Room 101 Master Collection Two Review

Cigar: Room 101 Master Collection Two

Size: Mutante (Lancero) 38 x 7

Wrapper: Criollo
Binder and Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan
Price: $10 per stick

By: Danny Smith

 I had the pleasure of meeting up with Matt Booth of Room 101 at a cigar show at Silo Cigars in Knoxville, TN, a couple of weeks ago and got the chance to chat with him for a few moments regarding his cigars.  I told him that I was going to be reviewing the new Master Collection Two and told him I’d let him pick the size for the review.  He told me that his choice would be the lancero.  This was music to my ears as a fan of the lancero vitola....so the lancero it is!  When asked about the cigar, Matt told me that this cigar is a more “elegant” blend than the previous Master Collection release and that the Master Collection cigars utilize the best tobaccos in his line.  His goal for his cigar line was to have a line that had a smoke for everyone and this cigar fills a void.  Thanks a bunch to Matt for taking a few moments to speak with me during the busy show.  Anyway, lets get on to the review!

Pre-light

 The cigar is medium brown in color with small veins in the wrapper, nothing major though.  The band is a simple all gold version of Master Collection One which shows the Sakura or cherry blossom.  The cigar is firm but has a little give between the fingers.  The look of the cigar echos Matt’s description “elegant”. 

 I cut the cigar with my trusty xikar cutter and the cut was very smooth.  The pre-light draw tasted of finely aged tobacco.  Looking forward to firing it up!

First Third

 From the start this cigar is smoking great.  The draw is perfect and the burn line is on point.  Plenty of smoke bellows out with each puff.  I’m getting hints of nuts and cream with just a faint spice in the background.  Nothing overwhelming, but the flavors are very satisfying and pairing well with my irish coffee.

Second Third

  Into the second third we go....the smoke production picks up slightly and the burn line continues to be excellent.  The spice note fades out and the creamy flavor continues to be in the forefront.  There is a slightly sweet flavor that remains on the lips after each puff....and that is something that I personally enjoy.  The ash at this point has gotten a bit flaky which has caused a bit of a problem with the wind outside today but hey...we can’t control mother nature!   As I get just past the half way point, the spice comes back in.  This isn’t a pepper blast but instead more of a sweet baking type of spice.  I’m digging it!

Final Third

            The cigar continues to burn well and the mild flavors continue with a little bit of sweetness and a hint of what seems to be cedar.  Smoke production continues to be very nice...lots of smoke!  The label came off easily with no damage to the wrapper. 

Final Thoughts

            This was a very enjoyable smoke that took me a little over an hour to get through.  I think Matt was right on when he told me that this was a more elegant blend.  The Master Collection Two was very nuanced with the flavors being not overpowering but strong enough to let you know they’re there.  This would be a great anytime of day smoke and also one that the inexperienced smoker could enjoy.  The construction was great as I didn’t have to touch up the smoke at all throughout.  I think Room 101 has a real winner here and with the price point being at $10 bucks a stick for a “top of the line” cigar...I think it should definitely be considered the next time you want to try a cigar company’s top stick without spending too much cash.  I’ll definitely be picking up a few more to stash away in the humidor!