Sosa Classic Gran Wavell
Size: 5 1/2 x 55
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Dominican Republic
Started at the turn of the century, Don Juan Sosa had a small tobacco farm in Cuba. By the 1920s, he had grown to one of the largest tobaco-producing haciendas in Cuba.But after political turmoil, Don Juan’s son Arturo and grandson Juan left the island searching for rich soil. After a few years of searching, they settled in the Santiago region of the Dominican Republic. Juan continues today with his wife and three sons to make cigars with Cuban tradition.
First Look: The first thing that stands out to me is the bright and complex band. I know a band means nothing about the smoke, but it is very pleasing to the eye with images a Cuba, Tobacco leaves, and the flags of Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The dark brown Ecaudorion wrapper has a few small veins, with a nice feal to it. The cigar itself smells of straw. The foot smells similar to the cigar itself, but if I think real hard, I smell a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The Prelight draw is a little tight with Guillotine cut. The same straw smell is tasted in the prelight draw as well as the slight taste of the Reese’s Cup.
First Third: As soon as I toast the foot, it produces a good bit of smoke with a nice room note to it. The first few draws taste like a sweetened muted black pepper. I know there is no such thing as a sweetened black pepper, but you have to let your immagination do the work on that. I absolutely love an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapped cigar and, so far, the Classic is not dispointing me one bit. The sweetness proceeds into the cigar and reminds me of a candied peanut flavor. Its not overly sweet, but you can tell its there. The draw is still slightly tight, but manageable. A greyish ash comes out of a slightly “wavy” burn line. Towards the end of the first third, I am stating to taste a slight taste of cinnamon in the smoke. The ash hold for about an inch or so before I need to tap it off. Finishing off the first third, it seems like the flavors are flip flopping from sweetness to muted black pepper.
Second Third: Getting into the second portion of the cigar, the flavors are still pretty consistant of the first part. The sweetness with the muted undertones of black pepper are still there. I am really liking this smoke, its not too over bearing or underpowered. The sweetness shows no spice to it at all. The draw is still a little tight, but I am dealing with it due to the nice flavors and burn. The sweet black pepper I am tasting is right on the tip of my tongue. The ash seems to hold to about an inch and a half, which was more than the first ash held. The cinamon flavors are are more noticable now at the half way point of the cigar. I am getting a very faint taste of honey, its not a strong honey flavor. But it explains the sweet sense on the “sweet” region of my tongue (the center tip). The draw is still a little tight and the cigar is producing a nice tight ringed ash with no flakes.
Final Third: The sweetened pepper with honey undertones carry into the last part of the Classic Wavell. I start to taste a slight taste of nuts and a little earthiness to it. The Honduran binder influences are starting to show more and more as the cigar proceeds. The band pulls off nicely with no wrapper tear; thats a sign of good construciton as well, in my book. Finishing off the cigar a honey roasted nut flavor jumps out at me.
Final Thoughts: I tend to like a smaller ring gauged cigar. The Sosa Classic Gran Wavell ring gauge (55) is right at the maximum I care to smoke. It gives you a slightly longer smoke time than a robusto and possibly a little different flavors than as well. But, I think you loose a bit of the Ecuadorian wrapper flavors due to the larger ring gauge, but you can still taste them in the smoke. A medium bodied cigar with a sweetness that carries throughout the cigar with nutty, cinamon, honey flavors in it. Towards the end, the Honduran binder shows through with some nut & earth flavors.
I suggest smoking this cigar till the very end to get the full potential of the cigar. I’d love to try this cigar in a corona size to see if the wrapped would add more to the smoke. But over all a good medium bodied smoke thats affordable (about $6), flavorful and well constructed. An overall good smoke in my book.
More info: Sosa Cigars
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