A Gurkha is a Nepalese Elite soldier, they served the British Empire for years and created their signature combat knife that they are so well known for. They were concidered fearless in battle and completely trustworthy. A Gurkha has absolutely nothing to do with the Turkish Empire. Love your channel and have learned much from you all. Greetings from Germany and keep up the good work.
The Ghurkas remain part of the British Army, who operate a Brigade of them. They specialise in jungle and mountain fighting and are famous for their bravery and ferocity in combat. You only have to look at all the medals they earned in the Iraq and Afgan wars, earning among them the Victoria Cross. Interesting fact that although the Brits had the largest empire in human history spanning a 3rd of the worlds landmass and population in the early 20th centuary, Nepal was never part of it. They just chose them as they made great fighters
The issue with Gurkah is that they list their blends for 30 dollars, but have the same build quality and blend of a 2 dollar cigar. If they priced their cigars appropriately they would be better off. They have a small handful of elegantly crafted cigars, but the last 20+ blends all felt like an afterthought to the marketing. Sadly, the actually good blends are the ones that are priced so high that there are better options in that price range.
Never had any issue with Gurkhas. In fact one of the most flavourful smokes I've ever had was the royal challenge. Being in the British military, I like their branding too, although I feel like the guys running it don't know much about that history nowadays.
I'm one of those people who sample multiple cigars to find the perfect life changing one. Saying that I have tried the Gurkha brand and found it pretty good. I have also sampled lots of garbage with high end names. I do like watching your vids to try to wrap my brain around the whole selection process. Keep up the good work!
I feel like AJ Fernandez is marketing really well his lines like Ave Marie and New world and Man o War. Makes me wonder. Is AJ cigars good and worth the money or they just marketed well?
The Cellar Reserve 15 year is a favorite. I've sampled other Cellars but the 15's flavor suits my palette. I haven't had many other Gurkhas, but am trying some of the Ghosts lately, the first one wasn't noteworthy but I tried another and found it pretty good, rich, toothy without the oil and grit, and a very nice ash. I'm optimistic that I'll enjoy the rest of the Ghosts, will let them rest a few months in my humidor first. Nice video.
Gurkha is the nickelback of cigars, most people hate them, some people just like to hate on them and then there is a few that actually like them but are too afraid to admit it.
I started my cigar journey with Gurkha Cellar Reserve 21y Solara Double Robusto, It was an amazing nutty, naturally sweet flavor going all the way to chocolate and becoming more apparent towards the end of the smoke. The issue that I have found since then with Gurkhas is their quality control and that the same cigar will taste and be wrapped much differently, so it is sometimes true hit or miss. The next time I had 21y it was just underfilled and soft... the flavor was noticeable but not that strong (came from the same box and humidor) Last time I had Gurkha 15-year limitada which quite frankly I was disappointed with, was underfilled and the wrapper at the foot was not holding properly so half of the smoke was going everywhere... but not coming through. So to sum it up... I found that the greatest issue is with their QC, and consistency and nobody wants this hit-or-miss type of cigar in the box when you want to relax. ( Price of these cigars in EU are about 18-20€, so for that price I would rather go La Aroma del Caribe Pasion Encanto which had same nuttines, sweetness and is cheaper at least in my experience in EU and much more consistant)
Long-time viewer, first-time commenter. Love your content. Nearly all of my cigars are purchased online (a majority are rated 90+) at discounted prices. The only cigars I have ever returned were Ghurkas: Beauty and the Beast. Construction, presentation and flavor could be described in a word: cheap.
True enough, though I've tried others. Let Cigar Aficionado be the judge: 427 non-Cuban cigars/blends to crack the top 25 in 21 years. Gurkha has made the list exactly once.
I’m new to cigars and have purchased a couple sample packs from my local smoke shop. I found that I like Gurkha, I didn’t know there was this issue with them till now. WITH THAT SAID I wouldn’t pay full retail per cigar, only worth it for me in a multi pack that comes to about 6 or 7 per cigar
Thanks for sharing. I love Gurkhas, but only have been smoking them for 4 years and never heard any criticism other than who didnt like them or who did. The Gurkhas today are beautifully constructed and some transition better than other.
