Wow! It’s been a crazy couple of months since I’ve been able to do a Cigar of the Week. I’ve been wanting to name Nicholas Melillo’s latest endeavor for what seems like ages and, now that I can finally smell again, it’s time to get rockin’ and rollin’!
When I first tried Foundation’s Havana Seed CT Tabernacle, I was captivated and immediately added it to the 2018 Top 11 Awards. I’ve enjoyed everything that Nickragua’s thrown at us in recent years, but I wasn’t prepared for how different this Tabernacle would be. Whereas the original Tabernacle hits all the right spots, this rendition indulges me with one of my favorite notes to find in a cigar: cinnamon!
The Corona particularly shines with cinnamon, but today’s Robusto might just take the cake. It’s much less pronounced than I got from the smaller ring gauge but seems to effortlessly blend into the profile.
Approximately an inch in, I’m tasting cedar, toasted almonds, hints of cinnamon, along with a couple discordant flavors such as damp earth and black coffee from time to time. The body of this cigar is noticeably lighter than the Corona, and carefully dances around the medium to medium-plus territory.
The smoke is cool on the tongue but blasts the nostrils with something akin to bread, an unidentified sweetness, and a potent dose of pepper in a retro hale.
Sidenote: Has anyone else been thinking about Melillo’s consistency lately? He’s released fewer cigars than some of his peers, but refused to hit anything less than a home run. Outstanding.
After dropping the ash and wading in the second third, it seems perfectly satisfied to remain on course without changing things up. In that case, I think I’ll try a couple different pairings and see what shakes out.
Cheers to a great week ahead!
Recommendations
The Corona has a sharper, more in your face flavor profile. I thought this would be my favorite vitola for the cinnamon, but everything else was also turned up a notch. Heavy earth, bitter espresso, and vivid cinnamon sounded amazing until I tried the Robusto which weaves everything together into more a comprehensive blend.
If you like ‘em bolder, I’d recommend giving the Corona a try as soon as possible.
If you feel that you like your flavors to marry a little more, I’d definitely look to the Robusto or Toro vitolas. I’ve yet to try the Toro myself, but the Robusto this afternoon made me very happy with my box purchase.
For a pairing suggestion, I was quite satisfied with a pour of Diplomatico after the above was written down. I can’t remember a time when Diplomatico didn’t do the trick, but I did strike out a couple times on the way with whiskeys that refused to cooperate.
Tell us! What are YOUR thoughts on Foundation’s Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142?
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