I was having a discussion with some guys on Twitter this week and the subject of Foundry Cigars came up. After fielding a lot of questions from folks about these cigars, it dawned on me that it would probably make for an excellent blog topic.

For those not familiar with the Foundry—it is a cigar line that is the brainchild of Michael Giannini. Michael is as colorful of a character as many of the cigar concepts he comes up with. He has worked in all facets of the cigar business, but it was his time spent with La Gloria creator Ernesto Perez-Carillo where he began his journey as a great blender and innovator. After Ernesto left La Gloria and went on to greener pastures, Michael took over the La Gloria label. Soon after, “Team La Gloria” was formed, consisting of master blender Benji Menendez and El Credito factory manager Yuri Guillen.  Over the years these guys have taken the brand to new heights. They continued to make their immensely popular La Gloria Cubano and Series R lines, but new brand extensions were created. Rare and limited tobaccos were used to create new cigars, many being quite limited in production.

The Foundry line is an extension of Michael’s work at La Gloria, combined with his love of history and the "steam punk" art movement. If being a member of team La Gloria allowed him to work outside the box, the creation of Foundry authorized him to operate from a different planet.  If you are looking for cigars that tell a story and have great packaging, then look no further than Foundry. But don’t let that fool you; they are great to smoke as well.

His first Foundry release in 2012 saw the introduction of one cigar in three different sizes.  In 2013, he upped the ante and released another dozen cigars, each composed of a different blend. They are split between categories, War of Currents and Compounds, Elements, and Musings.  Only two cigars in each of these categories are full time items, with the other eight being limited production and now completely sold out.

We currently have both the Uranium and Carbon in stock and I have chosen to smoke the Uranium for the purposes of this article. If you choose to give this cigar a try, let me suggest that you set aside about three hours because it is a 7 X 70. I would classify this as a golf course smoke because one will get you through most of your 18 holes.

The Uranium, like the other Foundry cigars, has some very colorful packaging.

The Uranium, like most of the other Foundry offerings, isn’t full in strength, as Michael’s intention was for you to be able to taste all of the various flavors. The Uranium utilizes tobacco from Mexico, Nicaragua, and one that is labeled mysterioso. He has purposely avoiding giving any specific data as he wants you to just smoke and decide for yourself. I detected some jalapa in the blend, but the mysterioso is anyone's guess. I did enjoy some nice pepper flavor, but there was some sweet spice as well. There were not a lot of coffee notes, even though I smoked the cigar alongside a cup of Dominican espresso. The cigar actually had a “creamer” effect and somewhat turned my espresso into café leche. It isn’t often that a cigar of this ring gauge provides you with this type of flavor profile.

So don't let the size scare you away, as this stick doesn't get hot and never ventures above medium in strength. The blend is spot on and the construction is flawless. I have tried a few of these and I've never had one with any draw or burn issues.  It’s a cigar that is more than just a marketing scheme or something in a cool box. It is a very nice smoke. I can't wait to see what Mr. Giannini has in store for us in 2014. Until then I will continue to enjoy the 2013 crop. I suggest you do the same.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida Regional Manager. Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server. Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.