Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the soft rectangle pressed Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona is dark brown with some thick but lightly raised veins and a fine tooth. The seams are a bit raised and the caps are decently applied. The band is yellow, black, white and gold and denotes the line on front with the company logo on the back. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of wood and earth while the foot brings a mix of cedar and tobacco sweetness. The pre-light draw brings that same mix of cedar and tobacco sweetness as the foot aroma along with a mild spiciness on my lips.
Seth: Truly box pressed, the Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona is firm and pressed well. Wrapper has a great maduro coloring. Espresso bean coloring. Coarse texture with some oils. Aromas of rich and strong earth. Tobacco, leather and seasoned wood as well.
John: The Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona did not come in cellophane, and my cigar had a UPC sticker which I assume was applied by the retailer. The cigar is single banded and has no artisanal complications that I could observe. Aromas from the cigar included nutmeg and dry wood on the wrapper. The foot had mild tobacco, hay and wood.
Jiunn: The Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona has a hearty maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell quality humidor cedar and dry barnyard. Aromas from the foot give the same but with added accented dried red pepper spice. Cold draw reveals subtleties in hay and dry barnyard.

Team Cigar Review: Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with toasted cedar, dark earth and bold cinnamon. At a half inch in, the cinnamon has transitioned to black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper has mellowed a bit. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and lightly zingy black pepper. At an inch and a half in, a light cocoa note has joined the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the dark earth, with black pepper in the middle and light cocoa in the background. The strength was slightly above medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with some rich earth and mineral notes. Tobacco qualities present as well with some seasoned wood. Balanced spice level. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: The initial flavor impressions were creamy moss, wood and a faint, generic light pepper and wood combination into the post draw. A mildly tannic wood is present on the post draw as it settles in. The wood is the primary flavor driver as it progresses. Some mild chocolate s present on the retrohale moving towards the halfway mark.
Jiunn: The first third provides medium-full viscosity and medium strength profile. Flavors consist of dry cocoa, light cream, cedar, subtle dried red pepper spice and leather. Retrohaling highlights the dried red pepper spice as well as gives nice mixed nuts. The finish shows a good amount of softness in dried red pepper spice and cedar.

Team Cigar Review: Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the toasted cedar and dark earth are now even up front. The retrohale continues to provide toasted cedar, dark earth and lightly zingy black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the cocoa note has dropped out. At an inch and three quarters, the dark earth takes a slight lead over the toasted cedar. As the third comes to a close, the dark earth is slightly ahead of the toasted cedar with black pepper in the middle of the profile. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third delivers a rich earth with minerals profile. Similar to the first third. Balanced spices with some leather and tobacco qualities. Wood as well. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: Creamy wood leads off the second third as mild moss and earth combine into the center, light wood to finish. Graham cracker takes up the middle of the profile as it progresses towards the halfway point. Post draw cinnamon is present at the halfway point.
Jiunn: The second third transitions to showing a bit more dried red pepper spice on the palate. The pepper does a good job of creating a deeper and longer finish. Aside from that, it’s still a medium-full body and medium strength profile filled with the same dry cocoa, cedar and leather.

Team Cigar Review: Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, a light wood bitterness becomes present. At a half inch in, the wood bitterness increases a bit. The retrohale is now toasted cedar, dark earth and light black pepper. As the cigar wraps up, the dark earth remains slightly ahead of the toasted cedar while the wood bitterness and black pepper are in the middle. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The cigar finished around a strong earth and mineral profile. Lots of seasoned wood and leather qualities towards the end. Black pepper as well. Medium-full in strength and body.
John: Creamy wood leads again here as the last third gets going. Cinnamon and wood combine in the center of the profile and linger into the post draw. Some dry cedar joins the finish some time later. By the halfway point, faint chocolate is detectable on the retrohale. In the bottom half of the last third, the profile is earth forward.
Jiunn: The final third takes the complexities down a notch such that I’m mainly left with dried red pepper spice and leather. The strength and body is unchanged at medium and medium-full, respectively.

Team Cigar Review: Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona

Burn

Aaron: The burn line was straight throughout and the ash held on in inch and three quarter increments.
Seth: Burn was amazing.
John: The burn was straight through the entire review and required no intervention.
Jiunn: Amazing burn performance. Even burn, tight ashes, cool burning temperature and ample smoke production.

Team Cigar Review: Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: Draw was perfect.
John: The draw had some resistance to it, roughly 2-1/2 to 3 notches into the resistant spectrum.
Jiunn: Amazing draw performance as well, giving the best balance of air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with toasted cedar, dark earth and bold cinnamon. The cinnamon transitioned to black pepper a bit later and some light cocoa joined in. The second third saw the cocoa depart. The final third saw some wood bitterness join in and build up a bit. Construction was absolutely perfect. The Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona had a nice start with a nice full body. As the cocoa departed and the earth took the lead in the profile it dropped down a level and the final third dropped another level as the wood bitterness had a decent role. Overall, the cigar was fairly average. I don’t think the size does any favors for the blend, and I don’t really see myself coming back to it.
Seth: I preferred this Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona over the Claro, but not by much. Richer and slightly more balanced. Not much to these blends though. Claro and Maduro. This criticism has nothing to do with the size though. I find the Olmec Claro and Maduro to be somewhat flat lines. With that being said, it’s always fun to see the difference between two wrappers. Especially when they are both from Mexico. But, I would have rather had one great blend produced.
John: As was the case with the Claro release, the Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona was overall a pleasant but otherwise undynamic cigar review experience with some better flavor combinations through the middle third. The burn was flawless and the draw had some resistance to it. Now having reviewed both iterations of the Olmec, I don’t think the Double Corona is the right size for this blend. Although pleasant, it’s too long of a smoking experience for not enough of a flavor profile. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 42 minutes.
Jiunn: This Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona was a pleasure to smoke. The medium-full viscosity complimented the darker flavors of dry cocoa, light cream, cedar, subtle dried red pepper spice and leather very well. Compound that by AJ’s world class perfection in burn and draw and you got yourself a winner.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$2.78

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$2.62

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$2.76

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$2.35

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Foundation Olmec Maduro Double Corona