Happy Wednesday, amigos!
I hope everyone is gearing up for an amazing holiday season along with the season finale of a crazy year! Today, I want to talk about a recent drop that I don’t want people to miss out on: the full-throttled assassin known as the Room101 11th Anniversary.
My first impressions of this Nicaraguan puro are of chex mix, a pinch of sugar, and a funky earth note. Through the nose I get a wasabi-like heat that clears my sinuses faster than that time I laughed and snorted Coca-Cola. It’s a scorcher that leaves me with dark chocolate remnants after I clear the water from my eyes.
Moments later, pepper makes itself known like a machine gun at a pistol range. Everyone’s looking around like, “Who Invited This Guy?” but pepper doesn’t have time for questions – only firepower. It carries both the peppercorn flavor as well as a lingering heat on my lips and tongue. If I wasn’t awake before, I’m definitely paying attention now!
Just shy of an inch in, pepper eases up a bit off the trigger. Cereal grains, a touch of sweetness, and heady notes of oak and cedar start to emerge as the primary flavors. Dark chocolate, black pepper, and finished leather round out the profile as secondary impressions.
If you missed our Virtual Lounge experiences with Matt Booth throughout the year, you missed out on some of the most entertaining and laid-back experiences of 2020. Booth is that dude you find at the bar and, after a few drinks, you realize that he’s the guy you could’ve been if you pushed fear down in the corner and followed your dreams with unwavering tenacity.
Booth is great – that’s universally accepted. What’s equally impressive, however, is his cigar portfolio. He refuses to be placed in a box or become typecast and is continually changing things up. For example, if you thought the 11th Anniversary was going to be a medium-bodied blend just because the 10th Anniversary was, Booth just went southpaw and flipped the script.
I know it's a cliche, but inside the Room101 brand you truly can find something for everyone.
11th Anniversary Suggestions
If you’re a fan of The T or Farce Maduro, the 11th Anniversary should be moved up to the top of your short list. Full stop.
Likewise, if you’re looking for the next full-bodied cigar to capture your attention like seeing a grenade pin hit the floor, the 11th Anniversary should be moved to the top of your short list.
For pairings, I’ve really enjoyed it with The Dalmore Cigar Malt as well as Bunnahabhain 12-yr. The peat from the Bunnahabhain emphasizes more of the sweeter tasting notes whereas the Cigar Malt takes the edge off the pepper and allows the other notes to harmonize.
Tell Us! If you’ve also smoked the Room101 11th Anniversary, what were your thoughts?
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