Foundation The Tabernacle Knight Commander Arriving This Fall

Since Foundation Cigar Company’s launch in 2015, their premiere lines have largely been split between two themes: Nicaragua (including the El Güegüense, The Wise Man Maduro, and others) and Ethiopia’s ties to Biblical figures (such as The Tabernacle, Menelik, and others). Their latest limited release falls into the latter category, referencing Nick Melillo (owner/founder of Foundation Cigar Co.) receiving the title of Knight Commander of The Ethiopian Star of Honor in Jan. 2022.

The Order was established by Emperor Menelik in 1889 as an order of Knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire to foreign and domestic civilian and military officials and individuals for service to the country. It is with great pride and reverence that the Tabernacle Knight Commander pays tribute to this noble accolade.

Unlike former releases in The Tabernacle line, The Tabernacle Knight Commander is limited in release, with an expected 700 boxes of 12 cigars shipping annually. Not only this, but the cigars are a charitable endeavor, with Foundation donating 100% of proceeds toward Ethiopian causes, such as “scholarships [and] rebuilding churches.”

Nicholas Melillo, the owner of Foundation Cigar Company, remarked, “Receiving the Ethiopian Star of Honor is an extraordinary privilege and an honor of a lifetime. The Knight Commander vitola is my tribute to this esteemed recognition, and I am proud that 100% of all wholesale proceeds will be contributed directly to charity, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Ethiopians.”

The Tabernacle Knight Commander is rolled in a 6¾” x 52 perfecto format out of A.J. Fernández’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The blend includes a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Mexican San Andrés binder, and fillers from Nicaragua’s Estelí and Jalapa regions. Finally, the cigars have undergone 15 months’ aging on cedar prior to shipping, which will take place later this fall. The Knight Commander will make its first appearance at next week’s PCA trade show in Las Vegas, and is priced at $40/cigar MSRP.