While the Viper may not exactly astound you with its appearance, it has a nice amount of flavor underneath the hood. It begins with some sweetness, similar to that hinted in the cold taste. The sweetness is the main flavor of the first third, until the cigar transitions to rich cocoa and earth in the second third. There's also a bit of spice. The final third is where the Viper picks up some steam and presents mostly pepper. The Viper never becomes harsh, and stays true to its medium to full-bodied label.

Is the Viper the sexiest release from Gurkha? No. Will it catch a lot of stares from across the room? No. Is it a good cigar? Definitely. This is one example where looks can be deceiving. Despite its rather bland presentation, the Gurkha Viper offered solid construction, a good burn, and enjoyable complexity. I would not recommend it to beginners, but experienced smokers should enjoy the Viper. Also, if you were waiting to get your hands on a Gurkha but were hesitant due to a high price tag, this is your perfect chance to pick one up. A single sells for around $6 each, which is very reasonable. You can also find the cigar in boxes of 20.

The Gurkha Viper Robusto earns a rating of 3.5 out of four stars.

Viaje Satori

Viaje's Satori line definitely has a spiritual aura to it. It begins with the Satori moniker, which is Japanese for enlightenment. You may be wondering what such a theme has to do with cigars, but the connection is rather simple. Since cigars can often accompany lengthy conversations between individuals, they could be seen as objects that aid in the enlightening process. When you come to think about it, the Satori name is not only catchy in how it sounds, but it makes perfect sense as well.

The Satori Nirvana, which is the vitola of choice for this review, is a Toro that measures 6 x 50. There are two other vitolas in the Satori line: the 5 x 52 Karma and 6 3/4 x 52 Zen. The Zen differs in form from the Nirvana and Karma in that it is box-pressed. The Satori comes with a Nicaraguan filler and binder. Its wrapper is also Nicaraguan and of the Double Oscuro variety. Strength-wise, the Satori line is said to cater to more experienced smokers and is listed as being full-bodied.