Foundation Tabernacle Knight Commander
Annual limited release of 700 boxes worldwide. Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper over Mexican San Andrés binder, handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in EstelÃ, Nicaragua. Notes of mocha, cedar, and black pepper with baker’s spice. 100% of net wholesale proceeds benefit The Royal Ethiopian Trust.
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Foundation Tabernacle Knight Commander
The Tabernacle Knight Commander represents something rare in the cigar industry: a meticulously crafted premium smoke tied to meaningful humanitarian work. Nicholas Melillo, owner of Foundation Cigar Company, created this limited annual release following his 2023 honor by the Ethiopian Crown Council, which bestowed upon him the title of Knight Commander of The Ethiopian Star of Honor. Originally established by Emperor Menelik II in 1889, this order of knighthood recognized those who provided extraordinary service to Ethiopia, both foreign and domestic officials alike.
Key Features
- Annual limited release of 700 boxes worldwide (12 cigars per box)
- 100% of net wholesale proceeds benefit The Royal Ethiopian Trust
- Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper over Mexican San Andrés binder
- Handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in EstelÃ, Nicaragua
- Complex flavor profile blending mocha, cedar, pepper, and baker’s spice
- Distinctive 6 ¾ x 52 perfecto shape for evolving smoke experience
Craftsmanship and Construction
Melillo worked closely with AJ Fernandez to develop a blend worthy of its namesake honor. The foundation begins with a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that provides rich visual appeal and robust flavor potential. Beneath this lies a hearty San Andrés Mexican binder, chosen for its binding properties and contribution to the cigar’s medium-full body. The filler consists of carefully selected Nicaraguan tobaccos from two distinct growing regions: Estelà and Jalapa, each bringing unique characteristics to the final profile.
The perfecto vitola requires skilled hands to roll properly. This traditional shape, measuring 6 ¾ inches with a 52 ring gauge at its widest point, tapers at both the head and foot. This construction creates a dynamic smoking experience as the draw evolves from the narrow foot through the fuller middle section. The box-pressed format adds another layer of complexity, slightly flattening the cigar for improved burn characteristics and enhanced flavor concentration.
Manufacturing takes place at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua in EstelÃ, one of the most respected factories in the industry. This partnership between Melillo and Fernandez extends beyond simple contract manufacturing. Fernandez contributes tobacco from La Soledad, his own Nicaraguan farm, ensuring quality control from seed to finished product. Each Knight Commander receives careful attention during construction, aging, and quality inspection before leaving the factory.
The cigar opens with a distinct mocha profile, blending coffee and cocoa notes seamlessly. Cedar and black pepper provide structure alongside subtle baker’s spice reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg. As the smoke progresses into the second third, the mocha character separates into distinct coffee and cocoa components, with coffee moving to the forefront. The final third maintains these core flavors while the pepper and baker’s spice increase in intensity, creating a satisfying finish. The retrohale throughout reveals additional layers of cedar and sweet spice, adding depth to each puff.
Supporting Ethiopian Heritage
What sets the Knight Commander apart from typical limited releases is its charitable mission. Melillo pledged 100% of all net wholesale proceeds to The Royal Ethiopian Trust, a nonprofit organization focused on education, entrepreneurship programs, and preservation of Ethiopian historical artifacts. This includes funding educational scholarships, restoring churches and cultural sites, and supporting community development initiatives across Ethiopia. The Tabernacle name itself references the biblical resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, which according to legend resides in Ethiopia, connecting the cigar’s narrative directly to its charitable focus.
Summary
- Box Count: 12
- Region: Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium-Full
- Binder: San Andrés Mexican
- Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
- Filler: Estelà & Jalapa Nicaragua
What makes the Knight Commander different from other Tabernacle cigars?
The Knight Commander uses the same Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper foundation as the regular Tabernacle line but features a unique perfecto shape and box-pressed format. It’s also a limited annual fall release with only 700 boxes produced each year, and all net proceeds benefit Ethiopian charities through The Royal Ethiopian Trust.
Why is this cigar connected to Ethiopia?
Nicholas Melillo received the title of Knight Commander of The Ethiopian Star of Honor from the Ethiopian Crown Council in 2023. This historic order of knighthood was established by Emperor Menelik II in 1889 to recognize extraordinary service to Ethiopia. Melillo created this cigar to honor that recognition while supporting Ethiopian charitable causes.
What flavor profile should I expect?
The Knight Commander opens with a prominent mocha profile blending coffee and cocoa notes, accompanied by cedar, black pepper, and baker’s spice. The second third sees these flavors separate, with coffee moving to the forefront alongside distinct cocoa notes. The final third intensifies the pepper and spice components while maintaining the core coffee and cocoa characteristics.
Where are these cigars made?
