My Weekend Cigar Review: Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut

VIDEO CIGAR REVIEW: Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut

Fly Me To the Room

2015 saw the release of the first Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut cigar selection. At that time Room101 had a distribution agreement with Davidoff and the cigars were made at Davidoff’s factory in Danlí, Honduras. In 2017, Room101 founder Matt Booth parted ways with Davidoff so he could take a hiatus from the cigar industry to focus on his jewelry business.

Booth returned in 2022 when Scandinavian Tobacco Group signed Room101. The following year, with distribution via STG’s Forged Cigar Co. and production by AJ Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua, Johnny Tobacconaut blasted-off again with five regular production sizes. Other changes included replacing the original all-Nicaraguan blend for a three-nation recipe. About the new blend, Booth said, “Johnny Tobacconaut delivers anything but a monochromatic performance.”

Ed. Note: With the box’s graphic depicting an astronaut—shovel-in-hand and tobacco leaves in tow—Johnny Tobacconaut appears to be in search of the best extraterrestrial soil. Mark Watney famously quipped (while growing potatoes on Mars in Andy Weir’s The Martian), “They say once you grow crops somewhere, you have officially ‘colonized’ it. So technically, I colonized Mars. In your face, Neil Armstrong!”

I always wondered what the cigars would have tasted like had he grown tobacco there. Here’s to colonizing the universe with otherworldly flavor!

Cigar Details:

Factory: AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua – Estelí
Size: 6”x52
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut Shade
Binder: Mexico
Fillers: Nicaragua

Presented in boxes of 20

Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Toro Cigar Review

My Johnny Tobacconaut Toros were seamlessly rolled, had just the right amount of firmness, and textbook caps. I thought the gold and black bands looked good against the golden wrapper, too. The caps cut cleanly offering an excellent draw that issued a dry, tangy, herbal-like taste.

The first few puffs were smooth and nutty; no front-loaded spiciness. Once it got going, the smoke issued a nutty flavor complemented by wood and herbal notes with a slight lingering note of spice. By the first half inch the burn was sharply even and the draw remained open. The first ash was dark grey and pretty firm, as were all that followed.

Moving along, the body and strength were locked on dead-center medium through the first several inches. The smoke remained very smooth and had this curious mellow-ish aspect to it. Mostly nutty and woody with a hint of sweet tobacco, the finish had a light and somewhat dry tanginess.

By the halfway mark, the Toro had picked up a little more in body and was demonstrating excellent consistency. The cigar also continued to be rich and nutty through the last several inches. With about two inches remaining, the body and flavors strengthened, offering a few final shreds of indulgence. Finally, with less than two inches remaining, I put it to bed.

Was Johnny Tobacconaut Weekend Worthy?

Step into the shuttle and I’ll tell you. At the suggestion of my friendly Famous retail store manager, I bought a couple of Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut 2023 Robustos. I was pretty impressed with those. They shared many of the same components, but the Toro was a little more understated. Interestingly, there were times when the Johnny Tobacconaut Toro reminded me of the Sobremesa Brulee Toro. Same size, too, just a little less sweet.* And like that cigar, Johnny aced all of the qualifications.

I liked this new Johnny Tobacconaut for its consistency, its smoothness, the flavors, and the vitality it packed for a Connecticut. Any cigar smoker could easily get on board with this blend. Pricewise, the Toro is a little taller than average, but I would argue that it’s reasonable. You are now free to move about the spacecraft.

*After shooting the video, I smoked a Brulee just to be sure.

Please Note: Gary’s review was based on two samples and that your experience may vary. If you’ve already had an experience with this cigar please share your thoughts with a comment.