In the spirit of “any day above ground is a good day”, Matt Booth’s Room 101 has been releasing anniversary cigars annually for the last 5 years. Why not? Another 365 days of conducting successful business is certainly worthy of popping a few bottles and celebrating. Shit, I popped a few myself last night and that was just to commemorate that I made it to the pump successfully before my truck ran outta gas. That was a close one!
THE CIGAR – 15th ANNIVERSARY by ROOM 101
Size: 6 x 52 (toro)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $14.99 (while these samples were submitted for review, you can head over to Famous Smoke Shop right now and receive $20 off your Room 101 purchase of $100 or more using promo code TNCC20)
The 15th Anniversary features a smooth, leathery wrapper leaf and there are no worrisome soft spots detected along the body. There’s a raisin sweetness found when sniffing the foot of the cigar directly. After a gentle punch is applied to the cap, the cold draw delivers a combination of dry cedar and hazelnuts.
White pepper dominates the retrohale early on, backed up by lightly roasted coffee and mineral notes. The draw is bringing in leather and earthy flavors and there’s a mineral component at play down here as well. Construction is great so far with a smooth draw and a straight burn.
The 15th Anniversary opens up a bit after the 1” mark, with a loud and proud dark roast coffee note joining the party via the draw. It’s so loud, in fact, that it snaps the neck of the draw’s mineral note as its services will unfortunately no longer be needed. But, in a classy move, the dark roast coffee note issues a statement wishing the mineral note the best of luck in its future endeavors. Wait a sec… the dark roast coffee note just viscously murdered the mineral note so there will be no “future endeavors”. Why the hell would the dark roast coffee note say that? Is the dark coffee note gaslighting us? What the fuck is going on? Well, we here at the TNCC send our sincerest thoughts and prayers out to the mineral note’s family and friends. Yeah, thoughts and prayers, that should cover it.
It’s worth mentioning that the 15th Anniversary’s smoke production is copious. Sexy white smoke swirls and lingers everywhere. As the cigar nears the fifty yard line, I’m experiencing a minor issue with the draw. It’s a tad too open so I’m having to puff more frequently than I’d prefer to in order to keep that sexy smoke copious.
After about 15 minutes the draw self-corrects and is suddenly back within an acceptable range. I love it when that happens. This adjustment vastly improves the flavor flow and the results are far more bold coffee through the draw and the white pepper’s strength diminishing upstairs. The 15th Anniversary is now full body and medium strength in the middle third.
Upon removal of the band, I discover the words “no good deeds” printed on the reverse side. I was planning on delivering some food to the elderly this evening as part of my local Meals On Wheels program but now I’m not going to.
Those old fuckers can fend for themselves! Thoughts and prayers. The white pepper is now completely absent from the 15th Anniversary’s profile, leaving only a weak coffee note as the sole reason to blow smoke out of your nose. No worries, there’s plenty of action happening downstairs. The dark roast coffee and a slowly developing cedar note are now joined by a rich, thick cream that’s coating everything. Why do I feel dirty after typing that last sentence? Somehow, I don’t think Matt Booth will be offended.
FACT CHECK: Matt Booth does NOT keep his bedazzled dildo in a Return Of The Jedi lunchbox
The third and final act of the 15th Anniversary is by far the star of the show, not that the journey to get here was unenjoyable. Not at all, but when the dueling coffee flavors are joined the cedar and cream it’s hard to not be happy. After 56 minutes, the cigar grows a bit too hot on my lips signaling that it’s time to say our goodbyes.
THE NUB
TNCC FINAL SCORE = 91
The 15th Anniversary is a very good Nicaraguan puro that successfully does its job in paying tribute to Room 101 surviving, as a brand, for 1.5 decades in an industry where that isn’t so easy. The cigar features nice transitions, easily discernible flavors, and I enjoyed it more and more as the smoking experience continued.
