Five years after launching Foundation Cigar Company and their inaugural El Güegüense brand, company owner, Nick Melillo, will be commemorating the milestone with a limited version of the blend that has been dubbed El Güegüense 5 Year Aniversario.
The original El Güegüense was made in honor of Nicaraguan culture, with the name and artwork tying into the country’s famed satirical drama, taking place annually during their Festival of San Sebastián. El Güegüense was a welcomed surprise for cigar enthusiasts in 2015, veering from the dark and gritty style Melillo had been known for at his time with Drew Estate and instead highlighting an intricate performance through the use of a Nicaraguan puro blend. The cigars were an instant hit, receiving a 92 rating with Cigar Dojo, as well as ranking as our No. 3 Cigar of the Year for 2015.
With El Güegüense 5 Year Aniversario, Melillo plays on the original blend, tweaking the recipe to offer a new take on the acclaimed original. This includes the size, look, packaging, and tobacco blend. New artwork has been designed by Thief Operandi, the company’s art director, having a similar feel to the original El Güegüense brand. The cigars are packaged in limited-edition chests that are more along the lines of a humidor than a traditional cigar box. It’s a style seen previously with limited sizes of Foundation’s brands, only the chest has been customized with a rounded lid. This is said to resemble the chest held by The Wise Man during the festival’s Great Dance.
El Güegüense 5 Year Aniversario has been rolled in a short/stout 4¾” x 60 perfecto format. The cigars make use of a Corojo ’99 wrapper, a San Andrés binder, and all-Nicaraguan fillers from the Jalapa and Estelí regions. An unspecified number of 20-count chests have been made, which are set to ship in late September at an MSRP of $300 ($15 per cigar).
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