TheFoundation Charter Oak Habano Petite Corona takes the Connecticut heritage behind Nick Melillo's Charter Oak and gives it a distinctly different tobacco personality. The name recalls the legendaryCharter Oak of Hartford, where Connecticut's Royal Charter was said to have been hidden in 1687 rather than surrendered to representatives of the Crown. The tree became an enduring symbol of Connecticut independence, and for Melillo—a Connecticut native who grew up surrounded by the state's tobacco culture—it provided a fitting name for a series intended to celebrate both his home state and the straightforward, flavorful cigars enjoyed by generations before him.
The5¼" x 42 Petite Corona departs from the Connecticut-grown wrappers of the original Charter Oak cigars, instead using a richEcuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and long-fillers. The Habano leaf fills the natural space between the creamy Connecticut Shade and earthy, sweeter Broadleaf versions, bringing more spice and intensity without pushing Charter Oak into powerhouse territory. In this slender 42-ring format, the wrapper has an especially prominent voice, developing cedar, black pepper and leather alongside cocoa, warm spice and the natural sweetness of the Nicaraguan tobacco. The result is medium-bodied, focused and considerably more complex than its everyday positioning might suggest.
For an aficionado, the Petite Corona may be the format that best explains why the Habano version belongs in the Charter Oak family. The traditional proportions put wrapper and filler into close conversation, giving the cigar more definition and a livelier edge than the broader sizes. And it remains faithful to Melillo's original Charter Oak philosophy:make an honest cigar from legitimate tobacco, price it so people can actually smoke it regularly, and don't confuse affordability with compromise. At 5¼ x 42, the Habano Petite Corona is a wonderfully old-school interpretation of that idea.
