CA Review Panel: The Wise Man Maduro by Foundation Cigars
Video: The Wise Man Maduro by Foundation—full Cigar Advisor panel review.
The Wise Man by Foundation Backstory
When it comes to Foundation Cigars, none of Nick Melillo’s blends have been hailed as loudly as El Gueguense The Wise Man. It earned its spot among cigar legends in 2018 when it took the #3 Cigar of the Year prize. The blend has been in high demand ever since, routinely selling out as quickly as it arrives in our humidor. And it wasn’t long before Nick blended a special box-pressed vitola exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop. We’ve never said, “Yes” so quickly!
Fast forward to today and we see that times change—and so do cigars. Nick tapped My Father for a Wise Man ‘fresh start’ and now we’re finding the blend with an all-new look. But is it the same great taste? While the tobaccos have been tweaked, they're similar to the original. And still come in your choice of a Nicaraguan Corojo and Mexican San Andres Maduro (reviewed below) wrapper. If you were afraid that they atop an all-Nicaraguan core of tobaccos that span the Condega, Estelí, and Jalapa growing regions.
The only question we have: will lightning strike twice? With two cigar legends working on them it seems all but guaranteed. Let’s light one up and find out!
Cigar Details:
Factory: My Father S.A., Nicaragua
Sizes Reviewed: 7” x 54 Double Corona
Strength: Full-Bodied
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua Estelí & Jalapa
Filler: Nicaragua Condega, Estelí, and Jalapa
Construction: Satin-like finish with light oil and a reddish patina.
Cold Draw: Cracker-like with earth and brown sugar.
Base flavors: Earth, spices, nuts, and chocolate.
Aroma: Sweet tobacco.
Burn & Ash: Solid limestone-hued ash that broke off cleanly.
Presented in boxes of 20
The Wise Man by Foundation Maduro Cigar Reviews:
John’s Tasting Notes…
Summary: Not the most Maduro of Maduros, it’s more Rosado – I expected the wrapper to be darker, given the leaf. First few rips on The Wise Man offer smoke laced with leather and wood, plus a spicy finish. During the first third, the draw opens, producing more smoke that is woody, earthy, and building with toast and spice.
The middle section adds a coffee bean note, and the spice starts to hit ahead of the finish. A chocolatey sweetness comes and goes – it’s there for some draws, absent for others. The final third sees that chocolate get darker; the toastiness returns, bringing sweet earth and an even spicier finish to the now full-bodied smoke.
In summary, The Wise Man Maduro has a pretty dark vibe…so take your time with it. A slow burner with slow transitions, it’d be smart to pair a slow sipper with it. Anejo tequila or bourbon would be a great match, since the sweetness from either spirit will help fill in whatever blanks you might feel are missing in this Foundation’s profile.
Gary’s Tasting Notes…
Summary: My Wise Man Doble Corona Maduro was a bit dry, but creamy on the palate to start, issuing notes of sweet tobacco, baking spices, and nuts, all of which seemed to be vying for lead position. However, allowing the flavors caramelize with a couple of minutes’ rest revealed a sweeter and more balanced smoke.
Mostly medium-bodied during the early stage, sweet tobacco was the most dominant flavor, complemented by accents of earth and spice. Eventually, a flowery note appeared in both flavor and aroma, and continued through the midsection. The core flavors continued their sweet ‘n spicy path through the last several inches while the body and strength kicked into full. That said, the cigar never became uncomfortably strong.
The longer I smoked this cigar, the more I appreciated how creamy it was on the palate, the balance of flavors, and how well they caramelized. Moreover, whatever variety of Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper Nick Melillo chose, it’s one of the best I’ve tasted. Equally impressive was how well the flavors held up for the entire session, especially for a cigar of this size. Suffice it to say, I thought the Foundation Wise Man Doble Corona Maduro was just about perfect.
Paul’s Tasting Notes…
Summary: A Wise Man I can pronounce.
My only issue—well, a quibble really—with this cigar’s predecessor was that I couldn’t say it properly. Thankfully now, I can relegate the correct pronunciation of “El Gueguense” to the deepest recesses of my memory.
A large cigar that feels considerable in hand, the Foundation Wise Man Maduro Doble Corona opens with an outlay of espresso and dark chocolate, complemented by a subtle hint of leather. As the first third progresses, black pepper and cedar notes join the party, bringing some depth and complexity to the flavor profile.
Moving into the second third, the Wise Man Maduro transitions into what ends up being a mocha-like flavor, with delightful earthy undertones. A raisin-esque sweetness and some vanilla notes provide a pleasant contrast to the bolder flavors, creating a sense of balance and harmony. So far, Wise Man Maduro is medium-plus with a long, pleasant finish.
The last third smoked much like the second portion, as in no new surprises. That’s not to say boring—far from it, actually. The nice thing about a larger vitola—like this Doble Corona—is that it burns slow and smokes cool. This provides plenty of room for the flavors to stretch out and for the profile to gain depth and complexity.
All in all, Wise Man Maduro Doble Corona picks up where El Gueguense Maduro left off. And those who enjoyed it will love this, its replacement. In any size, Wise Man Maduro is a stellar option for those looking for a richly flavored maduro—San Andres fans especially—and beyond that, it’s richness and complexity will speak to most seasoned cigar enthusiasts.