Review of Room 101 Daruma Cigar

Room 101 Daruma cigars are Nicaraguan puros distributed by the Forged Cigar Company. The cigars are available in one Toro (6 x 50) size having a closed foot, and are priced at $12.99 per stick. These cigars were released during the Spring of 2023, and are not the same blend as the Daruma's of 2012. The cigars get their name from paper mache talismans used in Japanese culture, and are individually packaged in white wrapping paper surrounded by decorative shiny gold and black paper tubes. For more information about these cigars, please refer to the press release.

The sample Room 101 Daruma Toro cigar started off with a modest sweet and peppery flavor. The smoke was medium-plus bodied, and was very enjoyable for the first 20 minutes. After that point, a metamorphosis took place. The pepper backed off a bit, the sweetness started to disappear, and a few sour notes emerged. During the next 10 minutes, the peppery taste partially reemerged, giving the cigar a peppery dry and sour flavor, which lasted for the duration of the smoking session.

The cigar had a mostly even burn, held a medium-to-long ash, and had a good draw. One relight was required a few minutes after the flavor metamorphosis that occurred at the 20-minute mark. It took me 60 minutes to smoke the Daruma Toro down to two inches remaining.

The Room 101 Daruma Toro was a cigar was that both pleasing and disappointing. The first 20 minutes were very enjoyable, and good enough for a 4-point rating on a 5-point scale. However, the cigar's flavor dropped off dramatically after the initial 20 minutes, down to less than 3 points before the end of the smoke. Overall, my rating of 3.25 points on a 5-point scale might be a bit generous, especially when considering the cigar's $13 price tag.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer.