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The West Tampa Red Robusto is a 5 x 50 robusto with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler, ranked No. 25 in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 of 2023. Garmendia Cigars Co. rolls it in Estelí, and we sell it as singles.
15 in stock
Description
The West Tampa Red Robusto is a 5 x 50 robusto that pairs a Mexican San Andrés wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler. It is the shortest of the three sizes West Tampa Tobacco Co. launched for its Red blend in 2023.
What It Tastes Like
Cigar Insider, Cigar Aficionado’s newsletter, gave this robusto 93 points on July 11, 2023 and rated it medium-full. The tasting note centred on chocolate that stayed present the whole way through, layered with nutmeg, hickory smoke, molasses and leather before closing on mocha. A later Cigar Aficionado review (June 2026 issue) scored it 88, still medium-full, and found a more earthy cigar with anise, cinnamon and cocoa powder and a finish it called a little gritty.
Who It’s For
- Chocolate and mocha lovers who want those notes in a short smoke.
- Fans of Mexican San Andrés leaf curious how it sits over Nicaraguan tobacco.
- Top 25 completists working through Cigar Aficionado’s 2023 list.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Ranked No. 25 in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 of 2023 (93 points)
- Robusto length suits a shorter break
- Cigar Aficionado’s 2023 and 2026 tasting notes both describe an even burn
Cons
- Cigar Aficionado’s June 2026 score fell to 88
- Strength reports vary by outlet and size
About the West Tampa Red
Red followed the White and Black blends (June 2022) as the company’s third regular line, and halfwheel lists its release as May 2023. Rick Rodriguez said, per halfwheel, that he built this one around his own palate rather than his customers’, and a 7 x 40 Lancero was added to the Robusto, Toro and Gigante in June 2024.
Compare Similar Cigars
- West Tampa Red Lancero: the Red blend stretched to 7 x 40, which halfwheel smoked as mild to medium-minus.
- West Tampa Red Gigante: the same San Andrés-wrapped blend in the 6 x 60 size Cigar Aficionado and halfwheel list for the launch.
- West Tampa Black Robusto: an identical 5 x 50 frame under an Ecuadorian wrapper, per Cigar Aficionado.
West Tampa Red Robusto FAQ
How strong is the West Tampa Red Robusto?
Sources differ. We list it as full, and Rick Rodriguez described the Red as full-bodied when it was announced. Cigar Aficionado’s ratings list this 5 x 50 as medium-full (Cigar Insider, July 2023; Top 25, January 2024; June 2026). Reviewing the Toro, halfwheel (medium building to just under full) and Cigar Coop (January 2024, mild-medium to medium) found it lighter.
What tobacco is in the Red Robusto?
A Mexican San Andrés wrapper over Nicaraguan tobacco. halfwheel identifies the binder as Condega leaf and the filler as a mix of Condega and Estelí.
Where is the West Tampa Red made?
At Garmendia Cigars Co. in Estelí, Nicaragua, per halfwheel’s spec table and Cigar Coop’s January 2024 review.
Our West Tampa Tobacco Co. collection lines this Red Robusto up against the brand’s other blends.
Additional information
| Packaging Type | Single |
|---|---|
| Strength | Full |
| Origin | |
| Wrapper | Mexican San Andres |
| Binder | Nicaragua |
| Filler | Nicaragua |
| Length | 5" |
| Gauge | 50 |
