JC Newman

October 29, 2023

Room101 Big Payback 70 (7 x 70)





Video review HERE.


(Description provided by Forged Cigar Co.)

Room101 is bringing back the Big Payback in a big way with the highly-anticipated return of the line’s 70-ring gauge option. The format has been out of production since 2016.

The Payback brand was created by Matt Booth to repay consumers for their years of support with a premium offering at a monster value price point.

Matt Booth said, “It has been my life’s mission to produce a combustible vessel so engorged and far more magnificent than its standard counterpart in cylindrical presentation, and it’s my greatest honor to offer our people such a product that overflows with both girth and grandeur.”

Room101 Big Payback 70s are handcrafted in Honduras at HATSA and are, according to Booth, “engorged with premium tobaccos reaching a diameter that only you can handle with a price point that won’t handle you.”

Big Payback 70s are made with a blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican filler tobaccos, a US-grown Connecticut Broadleaf binder and are wrapped in Honduran Olancho San Agustin. The cigar is medium plus-body, with spice notes, a great retrohale and a clean finish.

Room101 Big Payback 70 measures 7”x 70 and will sell for an SRP of $8.99 per cigar. The hefty smokes are double-banded, come in boxes of 30 and will be a full-time addition to the Big Payback line.

Room101 Big Payback is distributed by Forged Cigar Company.


The cigar is huge and has a very weighty feel in the hand.




The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were citrus peel, green apple, light brown sugar, earthiness, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. 



At the first third (1 hour 6 minutes) I pretty much had the same notes; citrus peel, green apple, a little more brown sugar, sprinklings of cinnamon, quite a bit of earthiness, and black coffee. The finish was earthy black coffee with below average lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The notes in this cigar aren't really hitting me but the brown sugar saves it. I rated the first third 90.




As I moved through the second third (2 hours) there is quite a bit of citrus peel and accompanying bitterness. There is light brown sugar, a lot of earthiness and heavy black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied, pushing full bodied. The finish is earthy black coffee with good lingering black pepper. There is a lot of citrus peel with bitterness. The light brown sugar does not help much. I rated the second third 86.




The cigar lasted 2 hours 43 minutes. There was light citrus peel, faint brown sugar, heavy earthiness, and heavy black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is earthy black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is not appealing to me at this point. I rated the final third 82. If you want to try a large ring cigar give this one a try. Look at the flavor notes and decide if you'd like to give it a go.




Overall Score: 86

No comments: