Room101 Serie HN 305

Back in June we posted a news story about a new limited edition line coming from Room101, the Serie HN. With filler made up of tobacco from Honduras and the Navarette region of the Dominican Republic we get the H and N that make up the name. In addition, the cigar features a Brazilian binder and Honduran Criollo ‘98 wrapper. Room101/Camacho describe the blend in more detail in their marketing material:

Introducing the NEW Serie HN, the latest edition to the Room101 core line of cigars. Following the success of our most recent core offering, the Room101 San Andres, we’ve decided to take yet another unique journey with this new blend. Honduran Criollo is widely-known for it’s signature taste; rich, rugged and filled with intense spice. By itself, Criollo can be slightly one dimensional. However, when expertly combined with tobaccos such as Mata Fina from Brazil and a creamy Dominican Navarette, the richness and spice of Criollo comes to life in an unimaginable way. The result is a multi-dimensional and full-flavored, medium-intensity cigar with a level of balance unmatched by most.

These are the five sizes in the line:

• Room101 Serie HN 213 (5 1/2 x 44) — 800 Boxes of 25 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Room101 Serie HN 305 (5 x 50) — 800 Boxes of 25 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Room101 Serie HN 615 (7 x 48) — 800 Boxes of 25 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Room101 Serie HN 808 (6 x 60) — 800 Boxes of 25 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Room101 Serie HN Papi Chulo (4 x 42) — 400 Boxes of 50 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)

• Cigar Reviewed: Room101 Serie HN 305
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Agroindustrias Laepe, S.A.
• Wrapper: Honduran Criollo ’98
• Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
• Filler: Honduran Criollo Ligero and Dominican Navarette
• Size: 5 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Vitola: Robusto
• MSRP: $6.00 (Box of 25, $150.00)
• Date Released: June 2013
• Number of Cigars Released: 800 Boxes of 25 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Review: 3

The HN has a smooth, slightly oily wrapper that is a mottled almond color. The seams are hardly visible and the wrapper doesn’t have any visible defects. The bright red and white band contrasts nicely against the wrapper. Squeezing the cigar it’s firm without being too hard and has just the right amount of give. The aroma of the wrapper is a light mix of cinnamon and barnyard aromas. After clipping the cap and taking a cold draw, I get more notes of cinnamon, some milk chocolate and an overall sweetness.

The first third of the Serie HN 305 starts off with some spice, a creamy sweetness, nuttiness and a little bit of pepper. Smoke production isn’t over the top with a nice steady stream coming from the foot. The burn is dead on, even and sharp all the way around. There is an interesting brown hue to the mostly gray ash, which holds easily to the one inch mark without any flaking. The draw is good, but I would describe it on the looser side of ideal. The creamy medley of spice, nuttiness and some pepper continue with the addition of a nice leather note.

Moving into the second third, we see the nuttiness develop into more of a coffee note with a continuation of the previous spice note, though overall it is a little less sweet and most of the pepper is gone. While the sweet overtones to the cigar are mostly gone, the creaminess is still enveloping the profile as a whole. Towards the end of this third I’ve had to make a couple of minor touch ups, but the burn has righted itself without too much intervention on my behalf. Perhaps related, there are some slightly bitter undertones that detract a little from the profile.

The final third sees more of the previously mentioned coffee note, though the profile has gotten much more earthy and the sweetness is all but gone. Fortunately the bitterness has also disappeared. With a minor touch up needed here and there the burn can’t be described as perfect, though it is quite acceptable. I would peg the 305’s overall strength at a medium plus with the body in the medium category as well. The last bit of the cigar sees the spice and pepper completely gone with only a little bit of earthiness left. This has left the cigar with a slightly lackluster finish, though the lack of bitterness or any harsh notes at the end can be counted as a positive thing.

Final Notes:

• This isn’t the first line to have the sizes 213, 305, 615, 808 and Papi Chulo. The numbers are all area codes, which belong to Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and the state of Hawaii, respectively.
• The Papi Chulo size refers to the slang term which means a good looking or well dressed guy, though the top rated definition on Urban Dictionary defines papi chulo as a “Mac Daddy”.
• This isn’t the first Room101 limited edition to use the Brazilian binder, the Daruma from last year had that distinction.
• This is the fourth year in a row that Room101 has released a limited edition. The previous releases were Room101 LTD Conjura, Room101 LTD Namakubi and Room101 Daruma. 
• While the Namakubi and Daruma releases had significant Japanese themes, the Serie HN doesn’t have any except the band, which is the same as the logo used on the Namakubi box.
• Site sponsor Famous Smoke Shop has the Room101 Serie HN in stock.
• Davidoff, who manufacturers and distributes Room101, is a site sponsor.
• Final smoking time averaged an hour and a half.