West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Toro – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

In the ever-evolving world of premium cigars, Rick Rodriguez's departure from CAO in March 2022 to embark on a new venture marked a significant moment. Teaming up with Gus Martinez, another alumnus of General Cigar Co., they launched West Tampa Tobacco Co., introducing their inaugural offerings, the Black and White lines. Produced at the Garmendia Cigars Co. factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, these lines represent a dichotomy in taste and craftsmanship. While both utilize an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, the Black line distinguishes itself with a wrapper from a higher priming, yielding a darker hue and a more robust flavor profile. It's complemented by a Nicaraguan binder from Ometepe—a volcanic island known for its rich soil—and fillers from the fertile regions of Condega and Estelí in Nicaragua, promising a unique smoking experience that caters to smokers seeking depth and complexity.

The genesis of West Tampa Tobacco Co. traces back to Rick Rodriguez's heritage, deeply rooted in the cigar legacy of his grandparents, who were revered master cigar rollers in Havana before migrating to the U.S. to tap into the burgeoning cigar scene of West Tampa, Florida. This familial passion skipped a generation before igniting in Rick, who, inspired by the tales of Havana's cigar glory days and mentored by industry luminaries like Benji Menendez, has evolved into a cigar master in his own right.

The Black line, which alongside the White was released in three vitolas including the Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), and Gigante (6 x 60), are priced from $9.00 to $11.00. Each vitola comes in 20-count boxes.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Garmendia Cigars Co.
Blender: Rick Rodriguez
Number of reviewers: 5 – Quinn (quinnpins269) Alan (Eulogy) John A. (Bostoneo) Randy B. (randobush) Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Price: $9.99
Age: 1 Year
Release Date: June 2022
Contributed by: West Tampa Tobacco Co.

Initial Impressions – West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Toro

Appearance: 93

“Toro in size, this fine cigar is adorned with a reddish dark brown wrapper that is fairly smooth in texture and normal small to medium-sized veins running throughout & topped with an acceptable applied triple cap. I've never seen a cigar so perfectly shaped without any variation throughout the length.” –John A. (Bostoneo)

Aroma: 90

“The aroma on this sample is slightly composted and airy. At the wrapper, the aroma is much less than at the foot. At the foot the main aroma is sweet, compost, with just a hint of nutmeg. ” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

First Third

Flavor: 93
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Let's light this cigar up! A quick and easy lighting starts the show off with milder medium profile of leather, mushroomy earth, and cream with charred with finish which lingers on the tongue. With the burn being a little bit wavy as a darker grey ash forms, these flavors carry me through to the end of this third.” –John A. (Bostoneo)

“Rich notes of cedar and baking spice open up the profile with a mineral and red pepper finish. The draw and smoke output are fantastic but the wrapper is very delicate chipping around the cap. ” –Alan (Eulogy)

Second Third

Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“The middle portion of the cigar has remained leathery and earthy. The smoke is heavy and thick and has a very meaty texture to it. Each puff at this point is coating my pallet and lasting through the next puff, which is great because the flavors really are nice. Through the nose, the smoke has remained slightly peppery, but just slightly, and I'm able to retrohale every puff.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

“Ash fell at 2”. Soft chewy smoke with a cocoa baking spice, salt, smoked paprika & slight citrus note. The retrohale is a salty butter cedar and nuts. Long finish in between draws, with nice spice left on the tongue.” –Randy B. (randobush)

Final Third

Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Full

“The profile has shifted once again for the final third. However, I still continued to have a pepper base. I did start to pick up some charred oak and some fresh tobacco. The oaky notes were similar to the taste you would get from an oak-aged bourbon, with the pepper adding that little bit of spice on the finish. ” –Quinn (quinnpins269)

“Into the final portion, the flavors have changed significantly and the leather and earth flavors I was enjoying so much have become muddy. Instead of those wonderful long-lasting flavors now I'm getting a bit of a muted charcoal note which is not acrid or bitter by any means, but it's not the flavors I was enjoying so much in the first two thirds. Through the nose the smoke has remained the same with just a slight hint of pepper, and is really enjoyable on every retrohale.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

Overall Impressions – West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Toro

Draw: 94

“I opted to use a perfect cutter for this cigar, and it was a good choice as the draw I'm given has been nearly perfect the entire time. I'm able to get plenty of heavy smoke, which in turn is giving me plenty of flavors. No complaints here.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

Burn: 93

“The wrapper was chipping all over the cap and body which caused the burn to be a little wonky. I never needed to do any touch-ups or relights even with that issue.” –Alan (Eulogy)

Construction: 91

“Albeit the burn issues, I felt this cigar was very well constructed as it was a beautifully filled specimen without any under-packed or soft areas.” –John A. (Bostoneo)

Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 92

“I found myself really enjoying this cigar. The profile offered up a very nice blend of pepper and sweetness for most of the review. The finish with the charred oak was solid. As for the body/ strength, I would call it a medium to medium-full by the end. ” –Quinn (quinnpins269)

“The smoke production was the real winner here. I was filling my backyard with thick clouds of smoke from the effortless draw. The profile was very earthy if you're a fan of that it is a real winner. For me, I like less mineral-forward profiles. I would smoke it again just for the draw. ” –Alan (Eulogy)

“Overall, this cigar felt a bit flat on its diversity of flavor, lacking any real transitions besides the bump in body and strength. Mushroom-like earth, creamy leather and charred wood notes were the main takeaways from this cigar in some form or another while smoking this cigar. Construction was fairly good, however it did suffer from some uneven burn, nothing that required a touchup though. I'd give it a try, it could be a dependable stick if you do enjoy these flavors.” –John A. (Bostoneo)

“First, I really like the cigar. I like the flavors. I like the transitions, which were deliciously noticeable. I liked the retrohale tremendously. High marks, by all accounts. I would definitely smoke this cigar again. Very nice. I jacked up the wrapper in the final third, taking the band off, but I blame that entirely on Zane Gamble🤣” –Randy B. (randobush)

“This was a solid cigar overall. The initial flavors were very good. My only complaint about this cigar is the final portion changed significantly from the first two portions, and the flavors became more muddied. As it stands, I would gladly smoke another of these again, and would happily recommend to a friend to give a try.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 68

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West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Toro – Blind Cigar Review