cuppajack
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2006
- Messages
- 741
When I returned to the hobby after some 5 or 6 years of only intermittent cigar smoking, one of the first things I noticed was the prevalence of the Gurkha brand; K. Hansotia's name seemed to be everywhere. I wasn't sure what to make of the brand as I was burned during the boom by many an upstart "super-premium" line. But the more I read about Gurkha the more intrigued I became. The concept of a "boutique" cigar factory that could better take advantage of smaller notable lots/crops of tobacco sounded like a winning idea.
I immediately jumped on the 8-cigar sampler for $15 from Cigars International and The Gurkha Connecticut Reserve #4 (Robusto sized at 6x50) was the stick I was the most excited about. Over the weekend I sat down on my balcony/patio (or "baltio" as I like to call it) to put the bad-boy to the torch.
The first thing that stuck me was the intense color and feel of the Connecticut wrapper. It was a delicious honey-blonde that was soft and chamois-like to the touch. The pre-light aroma was sweet and subtle. The foot took to flame like a gas soaked rag and I was smoking!
Initially the draw was a tad "thin" but the smoke was rich with honey and cream flavors with a very slight spice right at the front of the mouth. An inch in a mild woodiness developed followed by toast: buttery toast and lots of it. When I say this would make an excellent breakfast cigar, I'm not kidding. The buttered-toast flavor was so strong I was expecting CRUMBS.
Coming to the half-way point the so-far subtle flavor profile started to "pop" more as the draw opened up and a light spice and sprits flavor dominated. Into the home stretch the smoked returned to the burnt-honey flavors and finished with a very dry, almost astringent, smoke.
Construction throughout was perfect, with a plumb-straight burn and extremely firm fine white ash. This Light bodied smoke would be a very fine "intro" cigar, but the unexpected complexity earns in a place in the humidor of a veteran. It would be great to pull-out on a lazy morning or as a first-of-many at a herf or other long smoking session.
In the evening of the same day I pulled out a smoke from one of my favorite brands in a size I don't normally smoke: an LGC #1 Torpedo in maduro. This was the yang to the Gurkha's yin. Where the Gurkha's wrapper was light and soft the broadleaf maduro wrapper on the LGC was a deep, dark chocolate and covered in tooth and bumps and oily goodness. Where the Gurkha's flavors were subtle and shifting the Torp's were brutish and powerful. Where the Gurkha's smoke was light and fine the #1 produced a dense, billowing cloud that ensconced not only my mouth, but the whole baltio in pungent smoke.
Spicy leather dominated the cigar, and I had to slow my smoking at a few points as the nicotine-punch was getting to me and the stick was threatening to over-heat. The burn was a bit off, and I had to adjust it a few time. (I've had this problem with the last couple of LGC Maduro's I've smoked… Could my 'dor be too humid?) But the flavors were well-worth the added trouble. The richness of the torpedo was a real treat, and it smoked down well into the last 1/3 with no harshness.
Often, back in my early days of cigar smoking, La Gloria Cubana's were being rushed to market from their Miami factory and they really needed a few months in the humidor (a year or two was even better) but I am happy to say that the LGCs of today smoke much better out of the box. I'd still like to Rip Van Winkle a box of these #1s for "Future John" to enjoy.
I immediately jumped on the 8-cigar sampler for $15 from Cigars International and The Gurkha Connecticut Reserve #4 (Robusto sized at 6x50) was the stick I was the most excited about. Over the weekend I sat down on my balcony/patio (or "baltio" as I like to call it) to put the bad-boy to the torch.
The first thing that stuck me was the intense color and feel of the Connecticut wrapper. It was a delicious honey-blonde that was soft and chamois-like to the touch. The pre-light aroma was sweet and subtle. The foot took to flame like a gas soaked rag and I was smoking!
Initially the draw was a tad "thin" but the smoke was rich with honey and cream flavors with a very slight spice right at the front of the mouth. An inch in a mild woodiness developed followed by toast: buttery toast and lots of it. When I say this would make an excellent breakfast cigar, I'm not kidding. The buttered-toast flavor was so strong I was expecting CRUMBS.
Coming to the half-way point the so-far subtle flavor profile started to "pop" more as the draw opened up and a light spice and sprits flavor dominated. Into the home stretch the smoked returned to the burnt-honey flavors and finished with a very dry, almost astringent, smoke.
Construction throughout was perfect, with a plumb-straight burn and extremely firm fine white ash. This Light bodied smoke would be a very fine "intro" cigar, but the unexpected complexity earns in a place in the humidor of a veteran. It would be great to pull-out on a lazy morning or as a first-of-many at a herf or other long smoking session.
In the evening of the same day I pulled out a smoke from one of my favorite brands in a size I don't normally smoke: an LGC #1 Torpedo in maduro. This was the yang to the Gurkha's yin. Where the Gurkha's wrapper was light and soft the broadleaf maduro wrapper on the LGC was a deep, dark chocolate and covered in tooth and bumps and oily goodness. Where the Gurkha's flavors were subtle and shifting the Torp's were brutish and powerful. Where the Gurkha's smoke was light and fine the #1 produced a dense, billowing cloud that ensconced not only my mouth, but the whole baltio in pungent smoke.
Spicy leather dominated the cigar, and I had to slow my smoking at a few points as the nicotine-punch was getting to me and the stick was threatening to over-heat. The burn was a bit off, and I had to adjust it a few time. (I've had this problem with the last couple of LGC Maduro's I've smoked… Could my 'dor be too humid?) But the flavors were well-worth the added trouble. The richness of the torpedo was a real treat, and it smoked down well into the last 1/3 with no harshness.
Often, back in my early days of cigar smoking, La Gloria Cubana's were being rushed to market from their Miami factory and they really needed a few months in the humidor (a year or two was even better) but I am happy to say that the LGCs of today smoke much better out of the box. I'd still like to Rip Van Winkle a box of these #1s for "Future John" to enjoy.
