Menelik Petite Robusto review by Don José
Hey team, Don José here back with another review.
Today we have the
Menelik
by Foundation Cigars
If this is your first time here, my reviews rate each cigar on 10 factors and each factor gets a rating out of 10 giving me an overall out of 100. The 10 factors are: Construction, Draw, Burn, Flavour, 1/3 overall, 2/3 overall, 3/3 overall, Journey (how well it flows), Complexity & Value for money.
Overview
Menelik was launchd in April 2017, released in a 4 1/2 x 52 box-pressed short robusto that came in paper-wrapped packs of five cigars. In June 2019, Menelik would go onto become an ongoing, for-sale cigar, though with production limited to 1,000 boxes of 12 cigars released each quarter.
The Menelik blend uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over a corojo 99 binder grown in Jalapa, Nicaragua, while the fillers come from Nicaragua’s Condega, Estelí and Jalapa regions.
Nick Melillo debuted his Foundation company in 2015 with the acclaimed El Güegüense (The Wise Man) release. and Menelik translates to son of the wise man.
Details:
Brand: Foundation Cigars
Size: 4 1/2 x 52
Wrapper: San Andres
Binder: Corojo 99
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: Agricola Ganadera Norteña S.A
About the wrapper.
Mexican San Andrés is arguably as popular as Connecticut Broadleaf.
Like Connecticut Broadleaf, it’s thick, naturally sweet, and most-often stalk cut prior to curing.
In 1880, Cuban tobacco grower Alberto Turrent left his Cuba and moved to Mexico’s San Andrés Valley in Veracruz, the eastern side of the country on the Gulf of Mexico. He had Cuban tobacco seeds with him and planted what would become the first Mexican San Andrés tobaccos.
Today, after 6 generations, the A. Turrent farms are still the largest producer of San Andrés wrappers in the world. The soil in Veracruz is volcanic and dense. It’s extremely humid. All of this contributes to the unique flavour of the San Andrés cigar wrapper.
let's get into the review.
First thoughts
This is a great looking cigar. Lightly box-pressed, dark oily wrapper, interesting band and a pig-tail head.
Cold Draw gives pepper and sweetness with a hint of earth.
Construction
Construction is great, the box-press is fairly even and the wrapper is tight. Its a little 'storky' compared to some San Andres but nothing concerning.
Burn & Draw Exceptional burn and draw especially for a Petite Robusto which can sometime be a little erratic. Sharp burnline with dense grey ash, plenty of thick smoke and lasted 1.5hrs.
Flavour & Complexity Earth and black pepper continue throughout, some hints of Chocolate and brownie come and go adding some nice sweetness. Not super complex.. a little less going on than I expected from the look and description but enough to keep you interested.
Strength 78% - mid-full - Lighter than they proclaim IMO.
Enjoyment / Journey A great smoke on a sunny afternoon. Its been a while since i smoked a Foundation Cigar and this had me wondering why I waited so long between visits.
Overall Very much worth a sample and a good candidate for some aging I feel, with a little humidor time to relax the flavours and boost the complexity this would be a cigar to remember.
I rate this cigar 90 points!
A look at the numbers.
Construction -- 9/10
Burn -- 10/10
Draw -- 9/10
Flavour -- 9/10
Complexity -- 7/10
First 1/3 -- 9/10
Second 1/3 -- 9/10
Third 1/3 -- 10/10
Journey -- 9/10
Value -- 9/10
About the author
Joe Murdie aka Don José has been reviewing cigars in New Zealand for over 10 years now, originally as a writer for NZBlokes, a mens magazine.
Outside of Cigars Joe is an international award winning film-maker based in Wānaka, OTA.
