Foreign Affair by Luciano Cigars

Foreign Affair by Luciano Cigars

The Foreign Affair by Luciano Cigars is handmade at the Luciano Cigars Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, wearing an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over dual binders from Nicaragua and Ecuador, with long fillers from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. Four countries of tobacco in a single cigar. The blend was developed over approximately one year by Luciano Meirelles (CEO and co founder of Luciano Cigars), Mike Dounoulis (Luciano’s regional sales manager), and Frank Cossio (co owner of Astorian Cigar Co. in West Palm Beach, Florida). It debuted at the TPE trade show in early 2023 and shipped to retailers in April 2023. Cigar Aficionado awarded the Corona a 93 rating and placed it on their Top 25 Cigars of the Year list, describing it as: “A solidly rolled corona with a lush draw and even burn that produces plenty of creamy smoke. Every puff is loaded with baking spices such as cinnamon.” Blind Man’s Puff scored the Corona at 95 overall, with one reviewer writing: “Not only were the flavors explosive from the very first puff to the very last but this smoke was incredibly smooth throughout.” Available in Corona (5 5/8 x 42) and Toro Extra (6 1/2 x 52), sold in boxes of 24.

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra. Smooth, milk chocolate brown, slightly oily to the touch, with minimal veins. Stogie Press called it “masterfully constructed” with a “smooth milk chocolate brown wrapper.” The Sumatra seed grown in Ecuador produces a balanced leaf that delivers both sweetness and spice without overwhelming the palate.
• Binder: Dual binder from Nicaragua and Ecuador. Using two binders from different countries is unusual in cigar construction. The Nicaraguan binder adds body and spice. The Ecuadorian binder adds sweetness and smoothness. Together, they create the layered mouthfeel that multiple reviewers praised.
• Filler: Long filler from three countries: Nicaragua (body and pepper), Costa Rica (sweetness and refinement), and the Dominican Republic (complexity and balance). The tri nation filler and dual binder construction is what makes the “Foreign” in Foreign Affair literal: five countries of tobacco in one cigar.
• Sizes: Corona (5 5/8 x 42) and Toro Extra (6 1/2 x 52). The Corona earned the Cigar Aficionado 93 rating and Top 25 placement. It is the format that best showcases the wrapper and binder ratio, concentrating the Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf’s influence in every draw.
• Strength: Mild to medium. Blind Man’s Puff’s four reviewer panel scored overall strength at medium and body at medium. Klaro Cigars found it “medium-strength smoke that is big on flavor, but not on body or bite.” This is a flavor forward cigar, not a nicotine bomb.
• Construction: Blind Man’s Puff scored the draw at 97 and the burn at 97. Halfwheel’s Rothschild review: “The draw is smooth and easy, the burn line is even, and smoke production is plentiful.” Cigar Aficionado: “lush draw and even burn that produces plenty of creamy smoke.”
• Core Flavors: Cedar, earth, baking spices, cinnamon, sweet bread, Italian bread, olive oil, nutmeg, vanilla, cream, brown sugar, black pepper, red pepper, dried fruit, citrus, floral sweetness, oak, leather, saltiness, coffee, nuttiness, tea, mushroom, mint.

What it tastes like

The pre light aroma is inviting. Blind Man’s Puff’s Angel found “musty hay with a bit of cedar, and a faint sweet tobacco smell” from the wrapper, with “a much more pronounced smell of sweet tobacco along with baking spice” from the foot. Cigar Dojo detected “an intense cinnamon smell” at the foot and “a floral note” at the cap. That cinnamon and floral combination sets the stage for a cigar that moves between sweet and spicy with unusual fluidity.

The first third is immediately engaging. Blind Man’s Puff’s Noah captured the opening: “The initial puffs are luxuriously smooth with an abundance of flavors that kicked me square in the taste buds! Definably sweet up front and spicy on the back end. Nutmeg and cedar are the dominant notes out of the gate which lead to a dry finish and lingering tingle on the lips and tongue.” His retrohale was “undeniably smooth with echoes of the same sweet and spicy dynamic.” Meanwhile, Chris on the same panel found “oak and a slightly salty leather” dominating, with “smooth brown sugar and a bit of citrus just below that” and floral sweetness emerging around ten minutes in. Cigar Coop’s first third identified “cedar, earth, natural tobacco, fruit, and a touch of mixed pepper.” Cigar Dojo found something entirely different: “a musty flavor hits first with notes of Italian bread dipped in olive oil” and “an oily texture to the smoke on the palate.” That Italian bread and olive oil note is unique to the Toro Extra format and is one of the most intriguing descriptors in any review of this cigar.

