TheFoundation Charter Oak Connecticut Broadleaf Toro draws its identity from two pieces of Connecticut history. The first is the legendary Charter Oak, the massive tree in Hartford where Connecticut's Royal Charter was said to have been hidden in 1687 when representatives of the Crown attempted to seize it. The tree became an enduring symbol of independence and self-determination. The second is tobacco. Foundation founderNicholas Melillo grew up in Connecticut's tobacco country, and Charter Oak pays tribute to the region that shaped both his appreciation of tobacco and an important chapter of American cigar history.
The6" x 52 Toro showcases one of Connecticut's most distinctive tobaccos: a dark, naturally heartyConnecticut Broadleaf wrapper surrounding a Nicaraguan Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers. Broadleaf brings an entirely different personality than the Connecticut Shade version of Charter Oak, with greater depth, natural sweetness and a distinctly earthy character. Cocoa, dark earth and seasoned wood form the foundation, joined by baking spice, pepper and a subtle molasses-like sweetness. The 52-ring Toro gives the Nicaraguan interior enough presence to stand alongside the heavier Broadleaf wrapper without allowing either side of the blend to overwhelm the other.
That's really what makes the Charter Oak Broadleaf Toro work. Melillo didn't take Connecticut tobacco and dress it up as something exotic; he embraced the rustic character that has made genuine Broadleaf so prized among cigar makers. At6 x 52, there is enough length for that wrapper to develop and enough Nicaraguan tobacco underneath to provide structure. It's an honest, substantial cigar built around one of America's great cigar tobaccos—and named for one of Connecticut's great symbols.
