprox. US$11–18
Approx. HKDapprox. HK$85–140
Price bandPremium
StrBodyFlavPriceSmooth
Editorial estimates, not ratings or lab scores.
Strength4 / 5
Body4 / 5
Flavour richness4 / 5
Price3 / 5
Smoothness4 / 5

Charter Oak Maduro

StrengthMedium
Typical vitolas6 × 52
Taste notescocoa, wood
Approx. USDapprox. US$6–11
Approx. HKDapprox. HK$45–85
Price bandMid
StrBodyFlavPriceSmooth
Editorial estimates, not ratings or lab scores.
Strength3 / 5
Body4 / 5
Flavour richness4 / 5
Price2 / 5
Smoothness3 / 5

Wise Man Maduro

StrengthMedium-full
Typical vitolas5½ × 50
Taste notesearth, cedar
Approx. USDapprox. US$9–16
Approx. HKDapprox. HK$70–125
Price bandPremium
StrBodyFlavPriceSmooth
Editorial estimates, not ratings or lab scores.
Strength4 / 5
Body5 / 5
Flavour richness3 / 5
Price3 / 5
Smoothness4 / 5

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