Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the softly box pressed Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro is medium tan with a hint of green. There are some knotty veins present, with the seams a bit raised and the head finished with a tightly wound pigtail. The band is gold, blue and red and has the brand and line name on front, with the company name on back. The aroma from the wrapper is just a light hay note, while the foot brings some spice and earth. The pre-light draw brings a soapy floral note along with some cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of toasty oak and hay along with some slightly sharp black pepper. At a quarter inch in, some earth joins the profile while the black pepper loses the sharpness. The retrohale is toasty oak and hay with dusty earth and some mild black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper has mellowed a fair amount. At an inch and a half in, a light creaminess joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasty oak and hay are up front with earth in the middle and some black pepper and creaminess in the background. The strength was slightly below medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the black pepper has departed. The retrohale is now toasty oak and hay with dry earth. As the third comes to a close, the toasty oak and hay remain up front, with dry earth in the middle and some creaminess in the background. The strength remained at slightly below medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the earth mellows a bit. At a quarter inch in, a light wood bitterness becomes present. The retrohale remains toasty oak and hay with dry earth. As the cigar wraps up, the toasty oak and hat remain up front, with the wood bitterness in the middle and the earth and creaminess in the background. The strength remained at slightly below medium.

Burn

The burn was a bit wavy throughout, and the cigar went out once in the second third, requiring a re-light.

Draw

The draw was slightly looser than I prefer, and the first two thirds of the cigar burned pretty fast.

Overall

The cigar began with a mix of toasty oak and hay along with some slightly sharp black pepper. Some earth joined in fairly quickly and some creaminess joined a bit later. The second third saw the black pepper depart. The final third saw a wood bitterness join in. The Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro had an average flavor profile throughout with a focus around toasted oak and hay, black pepper and earth. Some components dropped out or faded back as the cigar went along, not really providing an experience that was all that interesting. Between this version and the Pasquale, I found the Pasquale a bit better and I wouldn’t really see coming back to this cigar in the future.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$2.41

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: Foundation Charter Oak Especiales Pegnataro