If there is one cuisine singularly identified with the history of Tampa, it’s Cuban food, mixed with a dash of Spanish and Italian — the ethnic mix whose labor force kept the cigar factories humming in the early 20th century. The Cuban culinary tradition continues along the Cuban corridor of Tampa’s Columbus Drive, known by Read more about Cigar News: West Tampa Tobacco Company Launches Boliche Blvd.[…]
Rick Rodriguez and Luciano Meirelles, have joined forces to unveil a collaboration cigar. This partnership has been eagerly awaited by the Kentucky cigar community, and its release at the esteemed “My Old Kentucky Herf” event has left enthusiasts in awe. The limited-edition cigar is exclusively available nationwide and distributed by “My Old Kentucky Herf” (Fatash Read more about Cigar News: Rick Rodriguez and Luciano Meirelles Silently Collaborate and Release Exclusive Cigar[…]
Founded in 2022, West Tampa Tobacco Company is dedicated to the business of producing, marketing and distributing the finest premium-branded cigars around the world. West Tampa Tobacco Company cigars can now be found in over 300 retailers across the US and 25 International countries and growing. For more information about West Tampa Tobacco Company please Read more about Cigar Review: West Tampa Tobacco Co. – Red Toro – Rated 97[…]
By now most of us are familiar with Ricky Rodriguez, the previous CAO Cigars brand ambassador who recently this year launched his own company – West Tampa Tobacco. He launched with two blends, the West Tampa White and West Tampa Black. Now, to close out the year, Ricky has reached deep into his stored thoughts Read more about Cigar Review: West Tampa Tobacco Co. Attic Series – The Attic Toro – Rated 97[…]
CAO is set to launch a blend called Pilón Añejo which pairs labor-intensive fermentation and finished cigar aging to deliver a cigar of great depth and character. The limited-edition line will ship to retailers in April and a total of 5,000 boxes will be released in the US. CAO Pilón Añejo is made with the Read more about Cigar News: CAO Debuts Pilón Añejo[…]
Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) has announced that Rick Rodriguez, blender/ambassador of CAO is retiring from the company on April 29, 2022 after more than 20 years with the company. Rick joined General Cigar in January 2000 as a sales representative in Florida. In 2005, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime by Edgar Cullman, Read more about Cigar News: CAO Blender and Ambassador Rick Rodriguez Retiring from STG[…]
CAO continues to highlight old-world processing methods with the limited return of its Arcana Series. For 2022, a blend called “Firewalker,” which is inspired by the Chincagre method of aging will be released in one, limited edition size. Applied solely to the Nicaraguan-grown filler tobacco in Firewalker’s blend, Chincagre is an archaic process of primary Read more about Cigar News: CAO Releases Firewalker Version of the Arcana[…]
If you are cigar enthusiast, you know that Dominoes (Bones) and Cigars go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. CAO Ambassador – Ricky Rodriguez – knows that too and he and the CAO blending team decided to create a new cigar called Bones. Announced this past month, the CAO Bones has blend described as: Wrapper Read more about Cigar News: CAO Cigars Announces the BONES[…]
Late last year, I was at the 10th Anniversary Tampa Cigar Bash. This is one of the best events in the state of Florida and draws a large crowd of cigar enthusiasts and brand owners alike. The party is always great as you get to meet and greet many of the names behind the cigars Read more about Cigar Review: CAO Cigars Session Garage – Rated 87[…]
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting CAO Master Blender, Ricky Rodriguez at an event at my local shop – Executive Cigar Shop and Lounge. By now you should have read the short article on Ricky and as promised, I will now review the new and limited CAO Zócalo . Before we get into Read more about CAO Zócalo Cigar Review – Viva la Mexico[…]
This past Thursday I had the pleasure of attending a CAO Cigars event at my local lounge – Executive Cigars Shop and Lounge in Melbourne, FL. The event was part of the shop’s monthly cigar meeting but featured CAO Master Blender, Ricky Rodriguez. Normally when I visit shops for events I tend to talk about Read more about CAO Cigar Event with Ricky Rodriguez[…]