The second third sees the flavors deepen and settle. Blind Man’s Puff’s reviewers tracked “vanilla, and nuttiness followed by baking spice and white pepper,” with the salty leather and floral sweetness continuing. Cigar Coop found “cedar and earth notes primary” with pepper slowly increasing and fruit receding. Cigar Dojo described “toasted bread with some increase in saltiness” and “lingering floral notes” as the retrohale became “a stronger and bolder red pepper spice.” Klaro Cigars placed the second half as the cigar’s best section: “Creamy, milky, nutty, and both richer and spicier as it goes, anything past the halfway mark in this blend is pure gold in my opinion.” Stogie Press detected “mild chocolate” forming in the background, evolving into “vanilla cream” with pepper growing back in and “black tea” notes emerging deep in the second third.

The final third rewards patience. Blind Man’s Puff scored it highest of the three sections at 94 for flavor. Chris found “oak and mineral rich earth up top” with “salted leather” and “floral sweetness and red pepper heat” creeping up. Noah captured the finish: “Dried fruit, dried spice, and a nice floral sweetness round out the flavors.” Cigar Dojo’s final third brought “a salty bread/dough flavor with a mixture of a musty, earthy, almost mushroom like flavors.” The mushroom note is an unusual and specific descriptor that speaks to the Costa Rican filler’s contribution. Cigar Coop’s final third remained consistent: “cedar and earth notes remained grounded in the forefront” with pepper and natural tobacco as secondary notes and “occasional touches of fruit remaining.” The cigar “closed with a soft, cool nub.” Stogie Press’s Belicoso review logged a total smoking time of one hour and 45 minutes and rated the cigar 93.

The story behind the name

Luciano Meirelles described the cigar’s meaning at its debut: “For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar. It’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way a great cigar connects us with people, places, and cultures we might otherwise never experience.” The press release expanded: “Foreign Affair is the invitation towards recognizing that what unites us will always be greater than what we allow to divide us. It’s emblematic of a journey with no fixed destination, the beckoning to travel to understand each other.” The five country tobacco blend makes the philosophy literal. Ecuador provides the wrapper. Nicaragua and Ecuador share binder duties. Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic contribute filler. Luciano Meirelles, a Brazilian who builds cigars in Nicaragua, brought together three collaborators (himself, his sales manager Mike Dounoulis, and Florida tobacconist Frank Cossio) to finalize the blend over the course of a year. The cigar’s retro 1950s travel poster packaging, noted by Cigar Dojo, reinforces the globetrotting theme.

The Luciano Meirelles approach

Luciano Meirelles co founded Luciano Cigars and serves as CEO. He operates the Luciano Cigars Factory (also known as Luciano Tabacos S.A.) in Estelí, Nicaragua, where he produces the brand’s entire portfolio: ACE Prime, Luciano “The Dreamer,” Pichardo, and Foreign Affair. Meirelles is known for multi national blends that source tobacco from across Latin America rather than relying solely on Nicaraguan leaf. The Foreign Affair is the purest expression of that philosophy, pulling leaf from five countries while maintaining balance and drinkability. The collaboration with Frank Cossio of Astorian Cigar Co. brought a retailer’s perspective into the blending process, ensuring the cigar would appeal to the customers who actually buy and smoke cigars at the retail level.

93 from Cigar Aficionado

The Foreign Affair Corona earned a 93 rating from Cigar Aficionado and was named to the publication’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year list. The tasting note described a cigar “loaded with baking spices such as cinnamon” with “plenty of creamy smoke.” That 93 score places the Foreign Affair in elite company at its price point. At under $10 per cigar for the Corona, it competes on rating with cigars costing two and three times as much. Blind Man’s Puff’s independent blind panel scored the Corona even higher at 95 overall experience, with draw and burn both scoring 97. The consistency across two independent, credible evaluations (one rated, one blind) confirms the Foreign Affair as one of the best value cigars released in 2023.

Corona vs. Toro Extra

Blind Man’s Puff’s Noah captured why the Corona format works so well: “I just love a cigar that showcases the wrapper and binder as opposed to the filler and this blend certainly works in this vitola.” The thinner ring gauge of the Corona means the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and the dual Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian binders contribute a larger percentage of each puff’s flavor. The wider Toro Extra lets the tri nation filler assert itself more, producing the Italian bread, olive oil, saltiness, and mushroom notes that Cigar Dojo identified. Both sizes are the same blend. The format determines which layers you taste most prominently.

