Room 101 Cigars
Matt Booth launched Room 101 in 2009, proving there's more to cigars than just smoke - there's an entire lifestyle woven into the experience. Crafted through a partnership with Camacho Cigars and parent company Davidoff of Geneva, these Honduran cigars grew quickly into one of the most talked-about boutique smokes on the scene, blending Booth's jewelry designer's eye with his Marine-honed discipline and passion for the culture.
Booth's journey started with jewelry, not tobacco. After finishing a stint in the Marines, he began apprenticing as a designer in 2003, creating alternative luxury silver pieces that attracted a passionate clientele ranging from Hollywood elites to everyday enthusiasts. His introduction to cigars came by way of shared smokes at an after-party, then reinforced by frequent visits to a local tobacco shop. The vibe was magnetic, and Booth was inspired to lean on his design skills to modify lighters and humidors, creating a collection of smoking accessories that spoke of the same passion that drew people to his jewelry.
From there, Booth's immersion in cigar culture became complete. Room 101 Cigars was launched in 2009 with Camacho, rising quickly to become a premier boutique brand. Booth's smokes featured small-batch blends of fully aged tobaccos, delivering medium-full body and flavor wrapped in radical packaging with Japanese-inspired motifs. The Room 101 lineup proved as diverse as Matt's jewelry designs, ranging from medium to medium-full in body with various blends and wrappers pulled together with the Camacho team. The brand made prolific use of Mexican tobaccos, like the San Andrés wrappers and binders in Room 101 San Andrés, Master Collection, and Daruma Gold, along with limited editions available throughout much of the lineup.
In 2017, Booth exited the cigar industry, but the brand returned in 2022 under Scandinavian Tobacco Group with Booth serving as creative director, keeping Room 101's rebellious edge alive while maintaining the quality and attitude that made the brand a boutique legend. If you're ready for a flavor ride wrapped in lifestyle culture, look for the Fu - the Japanese dog of strength and luck - and you'll find a great Room 101 cigar that combines craftsmanship with countercultural attitude.
