West Tampa Attic Series #1
This limited edition of 2,000 tins reflects Rick Rodriguez's 30 years of experience. The tasting gets off to a flying start, with powerful toasty aromas rounded out by earthy, woody notes.
You've no doubt heard of West Tampa's latest ranges, the White & Black and the Red. Well, at Blue Smoke we wanted to take the West Tampa experience one step further and bring you a jewel of the brand, the West Tampa Attic Series #1.
This cigar is one of just over 2,000 produced. That's what the box evokes: a back door leading to an attic, a wooden floor that creaks heavily, light streaming through the cracks in the roof. It's a dark, solid wooden box, home to a few confidential production boxes.
The 'Attic' series is a project launched by Rick Rodriguez, who is producing this ultra-limited series of 2,000 boxes a year.
At first glance, the cigar looks rustic. Its slightly greyish brown San Andres (Mexico) wrapper reveals prominent veins. To the touch, the body is firm and rough.
While the main ring is sober, flanked simply by the WT logo on the back and an ATTIC SERIES in gold capitals on a grey background, the foot ring proudly displays a chaveta - the symbol par excellence of torcedors and their meticulous work. Its rounded shape makes it possible to cut the wrapper leaves of cigars with a single stroke of the blade.
The binder and filler are a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos from the Esteli and Condega regions.
Tasting note
Notes
The tasting gets off to a flying start with powerful grilled aromas that remind us of the BBQs of last summer, which already seem so long ago.
A few earthy and woody notes share the aromatic palette of the first third of the cigar.
The smoke is dense, compact and floats in the cool autumn air in thick, bluish wisps.
Combustion is regular and compact ash forms at the base.
The tasting continues pleasantly on a woody note with a hint of hazelnut. The purine is greedy and once you've finished this fine Toro, you'll almost ask for a second one to prolong the experience. However, you should allow yourself a good hour (70 minutes for us) to enjoy it to the full.
Pairing
If it's a little late to bring it to your next BBQ, we suggest you enjoy it with an old rum.