Pairings

The Foreign Affair’s baking spice, cinnamon, cream, cedar, and sweet bread profile pairs naturally with warm, spiced, and creamy beverages. A café latte or cappuccino mirrors the cigar’s creaminess and complements the cinnamon and baking spice notes that Cigar Aficionado identified as the core of the blend. A chai latte brings its own cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger that interact beautifully with the cigar’s spice. An Irish whiskey (Redbreast 12, Green Spot, Powers Gold) delivers smooth, honey, vanilla, and baking spice character that aligns with the Foreign Affair’s profile without overpowering its medium strength. A bourbon with vanilla and caramel (Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig Small Batch) echoes the brown sugar and vanilla notes from the second half. For beer, a Belgian wheat or witbier with citrus and coriander complements the dried fruit, citrus, and floral notes that multiple reviewers detected. A cream sherry (Lustau East India, Harvey’s Bristol Cream) matches the creamy, sweet, nutty character. For food, a buttery croissant, an Italian bread with olive oil (echoing Cigar Dojo’s tasting note), or a cinnamon roll amplifies the cigar’s sweet bread and baking spice identity.

Quick specs

• Sizes: Corona (5 5/8 x 42), Toro Extra (6 1/2 x 52)
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
• Binder: Nicaragua and Ecuador (dual)
• Filler: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic
• Strength: Mild to medium
• Cigar Aficionado: 93 rating, Top 25
• Box Count: 24

What is the Foreign Affair by Luciano Cigars?

A five country blend using Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, dual binders from Nicaragua and Ecuador, and fillers from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. Blended by Luciano Meirelles, Mike Dounoulis, and Frank Cossio over the course of a year. Handmade at the Luciano Cigars Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Earned a 93 from Cigar Aficionado and a spot on the Top 25 Cigars of the Year list. Available in Corona (5 5/8 x 42) and Toro Extra (6 1/2 x 52). Boxes of 24.

What does the Foreign Affair taste like?

Cedar, earth, baking spices, cinnamon, sweet bread, nutmeg, vanilla, cream, brown sugar, black and red pepper, dried fruit, citrus, floral sweetness, oak, leather, saltiness, and coffee. Cigar Aficionado described it as “loaded with baking spices such as cinnamon” with “plenty of creamy smoke.” The Toro Extra adds Italian bread, olive oil, and mushroom notes. Flavor forward with mild to medium strength.

How strong is the Foreign Affair?

Mild to medium strength with medium body. Blind Man’s Puff’s four reviewer blind panel scored it at medium strength and medium body throughout. Klaro Cigars found it “big on flavor, but not on body or bite.” This is a cigar that delivers complexity and layered flavor without heavy nicotine.

What rating did the Foreign Affair receive?

Cigar Aficionado awarded the Corona a 93 and named it to the Top 25 Cigars of the Year. Blind Man’s Puff scored the Corona at 95 overall with 97 for draw and 97 for burn. Stogie Press rated the Belicoso at 93. Multiple independent evaluations confirm consistent quality across sizes.

What sizes are available?

Corona (5 5/8 x 42) and Toro Extra (6 1/2 x 52). The Corona earned the 93 Cigar Aficionado rating and best showcases the wrapper and binder. The Toro Extra allows more filler expression, producing Italian bread, olive oil, and earthier notes. Both are the same blend in different ring gauges.

Who blended the Foreign Affair?

Three people: Luciano Meirelles (CEO and co founder of Luciano Cigars), Mike Dounoulis (regional sales manager), and Frank Cossio (co owner of Astorian Cigar Co. in West Palm Beach, Florida). The trio spent approximately one year finalizing the blend. Cossio’s retail perspective helped ensure the cigar appealed to everyday smokers.

Is the Foreign Affair a good value?

Yes. At under $10 per cigar for the Corona, the Foreign Affair carries a 93 Cigar Aficionado rating and a 95 Blind Man’s Puff score. It competes on rating with cigars costing two and three times as much. Klaro Cigars said it “burned and smoked like a $15 stick.” Multiple reviewers identify it among the best value releases of 2023.

What pairs well with the Foreign Affair?

Café latte, cappuccino, chai latte, Irish whiskey (Redbreast 12, Green Spot), bourbon (Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace), Belgian wheat beer, cream sherry, buttery croissant, Italian bread with olive oil, or a cinnamon roll. The cigar’s baking spice, cinnamon, cream, and sweet bread notes pair naturally with warm, spiced, and creamy beverages and foods.