If you live outside of Tampa, Florida you may not be familiar with what “Devil Crab Tampa Style” is. I know I certainly had no idea what it was. Thanks to Google’s AI, I now know what it is: “A Devil Crab Tampa Style is a hand-held, football-shaped fritter filled with a spicy crab and vegetable mixture, then coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crispy. Originating from Tampa’s Ybor City, this unique street food combines Italian, Cuban, and Spanish influences, using a sofrito-based filling and often stale Cuban bread for the outer layer.” It should be no surprise then, that Rick Rodriguez and West Tampa Tobacco Co. decided to name a cigar after this dish.Â
What is surprising is that the wrapper, binder, and fillers are all undisclosed. Perhaps, WTTC was going for a “secret recipe” vibe? Are Devil Crab recipes a well kept secret? Maybe. The “football shaped fritter” is certainly alluded to in the double perfecto shape of the WTTC Devil Crab. It greatly resembles a “flying pig” vitola, even sporting a pigtail on the cap.Â
OVERVIEW
VITOLA:Â Â Double Perfecto
SIZE:Â Â 4-1/2″ x 60
ORIGIN:Â Â Nicaragua
FACTORY:Â Â Garmendia Cigars Co.
WRAPPER:Â Â Undisclosed
BINDER:Â Â Undisclosed
FILLER:Â Â Undisclosed
STRENGTH:Â Â Medium-Full
SOURCE:Â Â Â
Small Batch Cigar
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:Â Â
Studio/Lounge
WHEN:Â Â
August 23
DRINKS:Â Â
Bottled Water
WEATHER:Â Â
Indoors
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:Â Â
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Â Limited
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE Â April ’25
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size:Â Â Â Cabinets of 50
Production Totals:Â Unknown
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o  Double Perfecto (4-1/2″ x 60)
BAND DESIGN
The band on the Devil Crab is rather plain looking. A plain brown band with an image of a crab, with the West Tampa Tobacco logo in the middle of it. The name “DEVIL CRAB” between it’s raised claws. The company’s logo is also found on the back of the band. The plain brown wrapping could be a nod to the street food origins of Devil Crab Tampa Style.Â
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The Devil Crab is a 4-1/2″ x 60 double perfecto. It reminds me of the “Flying Pig” vitola…which is not my favorite size. The cap is pigtailed and looks well done. The wrapper feels rough to the touch. There is some tooth to it, too. An oily sheen can be seen glistening in the light. There are a few bumps and veins on each cigar…to the point that I would say that it is “rustic” looking.Â
AROMA
The undisclosed wrapper gives a big note of barnyard. Maybe a hint of cedar, but I really have to search for it on each cigar smoked. It was a bit difficult finding any notes from the foot, due to its small area.
COLD DRAW
The cold draw reveals notes of chocolate syrup, dark fruit, baking spices, and a herbaceous note. The draw is fairly tight for each Devil Crab. This was to be expected from this vitola.
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Le Petit by Les Fines Lames
Fire: Vector Icon II
The Devil Crab has big notes of pepper, chocolate, spice, and a tangy note that I can’t quite place. There’s an herbal element to it, as well. Salt, herbs, bread, and pepper dominate the initial light. There is a rich smokey flavor that holds it all up. Herbs and spice linger on my palate.
SMOKE
The smoke is plentiful and satisfying, but rather on the dry side. Even at rest, the Devil Crab produces a lot of smoke.Â
FIRST THIRD
>> Caramel, Herbaceousness, Salt, Black Pepper
The chocolate note from the initial light is gone, but replaced by a rich caramel note. The Devil Crab does continue with black pepper on the retrohale, though. Wood, baking spices, and herbs start us off. The salt note is there, but is more nuanced. There is rich, meaty element coming through. The retrohale is amazing: baking spices, black pepper, and a butter like finish. The burn line was sharp, if a little lopsided. One of the reasons I’m not a fan of this type of vitola is burn issues, but the Devil Crab seems to be doing alright. The ash is white with black streaks and compact. There is a bitterness that begins to come through…not quite coffee or espresso, but it is earthy. While the initial light felt more full-bodied, the first third is firmly medium.Â
SECOND THIRD
>> Damp Earth, Walnuts, Mushroom, White Pepper
The middle third begins by building on that earthiness. Damp earth, wood, salt, and walnuts. There’s a meaty mushroom note to the Devil Crab now. A sweetness comes and goes. Baking spices and white pepper on the retrohale. Every now and then I get a citrus note…but it doesn’t last. Butter and herbs on the finish. The smoke is a bit more creamy now. The burn is a bit uneven, but the ash is almost perfect. Chocolate covered nuts now. Earthy, sweet, bitter, salty,. The Devil Crab is very balanced, thus far. Earth and salted chocolate with with wood, herbs, mushroom, and butter.
FINAL THIRD
>> Smoked Meat, Charred Wood, Butter, Black Pepper
 A big note of smoked meat heralds the final third. Charred wood, salted nuts, damp forest floor, and a herbaceousness begin the Devil Crab’s final third. Chocolate and campfire linger on the finish. Black pepper rules the retrohale. Honey-like sweetness begins to come through. The smoke outpit continues to be phenomanal. The ash is still compact, and my only real complaint is the uneven burn line. Again, I think it’s the vitola…or the guy who lit this vitola. There a brightness that begins to come through. The final third is just as well balanced as the rest of the cigar. It is more of a medium+ profile though. The salt note melts away leaving a meaty umami, butter, herbs, and smoke. It’s more bbq than fried crab. Regardless, it’s delicious.Â
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
The Devil Crab starts with big, bold flavors and never really lets up. What I loved about the experience is that there was nuance and complexity, without sacrificing flavor. While it started out in with a medium profile, it slowly ramps up and builds on the layers of flavors in each third. For being a small vitola (and a vitola that I typically hate) each third was well defined and well balanced.Â
BURN EXPERIENCE
I hate the double perfecto/flying pig size. I realize that I’m in the minority, but I hate it for one simple reason: unless you’re cutting the foot of the cigar off where it tapers, the odds of you getting an even burn are slim to none. Now, maybe that’s just user error. It’s completely possible that I simply can not properly light it. While that may be true, I think it has more to do with not toasting the foot. Regardless, the burn was never straight on the Devil Crab. No, it did not impact my overall experience. Yes, I’m just nitpicking.Â
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.60Â / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.50Â / 0.50 …Â Pre-Light Characteristics
0.30Â / 0.50 …Â Lighting Process
7.10Â / 7.70 …Â Smoking Experience
0.43Â / 0.50 …Â Personal Enjoyment
COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES
- Complex and nuance flavors in a small vitola.
- Well balanced flavors throughout the cigar.
- The burn was less than straight on each cigar smoked for this review.
THE WTTC DEVIL CRAB IS A CIGAR FEAST.
The West Tampa Tobacco Co. Devil Crab is now my favorite cigar in the double perfecto vitola. Has it made me love the vitola? No. But there is so much flavor packed in the 4-1/2″ x 60 frame, how could I not love it. The flavors are complex and nuanced without sacrificing flavor. Notes of chocolate, caramel, wood, baking spices, herbaceousness, black pepper, coffee, earth, nuts, and a honey sweetness are all found throughout this little powerhouse. While I’m not a fan of the vitola, the presentation, or the fact that it is sold in cabinets of 50, I am a fan of smoking this cigar. It’s a cigar worthy of your time and attention.
