At the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Foundation Cigar Company will introduce a special line extension to the Tabernacle line in the form of a 6 3/4 x 52 perfecto known as The Tabernacle Knight Commander. It’s a cigar that has a charitable and philanthropic angle.

The inspiration behind Tabernacle Knight Commander derives from a prestigious honor the Ethiopian Crown Council bestowed upon Nicholas Melillo, owner of Foundation Cigar Company. Melillo received the title of Knight Commander of The Ethiopian Star of Honor. The Order was established by Emperor Menelik in 1889 as an order of Knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire to foreign and domestic civilian and military officials and individuals for service to the country. Upon receiving this honor, Melillo pledged to work on philanthropic initiatives. All proceeds from the sale of the Knight Commander will be contributed directly to charity.

Melillo remarked, “Receiving the Ethiopian Star of Honor is an extraordinary privilege and an honor of a lifetime. The Knight Commander vitola is my tribute to this esteemed recognition, and I am proud that 100% of all wholesale proceeds will be contributed directly to charity, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Ethiopians.”

This initiative from Foundation Cigar Company will contribute to various endeavors from scholarships to rebuilding churches.

The blend features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés binder and fillers from the Estelí and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua. The cigars are packaged in 12-count boxes. Pricing is set at $40.00 per cigar. Plans are to release 700 boxes annually each fall. The cigar is produced at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. The boxes and banding for the Knight Commander are different than the rest of the core Tabernacle line.

Photo Credits: Foundation Cigar Company