Back in March of 2024, West Tampa Tobacco Co. announced that they would be debuting the Circle of Life at the 2024 PCA Convention and Trade Show. Unfortunately, beyond seeing it and being able to smoke a pre-release at the trade show, the world had to wait a long 10 months to be able to get their hands on the Circle of life. There was no reason given for the delay. No matter the release, the Circle of Life is a departure from West Tampa Tobacco Co’s color series (White, Black, and Red – which has been used for their regular releases up to this point). It’s also the first time that WTTC has used Casa Carillo to produce a cigar. Their color series was produced at Garmendia Cigars Co. in Estelí, Nicaragua.

OVERVIEW

VITOLA: Toro
SIZE: 6″ x 54

ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
FACTORY: Casa Carillo

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
BINDER: Ecuadorian Sumatra
FILLER: Nicaragua

STRENGTH: Medium-Full

SOURCE:
Small Batch Cigar

ENVIRONMENT

WHERE:
Studio/Office

WHEN:
February 19th @1pm

DRINKS:
Bottled Water

WEATHER:
Indoors

HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3

PRODUCTION

RELEASE TYPE Regular Release

ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE January ’25

TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Boxes of 20
Production Totals: Unknown

VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Toro (6″ x 54)
o Robusto (5″ x 52)
o Gigante (6″ x 60)

BAND DESIGN

The band is an elegant black and gold design. The logo for West Tampa Tobacco Co. is prominently displayed on the band, with “Circle of Life” right underneath it. It’s also an appropriate sized band, and does not take up a majority of the cigar. It allows the smoker to get a good look at the Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. While we don’t have a box section, this is a good place to mention the Circle of Life’s box. It’s cardboard. It looks nice, sure. It’s black and gold. Understated and elegant, just like the band. However, I feel that a wood box with a nice lacquer finish would have served the cigar better. But, what do I know?

PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS

CONSTRUCTION

The Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper is rough to the touch. It feels almost like fine grain sandpaper. The wrapper also has several dark spots throughout. Veiny, toothy, rustic. Rustic might be the best descriptor of this wrapper that I can muster. The wrapper is a dark shade of brown. Somewhere on the far side of milk chocolate and the near side of dark chocolate. It is a stunning wrapper. Triple capped and looking dapper with the gold band around the foot. When you look at the foot, you can really tell the difference in color between the binder and the filler. The binder is almost as dark as the oscuro wrapper.

AROMA

The wrapper gives off a very subtle hint of barnyard. When I use the word “subtle” here, I mean very subtle. I had to search for that aroma. It’s as if the wrapper wants to keep its secrets. The foot, however, easily gives up notes of fruit, sweet tobacco, and barnyard.

COLD DRAW

The cold draw gives up notes of cereal, fruit, and grass. The draw itself has the perfect amount of resistance.

SMOKING EXPERIENCE

LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Le Petit by Les Fines Lames
Fire: Vektor SONICPUMP

Notes of chocolate, red pepper, baking spices, and nuts immediately jump out after the light. Black pepper on the retrohale. There is a nutty sweetness that lingers on my palate. A hint of fruit breaks through the richness, followed by an herbal note. This might be the first time I’ve noticed an herbal note on the initial light. Pepper, chocolate, nuts, all in copious amounts. There’s a sweetness that hangs around after the smoke has cleared…and it’s set off by the pepper notes.

SMOKE

The smoke is thick and unxious. A satisfying amount coats my palate with each draw. It feels like I could almost chew the smoke.

FIRST THIRD
>> Chocolate, Fruit, Black Pepper

The chocolate and pepper from the initial light have calmed down to a degree, though they are both present. The chocolate is more caramel in nature, with an almost avocado oil type finish. Red pepper tickles the back of my throat. Black pepper and baking spices on the retrohale. Chocolate covered cherries and nuts. Crazy? Maybe; but there is definitely a berry-esque fruit note along with chocolate and caramel. A herbal note lurks in the undercurrent. The ash is dark grey with streaks of black. It is compact, for the most part, and resembles a stack of nickels. The burn line is sharp. Caramel continues to be the dominant flavor, followed by salted nuts, fruit, earth, and black pepper on the retrohale. The further into the first third I get, the more earthy the Circle of Life becomes. Mocha, fruity, a bit of cereal, nuts, and caramel. There is still this herbal element flowing through it.

SECOND THIRD
>> Espresso, Chocolate, Sweet Cream

The middle third begins with notes of caramel flavored coffee, cream, salted nuts, and white pepper on the retrohale. There is a herbaceousness that is really coming through now. What was an herbal note lurking beneath the other flavors, explodes onto the scene, and dominates the other flavors. Dark chocolate begins to come through with a note of espresso, adding depth and complexity to the Circle of Life. A citrus note joins the fray, giving a vibrance to the profile. The burn is less than razor sharp, but still straight. The ash has a few small flakes, but is mostly compact. Sweet cream, espresso, dark chocolate. There is an almost breakfast cereal quality now. Leather and red pepper begin to shine through. Despite the draw being almost flawless, there was a fair amount of tar build-up on one sample smoked for this review. A few squeezes at the head of the cigar, a few swipes of a tissue, and the issue is resolved.

FINAL THIRD
>> Red Pepper Flake, Leather, Citrus

The final third begins with red pepper flake spiciness. The red pepper flake is flanked by earth, leather, roasted nuts, burnt coffee, and touch of citrus. There is still a chocolate sweetness that lingers on my palate. Black pepper and baking spices on the retrohale. This third has definitely ramped up to full intensity, but in the best way. It isn’t a spice or pepper bomb. The flavors are all melting together into a cohesive, powerhouse of a profile. The smoke is still creamy and unctuous. The ash is compact and only flakes when I deposit the ash in the tray. The burn line is still straight, but not quite razor sharp. Wood, citrus, cream, baking spices, earth, leather, and dark chocolate is how the Circle of Life ends.

RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS

FLAVOR PROGRESSION

The Circle of Life really lulls you into a false sense of what the flavor profile is. It starts out with big blasts of pepper and spice with a hint of chocolate. The first third calms down with rich notes of chocolate, caramel, nuts, and and a fruity sweetness. The middle third continues this trend with even less pepper. The final third ramps up into a full-flavored powerhouse full of earthy notes with just a touch of sweetness. It all comes together into a cohesive and enjoyable experience.

BURN EXPERIENCE

The burn experience for the Circle of Life was almost flawless. While the burn line was not razor sharp through the entirety of the cigar, the Circle of Life did burn straight. There were no touch-ups or relights needed. My loan complaint would be that one cigar smoked for this review did have an issue with tar build up. While it only happened once, and was easily resolved, it still affects the overall score.

RATING BREAKDOWN
0.70 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.50 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.50 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
7.01 / 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.41 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment

COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES

ON THE PATH UNWINDING.

The Circle of Life really does take you on a journey – from medium to full. Big notes of chocolate ebb and flow throughout the cigar. Flanked by notes of baking spices, caramel, nuts, a berry note (I know, I know), citrus, earth, wood, and leather. The Circle of Life walks you through a journey full of flavor. Each third is distinct and builds upon the last. This is a cigar that I would easily recommend, even if it isn’t in my personal wheelhouse. Rick Rodriguez and Ernesto Perez-Carillo have definitely found a blend that is worthy of their history and friendship.

SIMPLY STOGIES RATING: 9.12 / 10.0

Cigar Review: Circle of Life Toro from West Tampa Tobacco Co.