Tobacco Business

[ 46 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ JULY / AUGUST | 21 ] When Matt Booth made his grand return to the cigar industry after a brief departure, he came back with several new releases and revamped versions of past brands he had released. Among those relaunched brands was the Big Payback, originally released in 2014 as a value-priced pre- mium cigar product for those that preferred rich, hearty flavors and big ring gauges. Booth brought back Room101’s value cigar brand in the summer of 2019 with the release of the Big Payback Maduro, which is made at a new factory and with an updated blend. “This cigar is completely different from anything else in our port- folio,” notes Booth, founder of Room101. “The Big Payback Mad- uro is currently the only product we are making in Honduras. We produce this product proudly with the team at HATSA in Danli, Honduras. Its blend composition is unlike anything else we offer. We use Connecticut Broadleaf as a wrapper and a mixture of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos for the fillers.” This year, Tobacco Business introduced a Value Cigar of the Year category to the Tobacco Business Awards, which the Big Payback Maduro went on to win after all the votes were cast. This recent ac- colade serves as a testament to Booth and his brand’s loyal following within the premium cigar industry. “Honestly, we just keep doing what we need to be doing to con- tinue to foster the growth of our brand and remain true to our ever Value Cigar of the Year: Room101 Big Payback Maduro swelling loyal consumer base—which we are forever grateful for,” states Booth. “The byproduct is that we are receiving recognition in connection while ‘keeping it movin.’ It is not lost on me, and not only am I grateful for the recognition, I take it as indication that we are on the right path here. I’m tremendously excited for what is still to come.” The Big Payback Maduro offers fans of Room101 and Booth an affordable entry point into the brand with single Big Payback Mad- uro cigars having an MSRP that starts at just $6.50 per stick for the Robusto size. In true Matt Booth fashion, he explains that this particular blend was developed for those that “like to party” and that the cigar will pair well with “tight pants, short shorts and autumn colors,” though it’s clear from its performance in the Value Cigar of the Year catego- ry that the cigar has mass appeal among cigar enthusiasts. “This is one of the most consistent daily driver-style cigars in the market,” proclaims Booth. “It should be a component of any intelli- gently curated selection of cigars.” When describing the flavor profile of the Big Payback Maduro, Booth states that it has chocolate and filling earth tones and “inter- galactic funk notes” in the third quarter of the cigar. This cigar is currently available in a Robusto, Toro and Gordo. ... not only am I grateful for the recognition, I take it as indication that we are on the right path here. I'm tremendously excited for what is still to come. — Matt Booth, Owner of Room101 TOP CIGARS 24 THE TOBACCO BUSINESS AWARDS | 2021