📌 Brand: RoMa Craft Tobac
📌 Line: Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794
📌 Size: Hamilton (Petit Corona - 4" × 46)
📌 Weight: 10 g
📌 Age: 5 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua
Tasting Notes
Dark Chocolate – Rich, bittersweet cocoa with a pleasantly roasted character
Black Pepper – Warm, lively spice adding intensity without overwhelming the profile
Espresso – Deep roasted coffee notes with a slightly smoky finish
Molasses – Dark, earthy sweetness bringing balance to the stronger flavours
First Impressions
The RoMa Craft Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 Hamilton is a compact cigar with plenty of personality. I have always appreciated RoMa Craft's approach to blending, particularly the way the company manages to create cigars that feel distinctive without relying on extravagant presentation or unnecessary marketing.
The Whiskey Rebellion series is particularly interesting, taking inspiration from a fascinating chapter of American history. The Hamilton, named after Alexander Hamilton, comes in a compact format that promises a relatively short but flavourful smoking experience.
The dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper gives the cigar an attractive appearance, with a slightly oily surface and a rustic character. It feels nicely packed, and the overall construction looks promising. Pre-light aromas suggest dark chocolate, roasted coffee, earth, and a touch of black pepper, while the cold draw offers a pleasant combination of cocoa and natural tobacco sweetness.
Given the relatively small format, I was expecting a concentrated smoking experience with plenty of flavour from the beginning. Fortunately, the tobacco itself did not disappoint, although the combustion proved slightly less cooperative than I would have liked.
Smoking Experience
First Third – Opens with a rich combination of dark chocolate, espresso, and black pepper. The spice is immediately noticeable, bringing some energy to the profile, while a subtle molasses sweetness helps keep everything nicely balanced. There is a pleasant density to the smoke, and the flavours feel surprisingly substantial for such a compact cigar. The opening is enjoyable, with enough richness and character to make an immediate impression.
Second Third – The espresso becomes more pronounced, accompanied by bittersweet chocolate and a deeper earthy character. The black pepper settles slightly, allowing the darker sweetness to emerge more clearly. There is a lovely balance between roasted flavours and the natural richness of the tobacco. Unfortunately, the cigar requires a relight, interrupting what had otherwise been a very satisfying experience. Once combustion is restored, the flavours return nicely, although the interruption is frustrating in a cigar of this relatively short length.
Final Third – The profile becomes richer and slightly more intense, with espresso, dark chocolate, and black pepper dominating. The molasses sweetness remains in the background, preventing the finish from becoming excessively dry or bitter. There is enough development to keep things interesting, and the cigar maintains its distinctive character right through the final section. However, a couple of relights throughout the smoke take away from the overall enjoyment. The tobacco delivers plenty of flavour, but the inconsistent combustion prevents the experience from feeling completely polished.
Pairings
Alcohol – Michter's US★1 Small Batch Bourbon - Rich caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and warming spice make this a particularly suitable companion for the Whiskey Rebellion. The bourbon's natural sweetness complements the cigar's dark chocolate and molasses notes, while its woody character works beautifully alongside the roasted coffee and pepper.
Tea – Yunnan Purple Bud Black Tea (China) - Its deep maltiness, gentle fruity sweetness, and subtle earthy character complement the cigar's espresso and dark chocolate profile. The tea has enough body to stand alongside the stronger tobacco flavours without adding excessive bitterness.
Music Pairing
“Hard to Handle” – Otis Redding
Warm, powerful, and full of attitude, making it a fitting soundtrack for the richer final third. The title also feels particularly appropriate for a cigar that occasionally struggles to stay lit.
Final Thoughts
RoMa Craft Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 Hamilton is a very enjoyable little cigar that delivers considerably more flavour than its compact dimensions might suggest. The combination of dark chocolate, espresso, black pepper, and molasses creates a rich, satisfying profile with enough development to keep things interesting throughout the smoking experience.
What I particularly enjoyed was the balance between the darker roasted flavours and the underlying sweetness. The espresso and chocolate provide plenty of depth, while the pepper adds energy without becoming overwhelming. There is a pleasing richness to the tobacco, and the cigar never feels unnecessarily aggressive despite its concentrated character.
Unfortunately, the need for a couple of relights prevents the experience from being as enjoyable as it could have been. In a larger cigar, occasional combustion problems can sometimes feel like a relatively minor inconvenience. In a compact format such as the Hamilton, however, every interruption becomes more noticeable because the overall smoking time is considerably shorter.
That said, the tobacco itself impressed me. The flavours were well-defined, the balance was enjoyable, and there was enough complexity to make the cigar worth revisiting. I would happily smoke another Hamilton, particularly if I could find one that maintained consistent combustion from beginning to end.
A flavourful, characterful cigar with plenty to offer, let down slightly by its performance rather than its blend.
Final Score: 8/10
Why not a 10?
The cigar required a couple of relights, interrupting an otherwise rich and enjoyable smoking experience. The flavours were excellent, but the inconsistent combustion prevented it from achieving a higher score.
Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.