He’s an astronaut who carries a shovel around while wearing a knapsack filled with tobacco leaves. He’s Johnny Tobacconaut! I’ve been on the lookout for this lil’ guy for several years now but, for one reason or another, we’ve somehow never crossed paths… until tonight. Only this isn’t the original Connecticut-wrapped version of Johnny, it’s a brand new blend, a darker blend, and Room 101’s main man Matt Booth had this to say about it in a recent press release:
“Time brings lessons nothing else can teach – and in time we have evolved our beloved Johnny Tobacconaut into a sensational maduro variant which I believe is the most appropriate evolutionary step for this series in our evergreen effort to spread this cosmic brand across this beautiful planet of ours.”
THE CIGAR – JOHNNY TOBACCONAUT MADURO by ROOM 101
Size: 5 x 50 (robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $10.29 (while these samples were submitted for review, you can click on the Famous Smoke Shop banner located on this page to save on all your favorite Room 101 cigars!)
Upon removing the cello, there’s a strong aroma of rodeo stuff (fresh horse shit and not-so-fresh hay) pouring off the Tobacconaut Maduro. The cigar is a little lumpy with a few noticeable soft spots near the cap.
After a quick and effortless punch to the cap, I experience a cold draw that reflects more rodeo stuff – primarily hay and grass. Sharp, musty black pepper leads the charge through the nose immediately after ignition. Downstairs, a combination of bold French roast coffee backed by an oak note begins to develop on the draw.
Around the 1” mark, a surprising blend of muted cinnamon and baking spices arises underneath the retrohales’s black pepper. Meanwhile, the Tobacconaut Maduro’s draw profile continues to be coffee/woodsy dominant. Overall construction has been very good so far in the first half with an acceptably straight burn line and smooth draw. It’s worth noting that the cigar has been burning unusually fast so I make a mental note to try and slow things down a bit…
I voluntarily thump off the impressive ash before somebody (me) or something (my lap) gets hurt. As we approach the fifty yard line, the Tobacconaut Maduro maintains its firm stance of delivering a medium strength and full bodied smoking experience. The black pepper grows more aggressive now but, somehow, the underlying spices are still detected and that increased peppery presence doesn’t dilute the draw’s coffee/oak notes one bit.
Everything is working quite well together in the Tobacconaut Maduro’s final act. While the strength has gradually increased, it hasn’t done so at the expense of any flavors. As far as beverage pairings are concerned, you couldn’t go wrong with a cup of your favorite coffee or a pint of Guinness if it’s after 4 p.m. EST. I also think a glass of straight Yebiga PRVA rakija would bring in a subtle sweetness and really enhance the oak note if that’s your thing.
THE NUB
Final TNCC Score = 91
Having never smoked a Johnny Tobacconaut in any blend or size before tonight, I’d say this was an impressive introduction to the line. While there weren’t necessarily lots of noticeable transitions throughout the 46 minute smoking duration, there’s enough traditional, well-balanced maduro flavors on display to keep this cigar from ever becoming boring.
