West Tampa Adds Lancero To Core Lines
West Tampa Tobacco Co. is expanding its core lines (Black, White and Red) with a new, slender Lancero. The new cigars, which were on display at this year’s PCA trade show, started shipping to retailers on June 1.
Lanceros, part of the panetela family, are long and thin, which allows the wrapper to become a more prominent part of the tobacco blend. Today, they are somewhat rare in a market that leans increasingly towards fatter and thicker sizes. Still, they appeal to some cigar smokers, and it was consumer demand that led the company to add them to the portfolio.
“In my recent travels I have gotten several questions about this unique size, specifically why I should try it,” says co-owner Rick Rodriguez. “What makes this size special is that it allows smokers to truly enjoy the wrapper and I felt that this was a great way to commemorate our two-year anniversary.”
Each Lancero measures 7 inches long by 40 ring gauge, and unlike traditional Cuban lanceros the cigars are made without pigtail caps. They have suggested retail prices of $10.99 each. They come in boxes of 20, and are rolled in Nicaragua at the Garmendia Cigar Co. factory.
This expansion brings the regular production lines up to four sizes, ing the Robusto (5 by 50), Toro (6 by 52) and Gigante (6 by 60).
When Rodriguez and Gus Martinez launched West Tampa in 2022, they began with West Tampa White and Black. The White line is made from an Ecuador Habano wrapper atop Nicaraguan binder and filler. The stronger Black series features a higher-priming Ecuador Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder from Ometepe and Nicaraguan filler from Condega and Estelí. West Tampa Red, intended to be the strongest blend, was released the following year, and is made up of a Mexican San Andrés cover leaf and Nicaraguan binder and filler.
The West Tampa Red Robusto is Cigar Aficionado’s No. 25 Cigar of 2023.
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