Room 101 Muzzle Loader Gordo

Somewhat new to the boutique cigar scene, Room 101 cigars may have an unusual name, but the cigars are 100% legit. If you’re still not convinced on the quality of these handmades, they are made by one of the best boutique manufacturers on the market today, Camacho. Actually, Room 101 Cigars was started by a chance meeting at an after party in Las Vegas by Room 101 lifestyle founder Matt Booth and Camacho’s Christian Eiroa, and the duo have been working on this project ever since. The Muzzle Loader is a full bodied powerhouse that starts with Nicaraguan and Mexican long-fillers, which is followed by a Nicaraguan binder, and then finished with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper leaf. Once lit, grab a Rusty Nail (scotch and Drambuie), and expect creamy notes of leather and wood.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.