Room 101 cigars originally debuted to mix reviews. However, Matt Booth worked hard and developed a cult following. The cigars grew in popularity and seemingly they got better. Last month acigarsmoker.com was with the Room 101 Connecticut and we eagerly awaited the release of the Namakubi.
According to Room 101 Cigars the story of the Namakubi goes as follows,
Although in many ways long gone, Samurai culture is believed to live on in spirit within certain groups. In ancient times when two Samurai clans would gather for competition there was a great deal at stake. Normally, the losing party would die as a result of wounds sustained in battle or be executed upon defeat. The Namakubi, or freshly severed head of the losing party would be prepared on a wooden tray then tagged in a regimented manner and presented to the leader of the winning clan as a gift.
We, as modern day samurai, present to you our own Namakubi. These twenty limited edition cigars have been tagged (banded), and carefully prepared for your enjoyment. The blend is comprised of a beautiful Habano wrapper, complimented by a proprietary “Generoso” (Honduras) seed binder, Dominican and Honduran “Vuelta Abajo” fillers. The strength of this new limited is Medium to Full in body for a powerful, yet pleasant smoking experience.
The cigars are available as a Papi Chulo 42×4 (MSRP: $6.00): 400 boxes (50ct cabinetta style); Roxxo 48×4 (MSRP: $7.00): 1000 boxes; Tiburon 44×6 (MSRP: $8.00): 1000 boxes; Sucio 48×7 ($9.00): 1000 boxes and Monstro 60×5 ($10.00): 1000 boxes
Cigar: Room 101 LTD Namakubi
Size: 6 x 44 (Tiburon)
Wrapper: Habano
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Dominican and Honduras
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3
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Room 101 Namakubi
Appearance and Construction: The Habano wrapper on the cigar is glistening with oils on this corona size smoke. The corona is one of my favorite sizes because of the ratio of wrapper to filler. The majority of flavors from the cigar comes from the wrapper, so the small ring gauge the more you taste the nuances of the cigars. This is what the blender had in mind when they made the cigar. The wrapper has a few thin veins and a slight tooth to it. Examining to closely shows off a well rolled cigar with a perfectly placed cap. There appears to be no soft spots, and an average weight to the stick. The band has Namakubi in busy font of red letters on a black background.
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Room 101 Namakubi - Foot
Flavor & Notes: The cold draw of the Namakubi has a mix of earth, wood and sweetness to it which is a nice complexity for the prelight. The foot of the smoke has a musky sweetness that is mix of figs and molasses. The cigar lit easily under my soft flame Xikar Lighter. Once the cigar is lit there are some tea like notes and citrus mixed with some wood to star. As we entered the second third of the cigar some of that molasses we experienced in the pre-light is pick up through the nose as the dominant notes are coffee and leather. There is also some peppermint on the finish that has me thinking of schnapps. In the last third of the Room 101 Namakubi the strength kicks it up a notch and the notes are coffee with a bit of a citric finish.
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Room 101 Namakubi - First 3rd
Smoking Characteristics: The Namkubi features one of the finest looking carbon lines on any cigar that I have smoked. The cigar stayed lit from start to finish and had a firm light color ash with an impeccable draw. For a corona there was an ample amount of smoke with a nice tropical aroma.
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Room 101 Namakubi - Second 3rd
Conclusion: The stuff being released by Room 101 lately has been really good. The Connecticut was a nice surprise and the Namakubi is a cigar worth losing your head over. A nice flavor profile and perfect burn make this a cigar worth buying by the box.
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Room 101 Namakubi - Last 3rd
Rating: 91
Price: $8.00