Foundation Cigar Company’s most exclusive cigar, the Menelik, only available in limited production runs, is a cigar with a soft box press and Nicaraguan blend under a San Andrés wrapper. It’s no secret that Nick Melillo usually names his cigars with terms with a rich backstory; The Menelik is a sequel of sorts to El Gueguense and The Wise Man. The term “Menelik” comes from one of King Solomon’s many sons, who became ruler in Ethiopia, King Solomon was known for asking God for wisdom, and therefore “Menelik” acquired the meaning: son of a wise man. Fittingly it shares The Wise Man’s pigtail.
Foundation’s Menelik is a very balanced cigar of spicy and sweet notes, there’s a pronounced presence of black pepper with a caramel-and-honey nuance that remains throughout the entire smoke; along the way, notes of cocoa, wood, and dry earth make their way in and out of the mix. These cigars are extremely rare.
