Today I have the pleasure of smoking one of my new favorite cigars, if not my new, #1 cigar. I am excited to bring you the Olmec Maduro by Foundation Cigars. If you are familiar with Foundation and Nick Melillo you will know that most of their cigar names have to do with people or periods of history and the Olmec is no exception.
This maduro masterpiece debuted in 2022. The Olmec comes from the name of the Olmec civilization of people in southern Mexico that predates the Mayans and Aztecs. They are one of the first civilizations known to use tobacco. This lush, lowland area of Mexico is a rich area that is conducive to growing tobacco. Modern day Veracruz is one of the cities in this region. This is where the Mexican San Andres leaf tobacco used for wrappers, thrives. This San Andres seed variety is considered one of the oldest seed varieties in the world. It is this Mexican San Andres wrapper that adorns the Olmec.
The Cigar is made in Nicaragua. The binder is Nicaraguan and the fillers are from the Nicaraguan regions of Estelli and Jalapa and are aged for 3 years. The Mexican San Andres Negro wrapper is fermented slowly at low temperatures to preserve the natural oils that give it such rich flavors.
Today I am smoking the Corona Gordo size, 5 ½ x 48. Regular production of this Cigar is available in the following sizes and are available in boxes of 12 Cigars at the following prices:
Double Corona 7 x 54 $178.00 or $14.83 for a single
Grande 6 x 60 $172.99 or $14.41 for a single
Toro 6 x 52 $161.99 or $13.49 for a single
Corona Gorda 5 1/1 x 48 $139.99 or $11.66 for a single
Robusto 5 x 50 $151.99 or $12.66 for a single
The cigar does not come in cellophane and upon picking up the cigar, I immediately admire the rich dark chocolate colored wrapper. It has a little bit of toothiness to it and I can not wait to experience its richness that is filling the room. The band is black, pale orange and gold with a characterization of an Olmec person smoking a cigar with the name OLMEC centered below. This band is a nice contrast to the beautiful rich wrapper. Initial aromas of the cigar greet my senses with Cocoa, Earth and Leather.
Cold Draw
After carefully removing the cap with my “perfect cut” cigar cutter, the cold draw brings me rich notes of Cocoa and Earth. There are no draw issues with this Cigar.
1st Third
After a proper toasting and lighting, I am greeted with a wonderful black pepper up front followed by rich earth, dark chocolate and a dried fruit sweetness on the back end. This is rich, thick, chewy smoke and I am hooked from the beginning. The ash is beautiful and the burn is even with a razor sharp burn line. My initial strength thoughts are a 6 out of 10 on my 1-10 flavor strength profile scale. I find myself staring at the cigar between puffs and I know right away, this cigar is something special.
2nd Third
Wow. This baby has me captivated as the intensity kicks up a notch to a 6.5 and the spicy black pepper remains in the lead. As a medium to medium plus smoker, the pepper is not overpowering, but just a wonderful spice in this wonderful cigar. The dark fruit moves a little more forward with the rich earth creaminess and the thick smoke fills my palate. The dark chocolate has moved to the back and has competing notes of bitterness and sweetness which is very nice on the long finish.
Final Third
Another nice transition into the final third as the intensity ramps up to a 7.5 out of 10. I am nearing the top of my comfort zone on strength as the spicy black pepper continues to dominate. Right there with it, is that wonderful, creamy earthiness. When I think of this earthiness, I immediately imagine a rich, rich, dark black volcanic soil that is so thick and rich in the hand with just the right amount of moisture. The bittersweet dark chocolate remains on the long finish as the dark fruit notes have been pushed out of existence by the black pepper.
Final Thoughts
I am blown away at the flavors that I experienced in this cigar. Truly a unique masterpiece from Foundation. I am simply left wanting more and wonder if I should have purchased a bigger Vitola? The draw on the cigar was ideal with a flawless burn that did not require any touch ups. My overall rating on my flavor strength profile is a 7.5 out of 10. My overall score out of 100 is a 95. Yes, I know that is a big number, but this is a special Cigar and just may be a Pinnacle for Foundation. I do not however think this Cigar is for a new Cigar smoker. If this was your first Cigar, I think it would be just a little too much. After you have a few under your belt and are starting to identify some basic notes, this Cigar would be a good one to move up into.
If you have enjoyed this review and would like to see the review of me smoking it, I invite you to head on over to YouTube @cigarkurt to see it and all my other reviews.
