Matt Booth and General Cigar have brought new life to the Sancho Panza brand by way of a complete rebrand and reblend. All three blends in the line get the same treatment and will ship this week. They were also shown off in the Room101 booth at the PCA trade show last week.
Pospiech Cigars has announced a new cigar and collaboration with Matt Booth of Room101 fame: The Shepherd.
Room101 came out with the original Daruma in 2012 as a sequel of sorts to Namakubi. The cigar disappeared from the market a handful of years later, but now in 2023, the line is making a comeback.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 21st, 2015 – Room101, the Los Angeles based luxury lifestyle brand owned by Matt Booth, is proud to announce the latest addition to their bespoke retailer exclusive series, the new Room101 Ichiban Monstro. The sixth release in the Ichiban Series is a beefy 60-ring gauge format developed for Tinderbox in Waldorf, Maryland is currently available for sale.
"A solid cigar, that offered some classic notes in coffee and chocolate. Combine that with the punch of habanero, it really was a good example of a traditional cigar for someone looking for a medium-ranged smoking experience. Not full-bodied but also not a breakfast cigar for sure. This would be something I could see grabbing from a B&M while on vacation or away from home and looking for that simple comfort of a cigar and tasty beverage." -Doug S. (Unpossible_1)
In 2022, General Cigar purchased the Room101 brand, and brought on Matt Booth to be their creative director. One of Booth's first projects with the company was the revitalization of the Sancho Panza brand. We rated all three of those new blends Original, Double Maduro, and Extra Fuerte. Now, the brand is getting a limited edition line extension. Something that sets this limited edition apart from the regular production version is the fact that they are rolled at the Oliva Cigar Factory, as opposed to HATSA.
I have been really impressed with many of the cigars released under the Room 101 brand name, and the Chief Cool Arrow is also impressive. The cigar is not only beautiful and interesting in the design, but it is well made and classically constructed. The flavor profile is in good company with the overall design. Bold, but classical. No harshness or overpowering notes ever came through the profile, and it was pleasant to smoke. Not boring or lackluster, but still some subtle nuances that kept me interested and excited to see what the next puff would bring. I recommend this cigar and am looking forward to trying the other vitolas.
"This cigar was only a few flavors away from being epic. It was eye catching and performed like a champ. The mix of flavors really hit my palate in the sweet spot. Loved the leather, chocolate, oak,and spice flavors that just came in droves. Highly recommended and I can't wait to buy more of these." -Kevin J. (maninblack77)
"This was an enjoyable cigar from start to finish. Nothing stood out in the flavor profile, but it was all solid. This would be a great day starter, as it could easily be smoked on an empty stomach. I will be adding these to my usual rotation for sure! " -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
"'Finger licking good.' Those were the only words in my mind when this cigar was burning my fingertips in the end. The flavors were great, and the transitions were cohesive. I'd love to try this cigar in a larger format because I couldn't get enough of this cigar." -Isaac M. (The Nothing)