Foundation The Wise Man Maduro Torpedo
Posted on March 10 2021
Vitola: 6.25x52 | Smoking Time: 83 min | Cigars Smoked: 6 | Body: Medium+ | MSRP: $11.70
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres | Binder: Corojo 99 Jalapa | Filler: Nicaraguan
Foundation Cigars was founded by Nicholas Melillo in 2015. He released the precursor, El Güegüense, then followed with The Wise Man Maduro two years later. The Maduro has earned a 95 from Cigar Aficionado and numerous top-25 list appearances.
Visual Inspection: Exceptionally smooth dark brown San Andres leaf with small unnoticeable tooth, smooth veins, and obvious but non-peeling seams. Subtle torpedo box press. Foot: barnyard, chocolate, toast, cinnamon. Cold draw: cinnamon, dark chocolate, fig.
First Third: Immediate sweetness on lighting — bright chocolate, espresso, and hazelnut sweetness. Gingerbread and cinnamon after exhaling, then a creamy finish with minty mouthfeel. Retrohale brings trace pepper that blends chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee beautifully. Amazing draw from the torpedo box press.
Second Third: Bolder profile — dark chocolate, walnut, cinnamon, coffee, tinge of pepper, and salted caramel. Creamier and less spicy than typical San Andres, which blends beautifully with the bold Nicaraguan binder and filler.
Final Third: Chili pepper and black pepper peek through while cinnamon, dark chocolate, coffee, cream, and walnut remain consistent. Flavors bounced enough to justify calling this a complex cigar.
Final Thoughts: Outperformed expectations. The Maduro is much fuller than El Güegüense and frequents my humidor more often. An extremely smooth yet full-bodied experience that pushes the limits of what San Andres wrappers can do.
-Sam
Frequently asked questions
How does the Wise Man Maduro compare to the Wise Man Natural?
The reviewer finds the Maduro version significantly fuller-bodied than its natural counterpart. The Mexican San Andres wrapper adds weight, earth, and dark sweetness that the natural doesn’t have — making the Maduro the choice for those who want more from this blend.
What is the El Gueguense connection?
Foundation’s El Güegüense (The Wise Man in English) is the source of this cigar’s name. Nicholas Melillo blended El Güegüense as his debut cigar — the Wise Man Maduro is his evolution of that beloved blend with a darker wrapper and fuller profile.
Is Foundation Wise Man Maduro good value at $11.70?
Yes — 83 minutes of medium-plus complexity from a highly regarded blender at under $12 is excellent value. The reviewer calls it a standout that exceeded expectations.