Foundation Olmec Claro Toro 6″ * 52

A tribute to the Olmec civilization of pre-Columbian Mexico, the Foundation Olmec Claro takes a lighter, lower-priming approach to the Mexican San Andrés leaf that has defined much of Nicholas Melillo’s work.

The Toro is built around a Mexican San Andrés Claro wrapper drawn from lower primings, slow-fermented at low temperatures to preserve its natural oils, over Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan long-filler from Estelí and Jalapa. The filler tobacco is bale-aged for a minimum of three years after fermentation before rolling. Production runs at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua in Estelí. The Toro measures 6 by 52, ships in boxes of 12, and sits at medium-to-full body.

The flavor tends to lean toward cinnamon, toasted bread, and white pepper at the start, with cedar, malted grain, and a touch of cocoa through the middle before a finish carrying leather, espresso, and a red-pepper edge. The 52 ring gauge keeps the wrapper character forward, with the lighter fermentation reading cleaner than the heavier San Andrés expressions in the broader market. The format fits a standard hour-and-a-half session.

Pairings: bourbon, espresso, or porter.