Foundation Charter Oak Habano Torpedo
Posted on February 08 2021
Vitola: 6x52 Torpedo
Smoking Time: 70 Minutes
Cigars Smoked: 4
Body: Mild
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
MSRP: $7
Founder and master blender, Nicholas Melillo has traveled the world procuring tobacco, toiled in factories overseeing production, and blended some of the top-rated and best-selling cigars in the industry. Under his watchful eye, Foundation Cigars are inspected and each bale of tobacco is smoked to verify flavor, combustion, and aroma.
An homage to the world-class soil and the storied cigar brands of Foundation Cigar Company, and Melillo’s native state. The Charter Oak cigars offered in a Connecticut Shade, rustic Connecticut Broadleaf, and the newest addition, an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, have been highly regarded since their release—including the distinction of #1 Best Buy from Cigar Aficionado.
Visual Inspection: A slightly toothy wrapper, with rather visible seams present. Cigar has faint veins running throughout, and a touch of oil covering the wrapper. There is a small amount of play in the stick, and all the signs of great construction. The aroma is quite sweet, black cherry with dry hay and residual notes of vanilla.
Cold draw is exactly what I was hoping for, the black cherry is very prevalent and is met with a bitter herb, or lettuce.
First Third: With the cigar having a semi closed foot, it was harder to light, but took well to flame. There is a very loose draw which has not happened with my other samples.
Right off the bat, I receive notes of light hazelnut, vanilla sweetness, with black cherry lingering, and accentuated with a retrohale.
As I make my way down, the habano characteristics are becoming more pronounced, light black pepper, earth, roasted nuts and baking spices. The burn line is rough at best, however with a touch up it smoothes out.
Second Third: With a retrohale the sweet notes are resurfacing. A bakers chocolate, appears, and is met with very faint caramel. All-the-while maintaining it’s pepper spice and roasted notes.
The ash is an off white, slightly yellow color with a solid feel, and showing tooth. Rounding out this third, notes of bitter lettuce, spice and cinnamon.
Last Third: My burn line has evened out, but still slightly wavy. The draw issue has cleared up, and is providing a lovely amount of smoke each toke. The habano wrapper is starting to show its strength again, with ample amounts of earth, black pepper, dry wood, a smooth roasted nut, with a sweet retrohale.
I’m not a huge fan of the torpedo vitola, they get very hot towards the end, and does not allow for a “nub friendly” experience. Putting that aside, I am happy with how these have performed. While not an exceptionally complex cigar, the flavors are consistent and straight forward.
Final Thoughts: I absolutely love each of the Charter Oak cigars. While the price point is on the low end of the spectrum, you are not compromising on the quality of the cigars. Extremely consistent, I will frequently toss one of them in my daily line up to remind me price is not important. While it is certainly a more mild habano, it is a nice step up from the C.O. shade. These are cigars I have given friends, who are new to smoking as well as well seasoned smokers.
-Sam