Gurkha Reviews: Master Select, Expedition, Class Regent

[craigchilds]

Gurkha is a bouquet brand by K. Hansotia & Co. The lowdown on these cigars is that they are high-priced super-premiums but since most of their sales come through the internet, you can often buy them at 50% of MSRP.

Gurkha Master Select Toro
Wrapper: Havana 2000
Filler: Honduran, Dominican
Size: 6.0 x 50
Price: $8.40 (MSRP), $5.00 (online)

Wow! I was very impressed with this one. Strong distinctive flavor... smooth and slightly sweet... Rated '91'. Out of the 5-pack I bought on CigarBid, the most memorable ones were the first two. The first I smoked while driving back to Memphis from Prattville, AL. It was a very hot spring day, with the windows on the Geo Tracker rolled down (I miss that car; it was perfect for smoking cigars on the open road!). Another one I smoked on the beach in North Carolina, and for that reason, this cigar always reminds me think of white sand, a deep blue ocean on a windy day, and clam chowder soup (which is what I ate for dinner that night).

These cigars have a rich brown wrapper, not too veiny, and usually burn very slow, with a butter-cream finish on the tongue. There were no constrution problems.

Gurkha Expedition
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6.0 x 50
Price: $5.58 (MSRP), $3.75 (online)

These cigars have a pale brown wrapper, with very few veins, and come wrapped in a cedar sleeve. Very mild. Curiously, they do not inherit the cedar-y/nutty/grassy tastes and aromas like other cedar-wrapped sticks. Instead, they are characterized mostly by a bitter--almost acrid--taste. I've tasted that same bitterness in another cigar, long ago, but I can't remember which one.

This cigar goes very well with a glass of sangiovese du romana, while reading Sherlock Holmes stories on a warm summer evening. Unfortunately, last night, it did not go as well with pinot noir and Sophocles.

Gurkha Class Regent
Wrapper: Havana 2000
Filler: Dominican Piloto
Size: 4.7 x 52 (Robusto)
Price: $10.10 (MSRP), $6.50 (online)

Rated '90' at least twice by Cigar Aficiondo, this cigar is supposed to be as "prestigous" as the Arturo Fuente OpusX. But I'm guessing sales aren't keeping up with marketing hype, because I won a five-pack from CigarBid at roughly $2.00 each. They were paired with five Indian Taback Super Fuertes and, frankly, it was no contest. Whereas the Super Fuertes were strong and aromatic, the box-pressed Class Regent was a dud. No "black cherry" spiciness or "long, leathery" finish, as advertised Just a rather boring, undistinctive taste.

OK, to be fair, I've only smoked one so far. & I sold one to a friend (his humidor was bare and he needed 10 smokes for vacation... don't worry, I gave him very generous prices) But he didn't like it either.

I'll try these Class Regents again after I let them age in the humidor. But I'm not expecting good things...


see all my cigar reviews at craigchilds.blogspot.com

[donp]

Craig:
Sounds as if yer on a Gurkha kick of sorts
I was heavily into them a while back and can identify with it. Your reviews are very good. I think though that the Regent probably needs a bit more time at rest. When I go tmine I waited a few days and smoked one and wasn't too impressed either. I haven't had one in a while either but, I expect the next time I fire one up, I will be pleasantly surprised. The first one I had seemed to have the makings to be good but, just fell short of what I was expecting eg: more definite taste and flavor.

[craigchilds]

Originally Posted by donp

I think though that the Regent probably needs a bit more time at rest. When I go tmine I waited a few days and smoked one and wasn't too impressed either. I haven't had one in a while either but, I expect the next time I fire one up, I will be pleasantly surprised. The first one I had seemed to have the makings to be good but, just fell short of what I was expecting eg: more definite taste and flavor.

I just smoked another one tonight, after writing this review -- this cigar has been sitting in my humidor for 2-3 months. It was perhaps slightly better than the first -- a little more "toothiness" at the start (for lack of a better adjective). But the flavor quickly dissipated within the first half-inch, and the cigar was very bland after that. It had a good draw, but then had to be relit halfway through. But its biggest characteristic was still the lack of flavor.

I hope your next experience with the Regent is better, but I'm afraid it's just a dud of a cigar.

[Full Bodied Bruce]

Thanks for a very informative review. I just got a Gurkha sampler in. 3 ea Beast,Legend, and Centurian. After reading your review I think I'm going to keep these pricy little suckers in the humi for a nice long rest.

[craigchilds]

Please post a review after you try them. I've heard good things about Beast and Legend

[TU09]

I have only smoked two of the Class Regents but enjoyed them both. The ones I smoked had about a month and six weeks on them respectively and both were very flavorful and burned perfectly. Then I bought a 10 pack of Legends off cbid, have smoked two, and can't believe they are Gurkhas. Not only do they lack flavor, but I couldn't get them to burn worth a damn. I generally love Gurkhas but I don't like having to let a high end cigar sit for nine months before it will burn straight.

[zonedar]

Originally Posted by craigchilds

Gurkha Master Select Toro
Wrapper: Havana 2000
Filler: Honduran, Dominican
Size: 6.0 x 50
Price: $8.40 (MSRP), $5.00 (online)

Wow! I was very impressed with this one. Strong distinctive flavor... smooth and slightly sweet... Rated '91'. Out of the 5-pack I bought on CigarBid, the most memorable ones were the first two. The first I smoked while driving back to Memphis from Prattville, AL. It was a very hot spring day, with the windows on the Geo Tracker rolled down (I miss that car; it was perfect for smoking cigars on the open road!). Another one I smoked on the beach in North Carolina, and for that reason, this cigar always reminds me think of white sand, a deep blue ocean on a windy day, and clam chowder soup (which is what I ate for dinner that night).

These cigars have a rich brown wrapper, not too veiny, and usually burn very slow, with a butter-cream finish on the tongue. There were no constrution problems.

I had a Master Select Robusto #4 (I think that was the Vitole). It was VERY good. Proabably the best NC that I've had in a long time. I want to try another and see if it holds up. If soe then I'll proabably spring for a box.

Might have to try the Toro as well.

-Steve