The Wise Man Maduro is an offshoot of the original El Güegüense, which loosely translates to “The Wise Man” and is named for a folkloric dance in Nicaragua. This Maduro has all the qualities of a stand-out cigar: assertive without being aggressive, full-bodied without being too strong and interesting from first puff to last. It’s a flavorful blend that oscillates between the sweet and the savory. Cocoa and vanilla notes play off the tobacco’s meaty, beef-stock qualities, all integrated by an ever-present earthiness. The Wise Man Maduro has received numerous accolades including a 95 rating from Cigar Aficionado, a 93 rating from Cigar Dojo, winning Halfwheel’s Consensus, as well as being included in various Top 25 lists.

“This cigar is a tribute to Nicaragua, its culture, people, land, and the bridge between the old world traditions and the new.”

Nicholas Melillo, President of Foundation Cigar Company

Foundation Cigar Company President Nicholas Melillo released of The Wise Man (El Güegüense) Maduro, for IPCPR 2017 in Las Vegas, NV. The release provided a line extension to Melillo’s premier brand released during IPCPR 2015, where the Nicaraguan puro enjoyed a highly successful launch, going on to find inclusion in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 list for 2018.

Melillo blended The Wise Man (El Güegüense) Maduro using Nicaraguan filler tobaccos from Condega, Esteli, and Jalapa and covered the cigar with a beautiful, oily, and rich San Andres Mexican Maduro wrapper. “We’ve enjoyed a lot of success with El Güegüense, and it is an honor for people to recognize a project that personally means so much to me.” says Melillo. “I was looking to create a line extension with a whole different level of complexity and the San Andrès wrapper brings just that. The blend encompasses bold flavors of black pepper, dark roast espresso, and cacao. Medium-plus in body and strength and rounded out with a nutty finish.”

“I have always been drawn to San Andrés, Mexico, and have been buying tobacco there since 2003. The wrapper is one of my favorites, not to mention one of the oldest seed varieties in the world, which predates even Cuban seed. The combination of this unique capa and Nicaraguan fillers makes for amazingly flavorful smoke.” says Melillo