Foundation Cigars is the company Nicholas Melillo founded in 2015, headquartered on a tobacco farm in Ellington, Connecticut, with its cigars made in Nicaragua; A.J. Fernandez produces lines such as The Tabernacle, Olmec and Charter Oak Maduro. The blends we list run from medium to full body. Typical notes include cedar, cream and mild spice in the Connecticut Shade Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro; cedar, cinnamon and toasted bread in the San Andrés-wrapped Foundation Olmec Claro; cedar, black pepper and a creamy finish in Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142; and mocha, coffee and dark chocolate in the Broadleaf maduro Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pasquale. Start with the medium-bodied Pegnataro, then try the Olmec Claro or Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 when you want more depth.
Foundation Cigars
Foundation Cigars, founded by master blender Nicholas Melillo in 2015, is a boutique company dedicated to small-batch premium cigars that combine old‑world tradition with modern artistry, headquartered in Connecticut and handcrafted primarily in Nicaragua.
Flagship lines like El Güegüense (The Wise Man), The Tabernacle, Charter Oak, Highclere Castle, and newer series such as Aksum and Senetjer showcase carefully selected Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Connecticut tobaccos, delivering profiles that range from wallet‑friendly, mild‑to‑medium Connecticut Shade to rich, full‑bodied Broadleaf and Corojo blends packed with earth, cocoa, spice, and natural sweetness.
Enthusiasts reach for Foundation Cigar Company when they want story‑driven branding, complex flavor, and impeccably crafted cigars that honor cigar culture, history, and terroir in every blend.
Create Your Own Foundation Sampler — mix blends from Charter Oak, The Tabernacle, Olmec, and more.
Foundation Cigars
Frequently asked questions about Foundation Cigars
Who makes Foundation Cigars, and where are they made?
Foundation Cigar Co. was founded in 2015 by blender Nicholas Melillo and is headquartered on a tobacco farm in Ellington, Connecticut. Its cigars are made in Nicaragua, and A.J. Fernandez produces lines including The Tabernacle, Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142, Olmec and Charter Oak Maduro.
How strong are Foundation Cigars?
The Foundation blends Oxford Cigar Company lists run from medium to full body. Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro (Connecticut Shade) is listed as medium-bodied, Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 as medium to full, Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pasquale (Connecticut Broadleaf) as medium to full, and The Tabernacle as full-bodied. Check each blend, because strength is not the same across the whole brand.
Which Foundation cigar should I try first, and how do the lines differ?
Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro is an easy starting point: a medium-bodied Connecticut Shade cigar with typical notes of cedar, cream and mild spice. Foundation Olmec Claro has a Mexican San Andres wrapper and typically tastes of cedar, cinnamon and toasted bread. Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 is medium to full with cedar, black pepper and a creamy finish. The Broadleaf-wrapped The Tabernacle is full-bodied, and Charter Oak Especiales Pasquale (medium to full) typically shows mocha, coffee and dark chocolate.
Where can I buy Foundation Cigars online?
Oxford Cigar Company carries a selection of Foundation Cigars on its Foundation Cigars category page: https://oxfordcigarcompany.com/foundation-cigars/. Free US shipping on orders $50+.