Aaron Loomis

 John McTavish

Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the West Tampa Black Toro is dark brown and has some raised veins along with a network of fine veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. The band is dark gray, white and gold with the emphasis on the darker colors as compared to the White line. The aroma from the wrapper is earth and faint cocoa powder while the foot brings cedar, stone fruit sweetness and mild spice. The pre-light draw brings a floral note followed by cedar.
John: The West Tampa Black Toro comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker that tears in half when the cellophane is opened. The cigar is single banded. Aromas from the wrapper included sweet wood, raisin and dry wood underneath. From the foot, I could smell sweet raisin, tobacco, wood and hay.

Team Cigar Review: West Tampa Black Toro

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with lightly toasted oak, earth and light black pepper. The retrohale brings a slightly fuller profile of the same combination. At an inch and a half in, a faint cocoa powder note joins. As the third comes to a close, the profile is lightly toasted oak up front with earth right behind and black pepper and faint cocoa powder in the background. The strength was right at medium.
John: The first third opens with a combination of smoky tobacco, earth and a pairing of earth and wood to finish into the post draw. Soft baking spices and wood come through the retrohale as the first third settles in. As the cigar progresses through the first third, sweet raisin and tobacco are at the front of the draw.

Team Cigar Review: West Tampa Black Toro

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, an espresso bean note joins a bit behind the earth. The retrohale remains toasted oak, earth and black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the overall profile has become a bit dry. As the third comes to a close, the toasted oak is just ahead of the earth with black pepper, espresso bean and faint cocoa powder in the background. The strength remained at medium.
John: The second third gets going with baking spices, wood and creaminess as dry wood finishes into the post draw. The profile becomes wood forward as it continues, with baking spices providing an accent note. By the halfway point, there is an earth component on the post draw.

Team Cigar Review: West Tampa Black Toro

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the cocoa note departs. The retrohale remains toasted oak, earth and black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the toast level increases a fair amount. As the cigar comes to a close, the profile is heavily toasted oak up front with earth behind and black pepper and espresso bean in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
John: The last third opens with creamy earth, baking spices and a light-plus strength spice flavor to finish. Earth takes over the center of the profile as the last third progresses. That earth becomes the primary flavor driver by the halfway point.

Team Cigar Review: West Tampa Black Toro

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout, but the cigar did go out once in the second third, requiring a re-light. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.
John: The burn is straight through the first third, with a one inch ash. The cigar continues straight until the last third where it goes out, requiring a re-light.

Team Cigar Review: West Tampa Black Toro

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
John: The draw is somewhat into the resistant spectrum, roughly 2 notches.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with lightly toasted oak, earth and light black pepper. A faint cocoa powder joined a bit later. The second third saw an espresso bean note join. The final third saw the cocoa note depart and the toast level ramp up. The West Tampa Black Toro had an average flavor profile throughout that never really elevated itself to really capturing my attention. The notes that were present were pleasant, but the overall dryness from the second third on kind of negated that a bit. My experience with the Black was pretty on par with the White and I wouldn’t see myself returning to this blend all that often either.
John: The West Tampa Black Toro started out promising in the first third, with an interesting combination of flavors. By the second third, it became flat with wood and earth largely defining the profile. The last third was almost entirely defined by earth. The burn was good until the last third when it went out and required a re-light. The draw was somewhat into the resistant spectrum. There wasn’t much here in the flavor combinations that grabbed my attention and would have me seeking out a second experience. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 6 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.65

Cost/Point

$1.77

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$1.74

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: West Tampa Black Toro