Building a New Foundation

When Nicholas Melillo established Foundation Cigar Company in 2015, his first launch was the El Güegüense, Spanish for “The Wise Man.” The Corona-sized cigar was made by Aganorsa Leaf and made Cigar Aficionado’s “Top 25 Cigars” list for 2016.

Eight years later and Foundation’s founding brand is getting a whole new look. Now known simply as The Wise Man, the cigars are now being made across town in Esteli at the My Father Cigars factory by Pepin Garcia.

The new The Wise Man debuts in both a Corojo or Maduro wrapper. The Wise Man Corojo is a Nicaraguan puro that uses filler tobaccos from Garcia’s farms in Condega, Esteli and Jalapa. The Wise Man Maduro utilizes a rich Mexican Maduro wrapper from San Andres but is otherwise a Nicaraguan puro. Both cigars are available in four sizes: Doble Corona (7 x 54), Toro (6 x 52), Robusto (5 ½ x 50) and Corona (5 x 48). All the cigars are packaged in 20-count boxes.

“While it’s sad that we are retiring El Güegüense, we are excited about The Wise Man,” Melillo says. “I’ve long admired Pepin and working with him and his family is a dream come true. Cigar lovers are really going to love the whole new look and feel of these new cigars.”

Along the same vein of re-imaging El Güegüense, Foundation has also rebranded its Ruben Dario-inspired Metapa cigar as Aksum, named for the ancient Aksumite Kingdom where legend says the Ark of the Covenant was hidden.

Available in either a Maduro or Claro version, Aksum cigars are made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez, using an Ecuadorean Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos from Esteli and Jalapa. Aksum is available in four sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), Corona Gorda (5 ½ x 48) and Double Corona (7 x 54). All the cigars are packaged in 10-count boxes.