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Size: 5×50 (Wavell)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Natural
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: Box of 25, $89.99
Strength: Medium
Grade: 9.2
The Sosa family has been involved in the cigar industry since the early 1900s, originally as growers and later of course as manufacturers and distributors. During the early 1920s, the small Cuban village of Santa Julia, which the Sosa family called home, began to receive recognition for quality tobacco. Don Juan Sosa began the Sosa tobacco business and was assisted by his son, Arturo Sosa, and his grandson, Juan. Leaving Cuba as so many did during the Cuban Revolution, they searched for rich fields and arrived in the Santiago region of the Dominican Republic. They opened a factory in Miami and quickly regained their structure that was nearly destroyed by the Revolution.
Sosa cigars are rolled at the Fuente factory under the watchful eye of Jose B. Sosa. Rated #21 in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of 2007, the Wavell is an excellent cigar at a wonderful price. To learn more about Sosa Cigars, visit their website. You can also find Sosa at Disney World of all places, at the Fuego cigar bar.
So, on to the toast!
Pre-light, 1.7:
The Wavell was a decent looking smoke with a medium brown to reddish wrapper. The Ecuadorian wrapper had a nice texture and the veins were minimal. The weight was good, the cigar was firm to the touch, and the cap was constructed cleanly with a nice triple on the head. The pre-light aroma was earthy and sweet with a hint of cinnamon at the foot. The cold draw produced notes of green tobacco, very clean, almost like tea leaves.
Burn, 1.8:
The cap cut very clean, the toast was good, and I was puffing away in no time at all. The Sosa produced a nice white ash that held to an inch before I accidentally knocked it off. The draw was excellent throughout the smoke and the cigar produced an excellent amount of smoke. The cigar did burn a bit crooked into the second third but it quickly corrected itself.
Flavor, 2.8:
This cigar was full of good solid tobacco notes with some wood and spice and a rustic finish. The second third continued this profile but the spice picked up a bit, not pepper, but a sweet spice. The smoke was really smooth and coated the palette, but even with the smoothness I still got a rustic finish. The last third seemed to darken a bit; I got the same flavors but I also picked up some leather and licorice at times.
Overall, 2.9:
Excellent, excellent smoke for less than four bucks a stick. Great presentation, great construction, and most of all a great flavor profile; the Sosa Wavell definitely stands out. I look forward to picking up a few more and trying some of the maduro sticks. This is box worthy!
(Total 9.2)
[Reply]
Originally Posted by matthewjmichael:
I find this so funny that their store is at Disney World! What is it like? Is it on the grounds?
They have a store at Downtown Disney and a Cigar Bar in what used to be the Pleasure Island area (between Downtown Disney and the Marketplace -- they are renaming it, but I can't remember the new name).
The store has a pretty decent selection in a nice humidor (humidior is "U" shaped in maybe an 8x10 area). They sell accessories (high prices) and they have one of their senior rollers come in on Friday and Saturday aftenoons.
The cigar bar is also nice -- nice variety of music; drinks on the expensive side but not too bad, good place for cigar smokers to wait while their spouses/partners are shopping
:-)
[Reply]
