Today we have two new reviews to offer, and we will start off with the stronger selection and finish up with the milder one.  Kicking things off is the East India Trading Co. Red Witch, which will be followed by the highly-rated La Perla Habana Grand Pearl.

East India Trading Co. Red Witch Robusto

In case you haven’t heard of East India Trading Co., it’s a subsidiary of Gurkha Cigar Group Inc.  The brand’s first release was the Wicked Indie, and the Red Witch is its second.  It debuted during the 2012 IPCPR show and gets its name after an 1800’s trading ship that operated under British rule.  Now, I’ve never had a cigar from East India Trading Co. before, but I do like that their supposed goal is to produce options for smokers that are more affordable than your typical Gurkha.

The Red Witch Robusto measures 5 x 52.  As far as composition goes, the Red Witch has filler blend of Nicaraguan tobacco from the country’s Jalapa region that has been aged for three years.  The binder is Dominican, and an Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper.  In terms of strength, the cigar is said to fall in between the medium and full-bodied categories.

Gurkha cigars are usually attractive, so it comes as no surprise that this East India Trading Co. Read Witch is a looker.  It has a box-pressed shape and there are a few small veins that are visible.  The wrapper is chocolate brown and has a good amount of oil on the surface that shines under light.  There is a single decorative band near the head that is worth taking a look at.  The band features the East India Trading Co. Red Witch name as well as a depiction of what is probably the Red Witch ship.  The variety of colors and overall detail in the band is impressive.  Feeling the cigar reveals that it is well-packed, but has just a little give when pressed.  Prior to lighting, it has an earthy scent and a bit of a spicy cold taste.

The Red Witch Robusto looks great, and it burns well too.  The draw is excellent, and light gray solid ash is generated.  The burn only requires a couple of minor touch-ups, and there is a lot of thick smoke.  No re-lights are needed.  This is basically a maintenance-free cigar, which I love.