Back in February, Room 101 and Matt Booth announced they were releasing the latest in the company’s anniversary series of cigars. This year was special, as Room 101 is celebrating 15 years in the market. Certainly, it was not an easy feat given all the crazy headwinds any cigar brand faced over the last decade.
I will say this right off the bat, the Room 101 15th Anniversary is a banging cigar. It is expressed in a (6 x 52) toro and constructed entirely of Nicaraguan tobacco and made at by AJ Fernandez, which also produced Room101’s 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th Anniversary releases.
In a press release, Matt Booth, founder of Room101 stated:
“I am both honored and humbled by your belief in and support of our brand. You have made this milestone possible for Room101. We have traversed several lifetimes, surfing the highs and lows of this journey together and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
The Room 101 15th Anniversary comes packaged in 20-count boxes and has an MSRP of $14.99/cigar. Production was limited to 40,000 cigars.
For this review, I sampled 3 of these, which I purchased from Smoke Rings 72 in Merritt Island, FL.
Pre-Light Examination
The Room 101 15th Anniversary is draped in a medium to dark brown wrapper that exhibits some veins and marbling throughout. The packing is firm and consistent throughout the bunch and roll. A simple cap completes the construction.
A single, bright yellow and violet band adorns the cigar. It boldy presents the company’s logo on top and the words “15TH ANNV” below. This is one that would be easy to find on any humidor shelf with is bright color scheme.
Running the barrel along the nose, I picked up tangy notes, while the foot offered an enticing cocoa nuance.
Once I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar, I gave it some cold draw puffs that I found to be even more enticing with notes of black pepper, butter, and cocoa. A perfect set up for the journey that I was about to take.
I used by dual flame torch lighter to warm the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of rich pepper notes that tantalize both the palate and nose. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial pepper wack to the palate including nasals
- Cream and fruit quickly join the ensemble
- Sweet fruit aroma wafts off the foot
- A solid white ash forms on top of thin char line
- Peppery spice continues in the early burn
- The aroma shifts to more of a roasted oak
- The ash fell in a fine chunk, revealing a well-formed burn cone
- Creamy cocoa joins the mix moving into the second third
- Tangy fruit and pepper notes form a core
- Moving deep into the second third, the fruit morphs into a mouthwatering citrus peel
- Mild nut aroma takes over moving through the final
- Strength is solidly full strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes
Final Analysis
The Room 101 15th Anniversary is most certainly a banging cigar that opens with a sharp burst of pepper on the palate, accompanied by a noticeable spice that lingers in the nose. Soon after, rich cream and vibrant fruit notes gracefully enter the scene, creating a harmonious balance. The sweet fruit aroma rises from the foot, enticing the senses. The peppery spice continues to dominate the early burn, providing an ongoing heat to the olfactory. As the smoke progresses, the aroma shifts to a roasted oak profile, grounding the experience with a deep, woody scent. By the second third, a smooth cocoa creaminess joins the flavor profile, offering a velvety richness. Tangy fruit and pepper meld together at the core, intensifying the complexity. As the cigar deepens into the second third, the fruit transforms into a mouthwatering citrus peel, bright and zesty. In the final third, a subtle nutty aroma emerges taking the journey to a satisfying conclusion. This is very strong cigar, and I seriously suggest making sure you had a meal before enjoying this one. This by far a box buy and rate this a solid 97.
Point Deductions: NONE
Bonus Points: (+1) Excellent performance and Pleasurable across each sample; (+1) Even Burn Throughout; (+1) Box Buy
