Cigar Review – Room 101 Ichiban Chingon
The Sakura (cherry blossom) is the national flower of Japan. It represents a time of renewal and optimism. Due to their quick blooming season, cherry blossoms also symbolize the transience of life. The Sakura’s magnificent but brief lifespan, (falling off the tree a few weeks after full bloom) reminds people that similar to the delicate white-pink flowers, a human’s life is also short, beautiful and magnificent
The first thing that caught my eye was the Sakura emblem on the Ichiban Chingon by Room 101 Cigars, and knowing all this about the significance of the Sakura, I was immediately drawn in.
Matt Booth, the Founder of @room101cigars said this: “The new Room101 Ichiban Series is one in a handful of blends that has earned the right to bear our Sakura brand mark, something I take very seriously. It is one of our finer works over the past five years and a recipe that I have been holding close for a while; waiting for the right time, the right project and the right people to share it with.”
The Sakura emblem aside, the name choice for this cigar offering also bears mention. Ichiban is the Japanese word meaning “number 1”, both figuratively and literally. Chingon is a Spanish word referring to the attributes of a person as being “skilled and uncompromising”. So in naming this cigar the Ichiban Chingon, Booth is telling us that it is the best of the best of his offerings, and has been created in a skillful and uncompromising manner. And I have to agree with Booth. So much of thought and skill has gone into the cigar, from the wrapping, first-light all the way down to the nub… there was nothing to fault.
Booth has collaborated with Davidoff of Geneva and has developed a boutique line of bold cigars. And like the seasonal and limited presence of the Sakura blossoms, the Ichiban Chingon is also a rare and limited marvel. The Room 101 Ichiban Salomone is a limited edition release, it’s a cigar that aficionados would call a unicorn. Once gone, its unlikely to re-appear as the Ichiban Chingon is not part of the regular production line of Room 101 Cigars… and yes, members of the Shadow Army know that it will soon be “UNOBTANIUM”. Only 10 000 sticks in the Salomone format were made and released WORLD WIDE.
Cigar details
NAME: ICHIBAN CHINGON FROM ROOM 101 CIGARS
SIZE: 8×60/44 (Salomone)
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FACTORY: Oettinger Davidoff AG’s Agroindustria LAEPE S.A. in Danlí, Honduras
STRENGTH: Medium.
SMOKING TIME: 2 ½ hours
FLAVOUR NOTES AND IMPRESSIONS
Even before we get to the cigar, I have to first talk about the packaging. The outer covering is a black and white paper sleeve, with Room 101’s distinctive Japanese filigree styling. Prominent at the center is the Sakura cherry blossom. Removing the outer sleeve reveals a further wrapper of white tissue paper, twisted on the ends like a Christmas cracker. So I know there’s going to be a banger of a prize inside. Once unrobed, I was met with aromas of coffee and sweet tobacco, also prominent when I sniffed at the tissue paper wrapper. The cigar is a shade of light milk chocolate. Firm to the touch and feels very well balanced in my hand. I admit, this size is not one that I would usually go for, and I was surprised at how comfortable it was.
I used a straight cut on the torperdo styled tip of this Salomone. The dry draw was woodsy and peppery and herbal.
On light up flavors of mild pepper in the first third predominate. Smoke output is huge, substantial and has a chewy body. A really nice mouth feel. Flavours continued to developed through to the last third, where cinnamon came to the fore.
The cigar was faster burning than I had anticipated, particularly the first third, but then the pace evened out to a total smoking time of 2 ½ hours, from foot to nub. It was too good to put down, so I nubbed it with my Cigar Dagger.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I tend away from larger formats as they can be a bit intimidating. That being said, make sure you have loads of time to fully enjoy this cigar – it is not one to be rushed. The Room 101 Ichiban Chigon is a cigar that I would want to have many of in my humidor. It will soon be unobtanium, so if you have a very limited window of opportunity to lay your hands on these sticks.
Like the Sakura cherry blossom, this cigar is beautiful, magnificent and rare.
Written by Suhayfa Bhamjee – @janebond5050
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