PCA 2022: West Tampa Tobacco Co.
If you’ve followed the CAO brand for the past decade or so, you almost certainly know the name Rick Rodriguez. He was the company’s blender and ambassador, a role that he embraced and succeeded in tremendously well, as he helped guide the brand following its integration into the General Cigar Co. portfolio. In March 2022, he announced that he would be leaving the company in April, and speculation began to circulate about just what he’d do next. The answer came not long after his departure, as West Tampa Tobacco Co. was announced in mid-May, a venture that he was undertaking with Gus Martinez, also a former General Cigar Co. employee.
Just about a month after making the announcement of West Tampa Tobacco Co.’s launch, the company began shipping its first two cigar lines, and then came time for the company to make its debut at the PCA Convention & Trade Show. They constituted one of a number of companies exhibiting for the first time.
The company has an impressively sized booth highlighted by a large image of Rodriguez on one banner, and the company’s logo on the other, with a metal trussing system used for the framework of the structure. Joining Rodriguez in the booth was his daughter, Sara, who serves as the company’s public relations director, and who helps coordinate the visits by both retailers and media. Rick Rodriguez says that part of the reason he wanted to undertake this venture was for his family, so seeing that play out in person is a great reminder of how a lot of the companies on the floor were built by members of a family.
One of the company’s first two core lines, the Black, uses a higher priming wrapper to give the cigar not just a darker color than the White line, but a stronger flavor profile as well that focuses on delivering a balance of flavor, complexity and body.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
- Binder: Nicaragua (Ometepe)
- Filler: Nicaragua (Condega and Estelí)
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Robusto (5 x 50) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Toro (6 x 52) — $9.99 (Box of 20, $199.80)
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black Gigante (6 x 60) — $10.99 (Box of 20, $219.80)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: June 2022
Like the Black line, the White uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, but it is a higher priming and a lighter color and profile.
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
- Binder: Nicaragua (Ometepe)
- Filler: Nicaragua (Condega and Estelí)
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. White Robusto (5 x 50) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. White Toro (6 x 52) — $9.99 (Box of 20, $199.80)
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. White Gigante (6 x 60) — $10.99 (Box of 20, $219.80)
Production: Regular Production
Release Date: June 2022
West Tampa Tobacco Co. Attic Series
The company showed off what will be its next release, the Attic Series, with the first installment scheduled for an October release date, and the next likely to be released in March or April of 2023. Rick Rodriguez says it will be a way for him to tell some of the many experiences from his time in the premium cigar industry, and the line will be supplemented by video content that will be accessible via a QR code on the bands. Specific details about the blend and pricing are still being worked out, but Rodriguez says it will be a 6 x 56 vitola priced at about $12 or $13 per cigar, and will feature a Mexican wrapper.
- Wrapper: Mexico
- Binder: Undisclosed
- Filler: Undisclosed
- West Tampa Tobacco Co. Attic Series (6 x 56) — $TBA (Box of 14, $TBA)
Production: To Be Announced
Release Date: October 2022
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
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