Smoked: Rojas Street Tacos Carnitas Short Corona

Smoked at: West Chester, Ohio

Rojas Street Tacos Carnitas Short Corona has a Nicaraguan binder, Nicaraguan filler and a smooth light tan Ecuador Connecticut wrapper with no oiliness. The cigar features two bands – both are orange, gold and black. The primary band includes a kitschy long mustachioed Mexican caricature. The secondary band simply proclaims the cigar as a “Carnitas.”

The cigar looks and feels rather flimsy/delicate but there were zero construction issues. Good draw, generous smoke production, burn line pretty even, and the dark grey ash held on until tapped off.

Right from the first puffs I can taste the heavy peppery spices that do I remind me of tacos. It may be strong enough to label the pepper Jalapeno. It is serious pepper melded with cedar, an earthy mossy and vegetal taste and a sweetness to balance it. The sweetness is like custard pie or a cream puff plus a cereal taste akin to a Rice Krispies Treat. I know that runs quite a gamut. I’m just doing my best to put into words what I’m tasting.

Add hints of orange zest, tea, maple/nutmeg & vanilla that overtakes the dessert tastes by the second third, mixed nuts that transition to cashews mid second third, bread and buttery notes. It seemed there was always a coffee note hiding. It comes out full-blown espresso by the final third. That’s where the maxed out spice/pepper and earth & wood flavors combined with the espresso become harsh.

This is not your typical Connecticut to pair with morning coffee. The flavors defy the wrapper. The “street taco” is in there – a hot sauce, peppery, savory flavor that somehow mixes with the cedar and cashew nuts that are usually there with a Connecticut to arrange a unique profile. It’s a bit peppery for my taste and the harsh finish didn’t score it points. Yet, Rojas Street Tacos Carnitas held my attention enough for me to smoke it to the nub.