Highclere Castle Senetjer by Foundation Cigar Co. - Cigar Reviews by HB Cigars
- HB Cigars
- Dec 22, 2025
- 4 min read
Nick Melillo is too smart to be a cigar blender but not smart enough to know that. Lucky for us! The man ran production at Drew Estate, studied biblical archaeology, operates Foundation's headquarters on a 50-acre Connecticut tobacco field, and somehow convinced the Earl of Carnarvon - yes, the Downton Abbey castle guy - to let him create cigars commemorating his great-grandfather's discovery of King Tut's tomb. This is the kind of resume that either lands you a TED talk or a restraining order, and Melillo chose cigars instead. The Senetjer (ancient Egyptian for "incense" or "of the gods") launched in 2022 for the 100th anniversary of Howard Carter cracking open Tutankhamun's final resting place, and the result is so good it makes you wonder what other archaeological events deserve tobacco tributes. Pompeii blend when?
🔥 THE VITALS 🔥
Cigar: Highclere Castle Senetjer
Master Blender: Nick Melillo - A biblical scholar turned cigar maker who left Drew Estate to start his own company on a Connecticut tobacco farm, which is either the American Dream or an extremely elaborate midlife crisis with excellent smoke output
Size: 6 3/4" x 52 (Perfecto)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.
Wrapper: 7th Priming Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Undisclosed (Aged 3 Years)
Price: $33.00 MSRP
Strength: Medium to Medium-Full
Production: Limited - approximately 500-700 boxes annually (November release)
🚀 WE ARE LIT!
Draw: Perfect - worth writing hieroglyphics about
Burn: Straight as a pharaoh's sarcophagus
Smoke Output: Clouds thick enough to communicate with the afterlife
Ash: Very white, compact, holds like it's protecting ancient treasure
The 7th priming Ecuadorian Habano wrapper - that's the top of the plant where the sun does its most aggressive work - presents in a gorgeous reddish-brown Colorado shade with subtle oil. Construction is flawless because AJ Fernandez rolls these, and that man treats quality control like a religious experience. Except for the fact this one came cracked.. All the other's in the box were immaculate. The perfecto shape tapers elegantly at both ends, requiring patience through the nipple foot before rewarding you with proper draw. The packaging deserves mention: the box is a literal replica of storage containers found in King Tut's tomb, complete with Highclere Castle translated into hieroglyphics. It's the kind of attention to detail that makes you feel guilty just throwing away the cellophane.
🎢 FLAVOR JOURNEY
FIRST THIRD: The Excavation Begins
cedar, dark chocolate, citrus, earth
Cedar leads the charge with dark chocolate riding shotgun, delivering immediate complexity that announces this isn't your average Tuesday smoke. Citrus weaves through the profile - not aggressive, more like orange peel contemplating its existence - while earth provides the foundation that reminds you this is Nicaraguan tobacco doing what Nicaraguan tobacco does best. The 7th priming wrapper contributes genuine depth rather than just marketing copy about sun exposure. The Brazilian Mata Fina binder adds sweetness that balances the earthier notes without becoming cloying. This is Nick Melillo firing on all cylinders, blending components that have no business working together into something that absolutely works.
SECOND THIRD: The Tomb Opens
sweet tobacco, dried fruit, cedar
Sweet tobacco emerges as the dominant force, transforming the profile into something almost dessert-adjacent without losing its savory backbone. Dried fruit - think raisins and figs rather than artificial grape - creates layers that unfold with each draw. Cedar remains the through-line, providing structure while the sweeter notes dance around it like archaeologists celebrating a discovery. The smoke thickens, the retrohale smooths out, and suddenly you understand why Melillo charges $33 for this and why people pay it gladly. The three-year-aged filler is doing invisible work here, contributing complexity that you feel rather than identify - the tobacco equivalent of expensive foundation garments.
FINAL THIRD: The Pharaoh's Reward
coffee, sweet tobacco, earth
Coffee joins the party, integrating with the persistent sweet tobacco notes for a closing act that delivers genuine satisfaction rather than just endurance. Earth returns to remind you where this journey started while the sweet tobacco maintains its presence through the nub. There's no harshness, no bitterness, no reason to put this down early - just a perfecto doing perfecto things all the way to a cool, soft finish. The profile maintains complexity without introducing chaos, proving that Melillo understands when to let excellent tobacco speak for itself. This is what an S-tier cigar tastes like: rewarding at every stage, memorable at the close, and leaving you genuinely sad it's over.
🏆 THE VERDICT:
S- TIER
Flavor: S-
Construction: A+
Availability: D
Price: A-
Final Rating: S- TIER
Is this the first S Tier of the blog? Maybe. The Senetjer earns its "of the gods" translation through execution rather than hype - a genuinely exceptional cigar that justifies its premium positioning and limited availability.
📊 BOTTOM LINE
The Foundation Highclere Castle Senetjer proves that Nick Melillo's obsession with ancient history and premium tobacco creates cigars worth hunting for. The 7th priming Ecuadorian wrapper over Brazilian Mata Fina binder and three-year-aged fillers produces complexity that evolves beautifully across two hours of smoking. At $33 MSRP, it's premium pricing that delivers premium experience - you're paying for genuine quality rather than allocation theater. The D availability rating reflects reality: only 500-700 boxes drop each November, and they disappear faster than artifacts into a museum basement. If you see one, buy it. If you see a box, buy it and hide it from your cigar friends.
TLDR: Buy it. Smoke it. Thank me later.
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