Cigar Review: Room 101 The Big Payback Maduro

I want to start off this review by saying that this specific cigar was not on my list of sticks to review. That was until I heard the news that a dear friend of mine had passed away. His favourite cigar brand was Room 101, so in memory of him, I decide to review the next Room 101 cigar I smoked. Here it is:

Name: The Big Payback Maduro

Manufacturer: Room 101

Length: 5.2"

Gauge: 50

Cap: Double

Shape: Parejo

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Connecticut Shade

Filler: Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan

Smoke Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

Flavor Body: Full

Strength: Medium - Full

Notes:

• The cigar was rested in a climate-controlled wineador at 70F/70% RHC

• Torch lighter was used for initial light-up and touch-ups

I'd like to personally thank Matt from People Of The Leaf for creating a review template for the purpose of this review.

This cigar review is dedicated to my late friend, and fellow Smoke & Dram club member, Don Keck (1959-2025).

REVIEW: 

Room 101 is a cigar brand I admit I do not know much about. What I do know mostly came from my late friend Don, who was undoubtedly a mega fan of the brand. He was a walking Room 101 encyclopedia knowing practically every blend, vitola, and release.

He must have had meeting rooms bugged because he was usually one of the first to know when a new stick was about to drop.

Appearance And Construction (13/15) 

My score for appearance and construction is based on colour consistency, uniform look and feel, and noting any blemishes on the wrapper. I felt up and down the cigar before lighting, searching for any soft or hard spots that may impact the burn or flavour.

Error Free Construction (7/8)

Before cutting and lighting I visually check the cigar for any cracks, splits, or physical damage. There wasn't anything that was any cause for concern but the double cap could have been a bit longer; I fear it could easily unravel with a deep V cut, but I tried it anyway.

Wrapper Leaf (4/5)

The wrapper leaf was a consistent medium brown colour, similar to milk chocolate, with no obvious signs of damage like discolouration, marks, or tears. There was one spot on the cigar along a seam that looked like it was starting to lift ever so slightly.

Band (2/2)

The band on The Big Payback Maduro is simple: black and grey. Is it a samurai who hasn't been to a dentist in years? A dragon? Some sort of mythical bull-like creature? I am not really sure. But I like it. 

My first thought when I saw the band was "kabuki mask". I am not sure if that is exactly what that style of artwork is called, but that was the first thing I thought of. Regardless, it's menacing and intimidating. Scary good!

This may be a stretch, but the artwork reminded me of Iron Maiden's 2021 album, Senjutsu. Also good.

Flavour (22/25)

Like my other reviews, I like to jot down the flavours I experience as they happen. I start broad like 'spice', 'coffee', or 'woods' then try to narrow it down by really focusing on what it reminds me of. I use other cigars (and even colognes) as references to try and pinpoint what exactly I am tasting.

First Third (6/7)

Immediately after light-up I get a mix of chocolate, leather, earth, and oak. The chocolate note isn't sweet like milk chocolate nor is it bitter like cocoa nibs. It sits somewhere in the middle like a 50% dark chocolate bar.

The mix of leather, earth, and oak brings to mind a guy in a leather jacket taking a stroll through a forest on a damp spring morning. The oak is rich, the earth deep, and the leather aged.

I detected some black pepper on my tongue every now and then, but it only lingered for a few seconds between draws. It wasn't overpowering like some darker cigars, but it was a nice complement to the flavours I was experiencing already.

After a few puffs, I began to notice a slight bitter mineral note on my tongue. I don't know what causes this but it gave me a chalky, almost cottony mouthfeel similar to a dry red wine.

Second Third (6/7)

As I made my way into the second third, chocolate and leather were the dominant flavours. The chocolate remained somewhere between sweet and bitter, and the leather began to take on an aged leather jacket scent. Earth and oak were still there but not nearly as noticeable.

During the second third, I began to taste black coffee. It was bitter, acidic, and slightly nutty. I am personally not a fan of drinking black coffee, but I do like the flavour when it pops up in cigars. It can help highlight other notes like woods, chocolate, and spices.

Black pepper was still there but now in the back of my throat, and it lingered a bit longer than it did in the first third. I could feel the intensity ramping up the further I smoked the cigar. It seemed that every puff made it stick around just a bit longer.

