We’re branching out to the picturesque state of Connecticut in our latest cigar review. The “constitution state” is known for its breathtaking lakes and quaint residential areas, but you may not be as familiar with its most famous tree — the Charter Oak.
This unusually giant and gnarled oak tree inspired Foundation Charter Oak cigars. It symbolizes independence and Yankee shrewdness, as it served as the hiding place for Connecticut’s Royal Charter of 1662. This ensured it stopped Sir Edmund Andros (His Majesty’s Agent) and his armed escort from seizing the Charter.
King James, who wanted to revoke Connecticut’s Charter, was overthrown in 1689, and Andros lost power in the colonies. The Connecticut Charter emerged from hiding and was used to govern Connecticut until 1818. The great tree (estimated at nearly 1,000 years old) stood tall for another 38 years, eventually succumbing to a violent storm in 1856.
While the roots of this cigar aren’t as storied as the Connecticut landmark that sowed its name, it has grown to establish a reputation as a great budget smoke. Initially available in two blends (Connecticut Broadleaf and Connecticut Shade), a Habano wrapper option was added to the line in September 2020.
Brand overview
Foundation Cigars owner Nick Melillo is a highly-regarded stogie-maker in the premium cigar industry. However, it was while working with Drew Estate that he made his name — a company best known for its masterful infused cigars.
Now you know the historical offshoots of the Foundation Charter Oak, you won’t be surprised to know that Melillo is a Connecticut native. However, most of his adult life was spent in Nicaragua, so he’s combined the best of both worlds here.
For this cigar review, we’ve plumped for the rugged, dark chocolate Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that proudly displays an image of the famous tree in the center of the band. This cigar blends aged Nicaraguan fillers and a Habano Nicaraguan binder — the cigar’s subtitle even reads “Connecticut-Nicaragua.”
We are toasting the Lonsdale vitola today, giving us around 45 minutes of smoking pleasure. However, whether you are short on time or have the chance to unwind with a slow burner, plenty more sizes are available.
Cigar specs
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 6.25
Ring: 46
Strength: Medium
Smoke Time: 50 minutes
Cold draw
I nose the wrapper, which has a rich earthy aroma with the faintest sweetness. As the Foundation Charter Oak has a closed foot, I don’t need to clip it before seeing what my pre-light puffs bring.
The earth turns sweeter on the cold draw, with sharp hints of cedar and dark fruit.
First third
A closed foot provides the wrapper’s character in the first few draws. Right off the bat, there’s a noticeable amount of earth and semi-sweet chocolate, with a bit of black pepper lingering on the palate.
The pepper was more impactful on the nose but was tempered by rich cedar, cocoa, and leather notes. However, what impresses me most about this cigar is how the subtle sweetness of the wrapper has transcended into the heart of the flavor profile.
Second third
The wrapper’s aroma continues to stand out in the second third. The profile does become slightly nutty, but there’s a lovely balance between the rich earth and mellow nuances of dried fruits and hazelnut.
On the retrohale, the smoke still packs a fulfilling pepper punch subtle enough to keep the Broadleaf earthiness and sweetness alive. Towards the end of this third, some exciting notes of espresso bean and smoked walnut appear.
Final third
Following the smoked walnut, the last third is woodsy and wonderful with charred cedar, toasted nut, and a jolt of red pepper. However, there is still an earthiness at the heart of these nicely rounded flavors. Sweet wood drives the profile by the halfway point, working harmoniously with the rich earth and dried fruits.
As the cigar comes to a close, the notes remain earthy with an abundance of cedar that has joined the party once more. Light black pepper is still operating in the background but has completely faded on the nose, with softer nutty notes sprucing up the balance and overall complexity.
Conclusion
The Foundation Charter Oak Connecticut Broadleaf isn’t a case of Foundation Cigars turning over a new leaf. It’s not the most complex cigar they’ve ever made, but it delivers an excellent flavor profile throughout that showcases the dark and delicious nature of the Connecticut Broadleaf.
Working out at around $5.76 a smoke for a box of 20, pair your Foundation Charter Oak with a coffee or hazelnut liqueur to take all that Broadleaf earth and sweetness to the next level.
