Foundry Time Flies cigars are the result of a collaboration between boutique cigar maker A.J. Fernandez and General Cigar's Michael Giannini, who founded the Foundry Tobacco Company as a part of General Cigar back in 2012. Michael parted ways with General Cigar in September 2016, but not before he conceived these new Time Flies cigars, which are made with a blend of select Nicaraguan tobaccos and Habano 2000 Ecuadorian wrappers. The cigars are available in four sizes, including the 550 Robusto (5 x 50) priced at $7.50 per cigar, which is the subject of this review. For more information about these cigars, please see the press release.

The sample Foundry Time Flies Robusto began with a full earthy and sweet peppery flavor. After a few puffs, the pepper backed off to leave a very pleasant sweet earthy flavor with hints of spice. As the cigar was smoked, it became smoother and even a bit creamy. I enjoyed this cigar almost as much as the San Lotano Habano by A.J. Fernandez, which is more comparable to Time Flies than any other Foundry cigar that I have smoked. Of course, the one that you will like better is a matter of personal preference. Foundry Time Flies does have some strength, but is well balanced. Nonetheless, it is not recommended for beginners.

The Foundry Time Flies Robusto had a very good draw, held a long ash, and had a slow even burn. No relights nor touch-ups were needed during the 55 minutes that it took me to smoke the cigar down to two inches remaining. I rate it with a superior 4.25 points on a 5-point scale. At $7.50 per stick, it is a very good value and worth a try, especially for more experienced cigar smokers.