I kept discovering a slightly jammy dark fruit note, like plum or blackcurrant, in the background. It would be there for a couple of puffs, disappear for a while, and then reappear just long enough to remind me it was there before it was gone again.

Although the cigar did not require any touch-ups, the burn was consistently wavy.

Final Third (6/7)

As this cigar transitioned into the final third both leather and black coffee became the dominant flavours. The leather was so strong I swear the torcedor snuck a piece of actual leather in while they were rolling the cigar.

Cocoa was still noticeable but sat somewhere in the middle of this cigar. I also tasted a hint of sweet wood, like cedar. These two flavours contrasted with the heavier notes of leather and black coffee in a good way, almost like yin and yang.

Black pepper and cayenne coated my tongue and lingered between draws. Although I tasted mostly spice, there was an underlying umami flavour that made my mouth salivate.

This cigar required two touch-ups during the final third. I was hoping the burn would correct itself like it did like earlier, but no such luck. The wind did pick up a bit before the 2^nd touch-up so I won't deduct any points for that one.

Flavour Harmony (4/4)

When I think of maduro cigars, I think of dark chocolate, coffee, spice, earth and leather. All of these notes were present and easily distinguishable from each other in this stick. The nuanced notes of jammy dark fruits and cedar added depth and complexity that I really enjoyed.

Smoking Characteristics (21/25) 

This portion of my review is based on how the cigar performed during the smoking session. Factors like construction, draw, burn, number of touch-ups, and smoke output are noted and scored accordingly.

Draw (6/7)

The draw on this cigar started out a bit on the tight side but loosened up after about 10 minutes. I am not sure what caused the tightness right at the beginning, but after that it was smooth sailing (err, smoking).

I did find that frequent purging after two to three puffs after light-up helped open the draw. There may have been some small pieces of tobacco stuck in the cigar from when they trimmed the ends. I am not entirely sure but I am glad the issue fixed itself.

Filler Burn (6/7)

The filler burned well for the most part. No coning or tunnelling happened, although the ash typically fell off after an inch or so. Sometimes the ash fell off flakey or not in one single piece. This may be due to touching up the cigar or parts of the filler leaves being drier than others when it was rolled.

Wrapper Burn (5/7)

As stated earlier in my review, this cigar did require multiple touch-ups. The burn was consistently wavy but usually sorted itself out. It never straightened out completely, but it never got out of control.

Smoke Output (4/4)

From light-up to nub, this cigar had pretty consistent and steady white/gray smoke. The smoke curled and wisped into the air, almost like a ribbon kite. Watching it curl and twist after every draw and retrohale was almost mesmerizing.

Overall Experience (30/35) 

Every Room 101 cigar I have tried has been delightful. Although this review was based solely on one cigar, it is one I would definitely smoke again. The complex flavours were balanced and always kept my taste buds wanting more.

Enjoyment (21/24)

There were long periods of time where I didn't have to worry about the burn, but then I would inspect the cigar and see it start to canoe out of control or get a really wavy burn. Moments like these can ruin an otherwise relaxing and peaceful time with a cigar.

Touch-ups and construction issues aside, this is a cigar that would be great at a BBQ, on the golf course, or even just kicking back in your backyard listening to good music.

Desire To Smoke Again (3/4)

The cigar used in this review was the last of a 5-pack I purchased early last year. Although the other four were not part of this review, this cigar was one I sometimes reached for when I was craving heavier notes like chocolate, leather, and coffee.

Since this was the last Big Payback in my humidor, I will be adding them to my list of cigars to purchase again.

Value (4/4)

The Big Payback Maduro in the robusto size typically ranges in price between $8 and $10 per stick, which isn't unreasonable coming from a premium boutique brand. I have seen them bundled together in samplers and sold as 5-pack steals on various cigar retail websites, so keep your eyes out and you may find them for less! If you do, pick them up.

Uniqueness (2/3)

Although this cigar did contain a couple of unique notes, the overall flavour profile isn't anything new. It sits right in the middle of maduro territory, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Final Score: 86/100

Overall Thoughts: 

Although this review consisted of just a single cigar, I do recall my previous experiences with The Big Payback Maduro being enjoyable and flavourful. I would recommend this cigar to both beginners and experienced cigar smokers.

This would be a great cigar for a beginner who wants to get an idea of what a maduro cigar should taste like. Be sure to pick one up next time you visit your local tobacconist or keep your eyes peeled for online deals!