Several years ago I used to frequent JM Cigars in Exton, Pennsylvania. It was a long drive (approximately 45 minutes) but this particular shop wasn’t far from a friends house and they had the largest walk-in humidor in the area. I used to love dropping in on a Friday afternoon and pacing up and down the humidor, searching out new product.

One of the cigars routinely stocked was the Sosa line. On a whim, I picked one up and enjoyed it. For the next couple of weeks, I tried to work in a Sosa to my purchase of five to six singles. It was the only shop in the area where I had seen the brand and when I stopped frequenting JM Cigars, I stopped seeing the line.

Fast-forward to the present and my exposure to Sosa product took a turn for the better. We received a surprise email from Celina, of Sosa Cigars, asking if we would be interested in trying their product (I think it may have had something to do with a tweet that I made to Mike noting that hadn’t smoked, much less seen, a Sosa cigar in several years). I graciously accepted and a few samples were delivered to my doorstep.

The first sample to catch my eye, and ultimately the first one that I smoked, was the Underground. The Sosa Website calls this cigar full bodied with a Nicaraguan wrapper. Cigars are Miami-made in Little Havana with a logo designed by a local tattoo artist.

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The striking feature of this cigar was the use of contrasting tobacco at the head and foot. I wish that I could tell you that the tobacco used on the foot changed the flavor profile of the cigar, but I either wasn’t paying close enough attention or it didn’t make a very big impact.

Due to recent experience with new-to-me cigars, I didn’t go into this review with overly high expectations. I’m happy to report, though, that I was thoroughly impressed. Unlike some full bodied cigars that are full, just for the sake of ‘keeping up with the Jones’, this one was full without being over the top. The flavor profile had finesse and was made up of a sort of smokey sweetness that really did it for me. The finish was smooth and gentle on the palate.

The draw was a little stiff but easily managed by taking small puffs. Smoke volume was decent and the smoke was nice and dense. The ash was light in color and held firm for about an inch before falling. The burn line was thin and even. The only issue that I ran in to, which was a mild one, was that a touch up was required if the cigar rested in the ashtray for more than a minute or two.

The next time that you find yourself pacing the walk-in humidor of your local tobacconist, if you happen to cross paths with a Sosa Underground, I would suggest picking one up and giving it a try.