Hey hey! I’m back here this time with another Street Tacos offering – the Rojas Street Tacos Barbacoa. Now, I’ll be honest, I don’t know exactly how to pronounce “Barbacoa” – is it bar-ba-COA? Bar-BA-coa? I’m going with Barbacoa and hoping for the best, but you get the idea!

This is another entry in what’s becoming an impressive lineup from Rojas, and like the other Street Tacos I’ve reviewed, these run around $9 per stick. That puts them in that sweet spot where they’re accessible enough for regular rotation but premium enough that you know you’re getting quality tobacco and construction.

Construction and Blend Details

The Rojas Street Tacos Barbacoa features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. What I thought was going to be a toro turned out to be more of a robusto at about 5 inches – unless cigar manufacturers have drastically changed what constitutes a toro size these days.

One thing I appreciate about these Street Tacos cigars is the band quality. These aren’t those hard, coated bands you usually get that can be a pain to remove. Instead, they use what feels like a soft paperboard that comes off easily without damaging the wrapper. It’s a small detail, but it shows attention to the smoking experience.

The construction feels solid in hand, and the pre-light draw reveals some sweetness – though as far as I know, these tips aren’t sweetened. It must be coming from the tobacco blend itself.

First Third: Sweet Beginnings with Character

Right from the first puff, you get nice tobacco flavor up front with that characteristic volume of smoke that I’ve come to expect from the Street Tacos line. The immediate impression is nice and mellow – not a powerhouse right out of the gate, which is exactly what you want from a cigar you can enjoy any time of day.

The standout characteristic in this opening third is a sugary sweetness that’s present but not overwhelming. It’s not hot cocoa sweetness or milk chocolate – just a clean, sugary sweetness that adds a pleasant dimension to the experience.

As this sweetness begins to fade, it transitions toward dark chocolate territory, showing how this blend evolves even in the early stages. I also start picking up some leather notes that add complexity without overwhelming the profile.

Primary flavors in the first third:

• Clean tobacco character
• Sugary sweetness (fading)
• Dark chocolate development
• Emerging leather notes
• Mellow, approachable strength

Performance: Reliable Construction

From a technical standpoint, the Barbacoa performs excellently. Even with windy conditions trying to mess with the burn, this cigar maintains a really nice burn line with minimal correction needed. The draw remains consistent, and you never have to worry about relighting or major touch-ups.

The smoke production is excellent – and that’s important because there’s nothing worse than a cigar that barely produces any smoke. It just feels like a waste when you can’t get proper smoke volume. The Barbacoa delivers generous, satisfying smoke throughout.

Second Third: Developing Complexity

About halfway through, the Barbacoa develops more character and becomes noticeably less smooth than the opening. A spiciness develops that you can feel on your tongue, adding another layer to the experience.

The leather and cocoa notes become more prominent in this section, with the cocoa getting a little more bitter – moving away from that sweet dark chocolate character toward something more intense. That initial sweetness disappears completely, making room for these more mature, complex flavors.

Here’s where I start noticing that dull flavor that I struggle to describe precisely. It’s almost like a thud on your palate – not unpleasant, but distinctive. I’m going to associate this with the leather development, as it seems to coincide with when those notes become more prominent.

The strength notches up in this section, making it clearly stronger than some other cigars in this price range, but still remaining in comfortable medium territory for most smokers.

Final Third: Wood Forward Finish

Here at the end, the Rojas Street Tacos Barbacoa shows its final character development. The cigar gets a little more bitter in this section, which is natural as you approach the final inches. The leather moves to the background while wood comes forward as the dominant flavor.

More coffee notes emerge in this final third, though I can’t guarantee you’ll get the same experience since I was drinking coffee during this review. The spiciness and pepper that developed in the middle section continue to provide that nice “oh okay” moment when you’re smoking – giving you something to notice rather than just being a plain experience.

The burn continues to be excellent right to the end, requiring no touch-ups despite challenging weather conditions. You can easily get a good smoking session out of this robusto size.

Strength and Accessibility

The Barbacoa sits comfortably in medium strength territory – definitely a notch up from some milder options, but still very manageable for most cigar smokers. It’s the kind of cigar that makes you want to keep puffing, but you have to control yourself to avoid heating it up and messing with the flavors.

For someone who typically smokes mild to medium cigars, this falls right in the wheelhouse. The flavors are pronounced enough that you’ll definitely taste the cigar’s character, but the nicotine level won’t knock you down.

Value Assessment: Solid $9 Investment

At around $9 per cigar, the Street Tacos Barbacoa represents solid value in today’s market. While some people will say that’s too high and others will say it’s too low, I think it hits an average price point that reflects the quality you’re getting.

Personally, I used to prefer staying at $7 and below, but with price changes across the industry, we’re seeing $9-10 become the new normal for quality smoking cigars. The Barbacoa justifies this pricing through consistent construction, good flavor development, and reliable performance.

Comparing to the Street Tacos Line

Having smoked multiple Street Tacos offerings now, I can say they’ve really been nice cigars across the board. Each one I’ve tried has delivered on the promise of quality construction and interesting flavor profiles at accessible pricing.

The Barbacoa fits well within this lineup – it’s straightforward enough for newer cigar smokers to appreciate, but has enough character development to keep experienced smokers engaged throughout the session.

The Rojas Quality Standard

What continues to impress me about Rojas cigars is the consistency they bring to their offerings. Whether it’s the Street Tacos line or their other releases, there’s a level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that makes their cigars reliable choices.

The Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper on this blend provides that beautiful presentation, while the Nicaraguan tobaccos deliver the complexity and character that make this more than just a pretty cigar.

Final Verdict: Reliable Performance with Character

The Rojas Street Tacos Barbacoa delivers exactly what you’d want from a $9 cigar – good construction, interesting flavor development, and consistent performance from start to finish. While it may not blow you away with complexity, it provides a satisfying smoking experience that justifies the investment.

The transition from sweet beginnings through leathery middle sections to wood-forward finish creates enough variety to keep things interesting, while the medium strength makes it accessible for most palates.

Weather-Tested Performance

One thing worth noting is how well this cigar performed despite challenging conditions. Wind, cold weather, and other factors that can mess with a cigar’s burn had minimal impact on the Barbacoa’s performance. That’s the kind of reliable construction you want when you’re investing in premium tobacco.

Ready to try the Rojas Street Tacos Barbacoa? You can grab these Ecuadorian beauties through our affiliate at Cigar Page, supporting our site while exploring this reliable addition to the Street Tacos lineup.

Have you tried any of the Street Tacos offerings from Rojas? How did the Barbacoa work for your palate, and did you experience that same leather and cocoa development I described? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear how this Ecuadorian blend translated for different smoking preferences.

Until next time, keep smoking!