Production takes place at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua in EstelÃ, Nicaragua. AJ Fernandez contributes tobacco from his own farm, La Soledad, and his factory team handles all aspects of manufacturing from rolling to quality control.
How limited is this release?
Foundation Cigar Company produces exactly 700 boxes annually, with each box containing 12 cigars. This makes it a true limited edition that typically sells out during the fall release period. The 2024 release shipped in October, continuing the pattern established with the inaugural 2023 release.
What size and shape is the Knight Commander?
The cigar measures 6 ¾ inches long with a 52 ring gauge, rolled in a perfecto shape that tapers at both ends. It’s also box-pressed, which flattens the cigar slightly and enhances the burn characteristics. This combination creates an evolving smoking experience as you work through the different sections.
Who should smoke this cigar?
The medium-full strength makes this accessible to experienced smokers who appreciate Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers and complex flavor profiles. The perfecto shape rewards those who enjoy watching a cigar evolve throughout the smoke. Anyone who values cigars with a charitable mission will appreciate that their purchase directly supports education and cultural preservation in Ethiopia.
How does the charitable component work?
Foundation Cigar Company commits 100% of all net wholesale proceeds from Knight Commander sales to The Royal Ethiopian Trust. This nonprofit funds educational scholarships, entrepreneurship programs, restoration of churches and historical artifacts, and various community development initiatives throughout Ethiopia. Your purchase directly supports these efforts.
| Selection | Box – Knight Commander 6 3/4 x 52, 5 Pack – Knight Commander 6 3/4 x 52, Single – Knight Commander 6 3/4 x 52 |
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Justin White (verified owner) –
Honestly I was pretty disappointed by this. At times the flavor became something special but the majority of the experience was lots of pepper and strength, oak, and not a whole lot more. I was hoping for some of that beautiful sweetness I get from the Tabernacle but it was scarce. The construction was ok, it burned ok other than one touch up and the draw was a little too loose, almost under packed. I would overlook that and not nit pick on most cigars but thats not acceptable in a 40 dollar stick. Maybe the loose draw led to the flavors not connecting, I’m sure thats the case, but for this kind of money I wont be trying it again unless it’s a gift.
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Shawn Burridge (verified owner) –
This is a good cigar. No denying that. The price point is likely a turn off for most. I give 4 stars because of the price and the need for touch ups. I’ve smoked a couple boxes of these and touch ups are just to be expected. The flavors make up for that because they are bold and long lasting. I do think a cigar at a $40 MSRP should require less work from me as I smoke it but that’s my only gripe. The draw is great.
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davelagerstedt (verified owner) –
I wanted this cigar to be as great as the sentjer, but it came nowhere near close. I like most of nick’s blends and especially the tabernacle, but this cigar was mostly like chewing on a slab of oak with some black pepper sprinkled on top. Construction was good, mine had a draw on the tighter side which I prefer over wide open. I’m going to see how time does to this cigar, but I’ll be hard pressed to buy any more after what I purchased due to the price and overall experience
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Lou Cross (verified owner) –
I’m a HUGE fan of Foundation Cigars cigars and Nick Melillo. He’s doing some amazing things with tobacco and I’m always up for trying the latest release. The Highclere Castle Senetjer was one of the best smokes I’ve enjoyed in the last 5 years. So, when the Tabernacle Knight Commander was shown at last year’s PCA, I immediately put my call into Oxford Cigar Co. to ensure they would be getting some in. I was a little surprised by the price point being considerably MORE expensive than the $30+ Senetjer. This seems to be the way of the LE (Limited Edition) cigars these days… So, since my favorite Foundation core line is the Tabernacle, I put the order in with high-expectations. The story alone is so intriguing and learning that the profits are being sent to support charity work in Ethiopia helps to offset the $40/cigar cost… the award of the ‘Star of Honor’ is a well deserved testament to the good things that Nick is doing.
So when the cigars arrived, the unboxing/opening was like an event. The heavy latch to the elegant flat-black painted box and the two trays of 6 beautiful long dark perfectos (6 3/4 x 52) with attractive red, green and gold bands featuring the ‘Star of Honor’ in the center of the band. Upon lighting up there were familiar flavors found in the other Tabernacle cigars, but as it burned a bit there was much more cedar tones that lingered on the palate. I was expecting a bit more from this one since the Senetjer was so very different from the other Highclere Castle cigars. There were some pepper notes and heavy on the leather tones, nothing extraordinary. As it smoked it burned a little uneven requiring some touchups in the middle third. The couple i have smoked so far seemed a bit underfilled and burned hot. I will comment back once I smoke a couple more to see if that was isolated. I can see that a few other smokers have had the opposite and experienced a tight draw with this cigar. I did enjoy smoking this one, but not sure I’d seek out another box. Definitely give it a try if you’re a fan of Foundation, but I’d suggest waiting on a sale to give it a shot.
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