Say hola to the first-ever Street Tacos Cinco de Mayo limited edition release from Rojas Cigars.

According to the manufacturer, only 35,000 cigars are being rolled with this year's inaugural blend, with each subsequent annual installment containing a completely different combination of ingredients.

For this 2024 launch, you will find a habano wrapper that has been grown down in Ecuador, as well as a San Andrés Mexican binder, and a mixture of Nicaraguan and USA long-filler finishing out the bill. 

As huge fans of every other blend we have smoked by Rojas Cigars, it was obvious that we needed to get our mitts on a few boxes of this special blend when in attendance at the 2024 PCA Trade Show. 

But no sooner had I finished reviewing this premium cigar blend, than I realized that we had an issue. I wanted every cigar we had in stock for myself. And I don't even like habano wrappers all that much... oh Dios mío!

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions  

Snazzy-looking little toro, ain't he? Rojas' signature sombrero-sporting skeleton and a limited-release secondary band in bright baby blue sure do strike a strong visual stance.

Expertly rolled and beautifully bunched, with a semi-closed foot to finish, this is a smoothly shaped parejo. No physical flaws, rough veins, sharp seams, or soft spots. Just an oily, slightly toothy reddish habano wrapper to set it all off.

Sniff away at that same wrapper leaf and there's likely going to be a honey oat note, as well as cedar and a smoky-smelling shoulder. The foot, however, is a huge clod of hay and grass, and a quick cut and a cold pull will confirm this claim.

Initial Smoke      

Strike me sideways over the cabeza with a cerveza botella mi amigos! This cigar is as sweet and creamy as a fatty flan without all of the calories. Berry-like licorice and bolder brown sugar balance the woodiness of the blend, with no sign of strength or spice to be detected. A five-star start to the fiesta.

1st Half    

Gaining in creamy greatness with each passing pull, the whole of the starting half of this premium cigar blend is a near carbon copy of the first ten minutes of burn time. The only alteration is the gradual build-up of cedar within the aromatics and retrohale. Everything else is chewy sweet smoke, dark mixed berry compote, and a red and black licorice blend.

So yes, there is some herbal, almost medicinal spice to be had, but it's so suave in its delivery that you sometimes forget its presence. Then suddenly... zingo my gringo! There it is all over again...

2nd Half       

 

As the near-perfect ash continues to grow, and each removal reveals a perfectly formed cone, the second half starts to send you some earthy flavors. More sweet cedar too, and a move toward a bit more of a dry finish that is just as long as it is clean.

Retrohales pull out more black pepper at this point, but it's easily overcome by the cigar flavors I just mentioned. This results in a nice tickle of spiciness on top of the lot, and a splash of added complexity.

Parting Puffs      

A liberal licking of caramelized sugar sounds the horns, notifying you that it's parting puffs time. Burnt but not charred, with chewy smoke circling the drain, this was a stick that bordered on being "nubber" material but got a touch too bitter on me to move further beyond where the band once stood. Still, a very satisfying way to end the stick, and not regrettable in any way.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw   

A self-corrected waver in parting puffs and a measly ripple in the first third were the only combustion issues with the 2024 Edition of Rojas' Cinco de Mayo. Zero touch-ups, a crisp, cool burn, and an ash that kept on growing made for an impressive 2+ hour smoking experience. A slow burner for sure.

The toro's 50 ring-gauge formed a medium draw, and pulled smoke that was chewier than a load of lengua on a savory sopaipilla. This rewards you with that surprisingly long finish and is potentially one of the most memorable aspects of this particular cigar blend's smoking experience.

Final Thoughts  

Oh my heavens, there was just so much to love about this blend. Balance and smoothness, sweetness and chewiness, appearance and proportions, bright blue banding and wrapper beauty... you name the appealing component and the 2024 edition of Street Tacos Cinco de Mayo serves it up with a side of birria.

I must confess that the flavors of the cigar did seem similar from start to end and that there was not as much complexity in the central "sweet spot" of the stick. So from a depth and transitional complexity perspective, this cigar could leave certain smokers wanting in that area.

Even then, what you get is nothing shy of solid. In fact, I will be jotting this stick down in my Klaro Bucksaw cigar journal as one of the best blends I have smoked since joining this outfit.

Bottom line: This is a most-worthy entry into Rojas Cigars' decision to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo holiday in its own way. It's just a pity that they are only producing a small amount of this blend as an annual limited release and that this habano version will not be coming back next year... Ay, de mi!

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Balance & Repeatability

Bonus Points for Originality

Overall Rating & Stogie Specs

Cigar	Rojas Cigars "Street Tacos Cinco de Mayo" (2024 Edition)
Wrapper	Habano (Ecuador)
Binder	San Andrés (Mexico)
Filler	Nicaragua & USA
Factory	Rojas Cigars (Nicaragua)
Size	6" x 50 "Toro"
Strength	Medium
Pairing Drink	Homemade Honey Ginger Soda
Rating	4.6/5