Rick Rodriguez has become a household name in the cigar community. He established himself as a premier Master Blender while with CAO and the General Cigar Company. In fact, one of his creations, the CAO Mortal Coil, won Cigar of the Year for 2021 from Great Cigars. Ridriguez's blending experience, and time with the cigar community drove him to create something new, the West Tampa Tobacco Company. Rodriguez named the company after the area in which he resides, and where his family has resided since coming to the United States. Rodriguez has a strong tie to his roots, and pays homage to his upbringing and love for cigars with his new company. This is the first review of many cigars to come from the West Tampa Tobacco Company. The subject of this review is the West Tampa White in the toro size.
To start, the West Tampa White has a beautifully contemporary presentation. The band is unique and eye catching, incorporating the name and crest of the newly formed company. The wrapper appears smooth, and natural in color. While some cigars may appear to have some bumps or veins, it is, for the most part, a smooth and elegant cigar. The box incorporates contemporary and traditional aspects. The outside dons the name and crest, while the inside holds a summarization of Rodriguez's time in the cigar world, and the creation of the West Tampa Tobacco Company.
The West Tampa White has an excellent construction to say the least. The fillers are Ometepe Seco, Jalapa Seco, and Pueblo Nuevo Viso, while the binder is Ecuadorian Habano. All of which is wrapped in a gorgeous, natural colored Habano wrapper. While the burn can depend of the conditions at the time of lighting, it is even. No canoeing or tunnelling of any kind, and touch ups were only needed when the cigar enters the third-third. the ash is sturdy, and allows for a decent length of about 2 inches before needing an ashtray. The ash is not flakey, so don't worry about flying ashes while enjoying your smoke. The draw is even and smooth, allowing for full enjoyment of the West Tampa White, and all the flavor and aroma it offers.
The West Tampa White has a creamy profile, similar to a Connecticut. Mild notes of black pepper, nuts, and earth make up the base profile of the cigar. More prominent notes of cream and cedar will hit the palate, and make for a delicious smoke. On the retrohale, you may get notes of pepper and cedar, while a mild nutty aroma surrounds you. The creaminess of the cigar, along with the peppery retrohale make for a unique taste. The cigar is a true medium-bodied smoke.
The West Tampa White is decently priced, giving you no excuse to not add it to your humidor. The sticks are only about a dollar apart, with the Robusto at $8.99, the Toro at $9.99, and the Gigante at 10.99. Boxes of the West Tampa White are well within a decent price range. A box of the Robustos are at $179.80, Toros are at $199.80, and the Gigantes are at 219.80. Very reasonably priced for the flavor and construction.
Personally, I can't wait to let these age a little, and see how time impacts the flavor profile. I suggest smoking a few now, and saving a few for later. The West Tampa White is a great cigar for an intermediate, moderate, or veteran smoker, and is a great stick for someone looking to branch into the medium-bodied smokes.
GC Rating: 91
Thanks to the Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop for sponsoring this review of the West Tampa White. If you'd like to try the White, or anything else from the West Tampa catalog, click the picture and use the coupon code for 10% off your order and free shipping.