Foundation Cigar Company: Charter Oak Maduro Toro Cigars

Foundation's founder and master blender Nicholas Melillo wanted to offer "an economy-minded, everyday smoke for connoisseurs — something tasty and delicious but didn't break the bank." Enter the Charter Oak line. Featuring Cuban-seed fillers from Estelí and Jalapa, Nicaragua, Charter Oak Maduro cigars are then covered in a Habano-seed Nicaraguan binder and Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper — the latter coming from the same Connecticut valley where Melillo was born and raised (and where he still owns a 50-acre tobacco farm shared by Foundation's company headquarters).

As for the name and oak tree graphic on the band, Charter Oak pays homage to a specific white oak tree in Hartford, CT. The tree dated back to the 12th or 13th century before succumbing to a storm in 1856 and held a significant place in local history, having been sacred to the Native Americans and shared with early settlers. In 1686, when the English Crown sought to confiscate Connecticut's Royal Charter, the townsfolk hid the document in this special tree: Charter OakCharter Oak.

A medium-bodied smoke, Foundation's Charter Oak Maduro offers a nuanced profile of vanilla, herbs, and woodsy notes, with the Maduro presenting a heartier, bolder presence — the perfect everyday cigar and fit for any occasion.