Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Robusto – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

Just over a year after STG (Scandinavian Tobacco Group) acquired Room101 Cigars, Matt Booth decided to re-release the Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut in a new blend at the PCA trade show 2023. Johnny Tobacconaut originally came out in 2015 and production stopped when Matt Booth departed from Davidoff. In 2022, Johnny Tobacconaut made a comeback of sorts as a limited-production cigar for Luxury Cigar Club, and now it comes back as a regular production under the Forged Cigars umbrella.

The updated blend now uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Mexican binder, and Nicaraguan and filler. The cigars are now rolled at AJ Fernandez’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The new Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut comes in four sizes: Gordo 6 x 60 $10.99, Perfecto 6 x 56 $15.99, Robusto 5 x 50 $8.99, and Toro 6 x 52 $9.99. All come in boxes of 20 except the Perfecto, which comes in ten-count boxes.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A.
Blender: Matt Booth
Number of reviewers: 4 – Kevin A. (Kevin A.) John I. (John I.) Ryan H. (Ryan H.) Doug S. (Unpossible_1)
Price: $8.99
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: August 2023
Contributed by: General Cigar

Initial Impressions – Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Robusto

Appearance: 88

“5 x 50 triple cap very thin wrapper, minimal veins. a very interesting swirl of different colored tobacco looking at the foot.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)

Aroma: 88

“The cigar has a very mild pre-light aroma. Fresh bread, peanut shells, and cedar, along with a little bit of natural tobacco and barnyard coming from the body. The prelight draw is pretty good, with mellow notes of bread and cedar.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)

First Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium

“Plenty of white pepper to start some aged tobacco on the finish. The draw is a little tight. Earth joins, a pretty bland profile cigar leaves your mouth with a dirty feel also.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)

“Starts with fairly sharp cedar tones. Softens ten or fifteen minutes into this to nice soft caramelly leather notes with some background sweetness. Holding a nice ash well into the initial third.” –John I. (John I.)

Second Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium

“The profile shifts slightly in the mid-part of the cigar. The sweetness in the finish fades, as do the nutty notes, but it retains the creaminess. Cabinet spice, mainly white pepper, and a corn cereal note appear. The retrohale keeps its nuttiness, while the floral finish gives way to a strong, dry cedar note. Strength is still mild to medium. The burn continues to perform and draw has opened up slightly.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)

“As things continue, that sweetness of licorice is still the dominant profile flavor. The strength moves up just a touch and also introduces a nice roasted coffee, which is always a lovely addition to cigars. Unfortunately, I have a hard time with the pairing of coffee and licorice but here we are.” –Doug S. (Unpossible_1)

Final Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium

“The cigar does not have any additional changes in the final part of the cigar, which is actually surprising. Burn and draw perform all the way to the end, strength finishes in the mild to medium range where it started, with strength and body both medium.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)

“Creamy aged tobacco with a little spicy white pepper finish. Now this is a nice burning cigar no corrections needed razor sharp. The draw is now acceptable. A great finish to a rather shaky cigar in the beginning, just too bad the whole experience couldn’t have been like the last third.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)

Overall Impressions – Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Robusto

Draw: 91

“The cigar started off a little tight for my liking but opened up reasonably well towards the end ” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)

Burn: 95

“Held a nice ash for as long as my nerves allowed. It did get a bit hot toward the end and just a bit spongey.” –John I. (John I.)

Construction: 91

“Very well constructed overall. Some minor issues in the final third with burning very hot and grew a little soft.” –John I. (John I.)

Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
Experience Overall: 89

“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.)

“Very mild and inoffensive cigar. I’m trying to be fair with this as I definitely prefer much full bodied cigars. This isn’t something I’d ever seek out, but it was pleasant and well behaved smoking experience.” –John I. (John I.)

“The profile was enjoyable. I would smoke this again, I don’t think I would be in it for a box though.” –Ryan H. (Ryan H.)

“There wasn’t a whole lot to be excited about here. When I picked up the green on the wrapper and then followed it up with my cutter cracking the wrapper, I got a bad feeling. This was nothing to write home about, but maybe I just got unlucky. Bad cigars happen from time to time, and this was such a time. Hopefully the others had a more pleasant experience.” –Doug S. (Unpossible_1)

“This was a fine cigar to enjoy first thing in the morning. It performed very well. I found the flavors, though, to be fairly flat and quite subdued. For some folks, this would be an outstanding cigar. Because of the mild flavors, for me it was lacking in substance.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 70

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Robusto – Blind Cigar Review