INTRODUCTION
Everyone in the premium tobacco industry is well aware of Tampa Florida. Tampa Florida is one of the most significant tethers the United States has to tobacco. In 1849, just 28 years after the United States acquired the land from Spain, Tampa was incorporated as a town. Tampa continued to grow eventually becoming incorporated as a city on July 15, 1887. Tampa quickly became a cigar making spot earning it the name of the cigarmaking capital of the United States. Anyone who visits Tampa today will quickly observe how cigar making has made its mark on the city.
On July 15, 2025, J.C. Newman, which was founded by Julius Caesar Newman in 1895, released a cigar called the Tampa which is a line extension to the well known Diamond Crown line. J.C. Newman owns and operated the oldest cigar making factory in the United States, El Reloj, which was built in 1910.
J.C. Newman just celebrated their 130 year anniversary early this year. However, the company wanted to celebrate the 138th anniversary of Tampa being incorporated as a city, thus this cigar followed.
The interesting thing about this release is not only that it is a Diamond Crown using Florida sungrown tobacco from Jeff Borysiewicz farm in Clermont, but also it is the first cigar using Florida tobacco being rolled at Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
UNDER THE LID
After opening the Diamond Crown Tampa glossy white box I can see a familiar but interestingly different cigar. The rebranding for Diamond Crown I found to be a major success. The DC Tampa has an extra foot sleeve that depicts beautiful artwork of various locations in Tampa. There is the Tampa Theatre, Bayshore Boulevard, Plant Hall, and Jose Gasparilla’s pirate ship, and of course, El Reloj.
As for the cigar, I find the Connecticut Shade used for Diamond Crown to be of the highest quality. These wrappers always have a delicate tan hue and shine a chestnut red in the sunlight. One would say it looks like fine tanned leather, consistent with no dark or light spots. The cigar is well packed, consistent, and the wrapper has tight and visible seams.
- Wrapper: USA Connecticut Shade
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic ligero, Florida sungrown ligero
- Vitola: 6 ½ x 52 Toro
- Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia
- Released: July 15, 2025
- Box Quantity: 500 boxes of 20 cigars
- MSRP: $30.00 ($600 box of 20)
PERFORMANCE NOTES
After removing the cellophane the silky Connecticut wrapper emulated in the light creeping through my screens on my porch. I have to mention a second time how fantastic the presentation of the Diamond Crown Tampa is, the artwork is truly remarkable. After removing the footband depicting the various historic Tampa locations I am welcomed to the full beauty of the wrapper. The aroma of the cigar is cedar, leather, and chestnut. The foot introduces a rich espresso and slight cajun red spice that slightly nips the nose.
After a straight cut I find a very open draw upon my initial cold draw. The cold draw taste and aroma is very mild floral, nut, and leather. There is a small plastic-like aroma present, however I find this common in other cigars with Florida tobacco and it goes away once the cigar is lit.
FIRST THIRD
The Diamond Crown Tampa starts off with a very starchy mouthfeel that has chestnut, unsweetened vanilla, a very slight buttery espresso, and a mildly bitter Matcha towards the throat on the finish. Certainly the sweetness I expect from a Diamond Crown cigar is absent in this tweaked blend, but the complexity of savory and bitter aromas is interesting and equally enjoyable.
The retrohale has a buttery texture blending a rich cocoa and red pepper spice. After exhaling through the nose, the creaminess of the tobacco comes forward and meshed with the matcha from the finish creating a vegetal sweetness center palate. A sweet cocoa and espresso come towards the finish. The room note is an enjoyable spicy firewood. Commonly, this type of room note comes from two blends in my experience, Connecticut Habano, and Florida Sungrown Habano. It is very distinct and first class in my opinion.
As the first third comes to a close, the Dominican tobacco starts showing signs of taking control. I get that signature Fuente leather and brown spice right before the transition to the second third. It is very clear that the taste of the cigar is dominated by the Florida tobacco, where the retrohale allows the Dominican tobacco to shine by weaving with the notes from the Florida tobacco.
SECOND THIRD
The second third of the Diamond Crown Tampa starts with the foundation, the first third left on the palate with an addition of a red and brown pepper aligning the sides. The spice adds more texture to an originally rather smooth creamy mouthfeel. There is a familiar citrus note developing towards the front of my palate which is common with Connecticut shade, although more prominent in Ecuadorian Connecticut.
The retrohale continues to be buttery with a cocoa and sweet red pepper, however I noticed the aroma is a much dryer smoke. There is a sweetness that remains for a brief period after exhaling the smoke through my nose that primes my palate for the blast of spice that presents itself briefly. After the spice dies down, the savory starch comes forward and sweet matcha. Towards the finish a rich espresso and unsweetened vanilla linger for a medium plus finish.
FINAL THIRD
The final third stays consistent with the second with a slight increase in body and spice. The Florida tobacco really separates itself, being the prominent actor during the last third. You can really separate and appreciate this tobacco here.
The retrohale again allows the Dominican tobacco to refine the rough spice edges of the Florida tobacco. This whole experience has been interesting because of how both regions are able to enhance the other. Upon the last inch of the Diamond Crown Tampa a rich oak and bitter espresso dominate the palate through the finish leaving the smoker with a meaty end likely causing one to be ready to grab another.
Core Flavors: Starch, cream, matcha, cocoa, vanilla, leather, red and brown spice
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Smoking Experience
The Diamond Crown Tampa takes the remarkable body of the core Diamond Crown and enhances it with a unique tobacco creating a masterclass experience to celebrate the historic cigarmaking city of Tampa. The draw was perfect, the construction was great, and the taste and aroma was ever changing. This is certainly a cigar that Diamond Crown smokers will enjoy, and something palatable to those who may find Florida tobacco to be too intense.
Purchase recommendation: 5 pack
Smokin Facts
- This is the first cigar rolled by Fuente that has Florida tobacco.
- J.C. Newman also uses Florida tobacco in their popular American cigar.
- A comparable cigar to this is the 20 Acre Farm by Drew Estate. That uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper with primarily Nicaraguan interior, with Florida sungrown.
- I have said this before, but the updated packaging for the Diamond Crown is fantastic and one of the better rebrands I have seen in recent years. The additional detail added for the Tampa enhances an already amazing package.
Smokin Wrap
Cigars Smoked for the Review: Three
Average smoking time: 2 hours and 38 minutes
