Assessment Updates will be posted on this web-site to: 1) Assess “pre-review” cigars that were not given a rating or score (typically pre-release cigars); 2) Provide numeric ratings to cigars previously assessed prior to the implementation of the numeric scoring system; 3) Provide a re-assessment and re-score of previously assessed/score cigars. Today, we provide an assessment rating and score to the Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador in the Ranfla size. This was a cigar we originally assessed back in March, 2013 in the Filero Vitola as well as December 2013 in the H-Town size.
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| Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador Ranfla |
Wrapper: Habano
Binder: Authentic Corojo
Filler: Honduras, Dominican
Country of Origin: Honduras (Agroindustrias Laepe S.A.)
Ranfla: 30 x 50 x 19 x 6 1/2
In 2013, Matt Booth’s Room 101 Cigars would launch its eighth line of cigars called Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador. The Namakubi Ecuador can be viewed as an intersection between two of the brand’s most popular lines to date. Namakubi Ecuador uses its same Honduran and Dominican filler components as the original Namakubi. Meanwhile the Habano wrapper and Corojo binder have parallels to the Room 101 OSOK. In addition, there are two sizes in the Namakubi Ecuador that come from the OSOK release (Filero and Changron) and one size from the original Namakubi (Papi Chulo). While Namakubi Ecuador was a 2013 release, it was a highly acclaimed line in 2014 on Cigar Coop.
The Namakubi Ecuador was introduced in four sizes. While one of the sizes was the brand’s signature 4 x 42 Papi Chulo, the other three were artesian shaped diadema cigars – Chagron, Filero, and today’s vitola, the Ranfla.
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| Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador |
Late in 2013, fifth size was introduced in a lancero format called the Namakubi Ecuador H-Town. This was a limited edition shop exclusive to Stogies World Class Cigars in Houston, Texas.
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| Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador H-Town |
As mentioned the Room 101 Namakubi line was highly celebrated on Cigar Coop. Last week, the Namakubi Ecuador H-Town ranked as the #3 Line Extension for 2014 on Cigar Coop and the Rom 101 Namakubi Ecuador captured the #1 spot for Best Aged Blend. Given the award for Aged Blend was across the whole line, we decided to take a closer look at the Ranfla vitola and see how this cigar performed.
The Ranfla is a shaped perfecto with an open footer and slightly tapered cap. Of the three artesian / diadema vitolas, this one has the most traditional look. The Ranfla delivers notes of earth, chocolate, citrus, and black pepper. I found the Ranfla to offer a little less in terms of the chocolate and was more skewed toward the earthy profiles.
The strength level of the Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador seems to have come down a bit since the line’s 2013 launch, but it still has some firepower. I assessed this cigar being just over the borderline for a full strength, full-bodied smoke. The construction on this cigar is excellent.
The Room 101 Namakubi was a good cigar line in 2013. It is now a line that is smoking even better. While the Filero and H-Town are still the go to sizes here, this as a nice size and it’s definitely worth checking out.
Summary
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Full
Body: Full
Finish: Good
Assessment: 4.0 – Box Worthy
Score: 92
References
Original Assessment: Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador (Filero), Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador H-Town
News: Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador
Price: $10.00
Source: Purchased
Stogie Geeks Podcast: Episode 78
Stogie Feed: Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador H-Town
