Over the past year, I have attended several events at James J. Fox, the world’s oldest cigar merchant in St. James, London. Each and every time I have enjoyed some excellent cigars there, met some amazing people, and had great conversations. In late May 2024, I had the pleasure of visiting the venue for an exceptional event organised by 1573 Cigars, a new importer and distributor of cigars in the UK.
Taken at the launch of the Fox House Blend cigar at James J Fox – 2023.
1573 Cigars has recently formed a partnership with Nicholas Melillo (also known as Nick) of Foundation Cigar Company to distribute their products in the UK.
I had heard a lot about Foundation Cigars from various cigar enthusiasts. I think Featherstone Cigars in Essex recently hosted a Foundation cigar night, and I smoked one of Foundation’s Charter Oak cigars from Cigar Club LDN, a London-based social cigar club, last year. So, I was incredibly excited to attend and learn more about the company.
During the James J. Fox event, we had the chance to sample Foundation’s Olmec cigar, and Nick was there in person to tell us all about it!
When cigar industry folk from outside the UK visit our shores, they tend to tour various cigar shops and sampling lounges across the country. So, you need to catch them whenever you can – when they are in your city!
Background
As noted earlier, 1573 Cigars is one of the newest distributors of cigars in the UK. They specialise in high-quality American and Nicaraguan leaf cigars, sourced from skilled rollers in Central America and the Connecticut valleys. They join esteemed companies like Tor Imports and Bright Leaf, which represent top cigar makers from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Mexico. Hunters & Frankau remains the exclusive distributor of all Cuban cigars in the UK. These companies manage both the importing and distribution of cigars, ensuring that premium products from these renowned cigar-producing regions reach retailers (our cigar shops) and, ultimately, us lot, the punters (aka the consumers).
“1573” Cigars is named in honor of the year tobacco was first introduced in England. The brand was established by George Frakes, known for his time at James J Fox in London. He partnered with former Caribbean Premier League CEO Damien O’Donohoe and former Mumford & Sons band member Winston Marshall, all united by their love of cigars.
Watch this clip of Winston on Sky News from earlier this year, discussing the tobacco and vape bill proposed by the previous government. With the UK electing a new leader and government last week, we hope this issue won’t be revisited! 🙏
You can also spot Winston perform “I Will Wait” during his time in Mumford & Sons.
Before I lose myself in a Mumford & Sons YouTube binge…, I want to highlight the fact that 1573 not only imports and distributes premium cigars, but also organises exclusive tastings and cigar sampling evenings. The goal is to bring the finest cigars to the UK.
Foundation Cigar Company
Nick Melillo is a prominent figure in the premium cigar industry.
He is the founder and owner of the Foundation Cigar Company, a boutique cigar company that produces a variety of high-quality, handcrafted cigars. Nick has deep roots in Connecticut (North America), which is known for its high-quality tobacco, especially the Connecticut Shade tobacco used in premium cigars.
Inspired by his family’s passion for premium cigars, Nick began his career at 18, working at the Calabash Shoppe in Hamden, Connecticut. He managed the shop from 1996 to 2000, specialising in premium handmade cigars.
In 2003, Nick began working with Jonathan Drew at Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua after some traveling.
He played a key role in various aspects of the business and eventually became the company’s Executive VP of International Operations. Nick was instrumental in blending Drew Estate’s cigars, including the bold and robust Liga Privada No. 9 (I wish I had known this at the time of meeting Nick – as it is one of my favourite cigars – check out my review of it here), which features a dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper.
Funnily enough a music video was shot in James J. Fox – that featured the rapper Skepta smoking a Drew Estate Liga Privada No9 cigar.
In 2015, he founded Foundation Cigar Company with the aim of creating distinctive and flavorful cigars that would cater to both novice and experienced smokers. The company made its debut at the 2015 PCA show.
Nick has a deep connection to his home state of Connecticut and a special affection for the Connecticut tobacco that he grew up around. This connection inspired him to create the Charter Oak selection as a tribute to his family heritage and the historic Charter Oak tree that has stood since the 1600s.
According to Nick, the Charter Oak line is a tribute to his grandfathers and a symbol of Connecticut, representing American independence. In Hartford, the oak tree is recognised as one of the first signs of rebellion, as it was used to hide a charter from the English.
Nick’s other notable blends include the Highclere Castle selection.
The Highclere Castle selection is particularly special as it was made for a British Royal, the Earl of Carnarvon, in collaboration with a friend of Nick’s who owns a distillery in Connecticut.
Nick has earned a loyal following among cigar enthusiasts and professionals, and his work has been recognised with numerous awards and accolades. He has received acclaim with Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Snob magazine. Additionally, he has been active in lobbying efforts to protect the rights of cigar smokers and cigar makers.
My experience
Firstly, I never know whether to arrive at an event exactly on time or 15 minutes early. Will I look too eager? The reality is, arriving early is best to nab the prime seats or standing spots at cigar events. At JJ Fox, for example, the coveted seats by the window upstairs were mine because I followed two other cigar enthusiasts I met at the event—shout out to Asim and J Dubs if you’re reading this!
After meeting them, I recognised Nick from Foundation Cigars, who was gearing up for the event. Nick’s energy and enthusiasm about his cigar journey were contagious. I recommended he check out the Churchill chair downstairs at JJ Fox, which he promised to do before leaving. He seemed quite busy, having done several events around the country – including a visit to the UK cigar trade show Ignite.
Once we were upstairs, an area was set up with cigar branding and cigars ready for sampling. We were served some tea from Peru and handed Olmec cigars to sample—Cigar of the Year 2022 by Cigar Snob magazine. You can read more about it here: Foundation Cigar Company.
George and Winston from 1573 Cigars gave a speech to introduce us to the evening.
followed by Nick from Foundation Cigar Company.
Nick shared fantastic stories about his tobacco-buying trip to the San Andres region of Mexico, which inspired the Foundation Olmec Claro cigar line.
The Olmecs, who inhabited the San Andres area from 1600 to 400 BCE, were known for cultivating tobacco and smoking cigars. The Olmec Claro features a warm tan Mexican San Andres wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and filler leaves aged for three years before rolling, developing a unique flavor profile.
The deets:
- Size: Robusto (5″x 50)
- Strength: Full
- Origin: Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
The Olmec cigar is known for its spicy start and hints of pepper, earthy, woody, and cocoa flavour notes, as described by Foundation Cigars.
Nick joined us later, and we had a great chat. I love this guy! He shared some amazing stories with a few of us who were sitting together.
Following Nick’s talk, Andreas Koureas, a Churchill historian who writes for The Spectator, gave an educational talk about Churchill’s cigar story.
It was fascinating to hear in a venue with such a strong Churchill connection—JJ Fox was where Churchill ordered his cigars! I chatted with Andreas afterward, and I hope he does more talks at future events. You can follow Andreas on X (formerly Twitter) here: Andreas Koureas.
The rest of the night was filled with more cigar sampling and great conversations with other guests. Time flew by, and soon it was time to leave. All in all, it was a fantastic night—one I won’t forget. I hope to visit Nick in Esteli, Nicaragua, to see where his creations are made!
Want more information about 1573 and Foundation Cigars?
For more information, visit www.1573cigars.com.
Explore the complete Foundation Cigars collection at foundationcigars.com.
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