It’s been a while since I talked about Providencia Cigars, that little Texas cigar company that keep on delivering. Recently, the company has created a new line of cigars that follow a theme that throws them back to the 1980’s when boom boxes, cassette tapes, video games, detox centers, the moonwalk, etc.
Ray Zinar, co founder of Providencia Cigars noted:
“I am a product of the 1980s I graduated high school in 1981 so I have a strong fondness for that decade the mixed tape was an experiment with drawing references from that time. And it went over very well so I decided to expand and look at other 80s cultural terms and emoji like icons on the side of the Cigar band’s.”
The new blends the company has recently released come from the Flor de San Luis factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, which is a break from the company’s history of Honduran blends. Going forward, the company will be working with factories both in Danli, Honduras and Estelí, Nicaragua.
The list of new blends is extensive, but today I want to focus on one, the Mix Tape.
The Providencia Cigars Mix Tape is expressed in a single (6 x 52) Shaggy-Foot toro and retails for $9.99/cigar.
The company describes the blend as:
- Wrapper– Habano
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan (Ometepe)
For this review, I sampled one of these cigars which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Providencia Cigars Mix Tape is a smooth medium brown cigar that has a mild oily sheen and is packed solid from head to foot. The cigar has an exposed shaggy foot and is finished with a well applied triple cap. There are minimal veins running through the barrel.
A single band adorns the cigar that has the company’s logo centered at the top and the word “MIXTAPE” printed in white on a grey and black background. The background is designed is made to look like a cassette tape.
Running the Mix Tape across the nose, I picked up an enticing sweet baking spice aroma along the barrel and a mild earthiness off the foot.
Using my double blade cutter, I sliced the head, straight across the shoulder and took some cold draw puffs that were spot on with restriction and offered distinctive pepper notes that grew as the more you puff on it.
With the pre-light looking good, I proceeded to move on to firing the Mix Tape up using my double flame Bugatti torch and warmed it up to even orange glow as I drew in the first puffs peppery smoke. Follow along as I burn the Mix Tape to ash and put the 1980’s behind me again.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial light offers a burst of pepper especially on retro-hale
- Candied fruit notes find their way in early as the pepper pulls back
- Baking spice aroma wafts off the foot
- Cedar and natural sweetness blends in well
- Solid white ash develops on a slightly wavy char line
- Ash fell in a nice chunk revealing bit of an off centered burn cone
- Espresso notes enter to keep my interest
- Burn continues to display a mild jaggedness
- Sweetness increases
- A delicious chocolate nuance add to the
- Almond note midway
- Slightly bitter deep in second third
- Gentle spice notes complete the journey
- Medium Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 30 Minutes
Overall, the Providencia Cigars Mix Tape was a spectacular new offering from this small company that was unique in comparison to their previous offerings. The flavors blended and morphed well through the journey keeping the palate interested every inch of the burn. There was a slight jag in the burn and but never needed a touchup. This is worth grabbing a fiver of. I rate this a 92. If you local lounge does not carry these, you can purchase them direct from the company through their website here.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Jag in Burn; (-1) Off Centered Burn Cone; (-1) Slightly Bitter Deep in Second Third
Bonus Points: (+1) Extremely Complex