After basically a decade plus long hiatus away from smoking cigars, it was actually a Gurkha that reeled me back in about 2 years ago. Specifically under the label of "East India Trading Co." Or the GURKHA CLASSIC CIGAR HAVANA BLEND ROBUSTO. I absolutley love this little cigar and frequently buy a box at a time and go to it as my "daily smoke" kind of cigar. Love your content, keep up the great work, and I would love to visit your shop one day.
The Heritage was one of my all time favorites for awhile. The only reason I've began to shy away from them is just because of frequent issues with the draw towards the middle of my smokes. The I'm a huge fan of pepper flavors with my cigars and I always get that, on the finish, of each gurkha I've smoked.
Remember Gurkha VS Rocky Patel!! You either liked one hated the other. I think Rocky fell into this situation too. Built a big name, made way too many different cigars for too many distributors and suffered quality issues. I like Rocky over Gurkha but today I hesitate to buy both!
Always liked the black ops, they're tasty, and considering most of the time I have to smoke a cigar Im doing something, they're cheap, if I drop it over the kayak or while I'm doing yardwork, whatever I get another 1
I definitely enjoyed this video. It was really interesting to hear the history / background of this brand and it's comeback. I've had a few different Gurkhas over the past few years and have enjoyed them. I think it would be a cool series if you did more background / history style videos of different brands.
The Gurkha Colorado is one of my favorites, I have yet to try more, looking forward to the cellar reserve lines. Good topic and always enjoy the videos.
So far no good experience smoking them. Barnyard murky yucky unlucky Cigars. What a Beast!😂 I watched Rocky Patel new quality control in his factory tour and was impressed by his precise description of the complex process of making cigars. Kudos for a fantastic lecture. A must see !
When i first started smoking cigars I fell in love with the gurkha Royal Challenge. After smoking numerous of the brand over several months I gradually began to hate them realizing that for the price point there was just much much better options out there.... After taking a 7-8 year hiatus from gurkha and coming back to my beloved Royal challenge I noticed a massive change in flavor profile and complexity. The cigars tasted fresh but also like they had been aged in a humidor for 8+ months with incredible complexity and boldness. Im now smoking them semi regularly again and haven't not enjoyed a single stick. It's been hot as shit out and I've been rusty as hell lighting up, scorching the first 1/4" of the cigar, I can only imagine a perfect light!
I totally noticed everything Tim is talking about in this video about Gurkha. I used to love their cellar reserve line and ghost line but then I tried the beast and beauty line and the construction on them were terrible and long with no flavor. I do like some of their new blends. I can see why so many people talk so much smack about this company and their cigars used to be so over priced.
My first cigar 7 years ago was a Gurkha Class Regent, and to this day I still really enjoy that cigar. As an auto detailer on the side, Gurkha is like the Chemical Guys of the auto detailing industry. If there’s one tire dressing, there’s 10,000. The heavy marketing is annoying and a put off for me.
Your analysis is 100% spot on. They were ok in the beginning back in the 90s, got crappy for a few years when they concentrated more on packaging than product. Over the past 10 years they've improved
I road the wave of Gurkha. Had some that were great and fell in love with the brand years ago, then for a while I could not get a cigar from them that didn't have construction issues (cracking, coming apart after a clean cut, etc). I haven't bought any for a while, but I keep my eye out for some of their newer blends
I love your stuff Tim. You're the best at what you do. As far as this brand, I'm just not a fan, but I will try a couple of their newest cigars based on fairness. BTW, I'm currently enjoying my Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro which is my favorite Maduro on the market today. That should tell you something about my taste. Been enjoying cigars for over 40 years.
The bogus origin story, the wingnut owner, the inconsistent quality (to this day), the blends and tobacco sourcing that changes without warning so your favorite blend of theirs might be different next time you buy it, the ridiculous marketing, the absurd suggested MSRP, the countless blends, etc, etc, etc. They have a few good lines, but I still usually tell people to avoid them until they're more knowledgeable. I do the same with Rocky Patel, Alec Bradley, and a few others too cause they have sooo many blends that range massively that newer smokers basically get taken advantage of and/or lost. I have no issue with people liking those brands, I just don't so I suggest what I feel are better brands. And I'm not talking about the early 00's either, I'm talking about right now. They're a sketchy brand that relies on casual smokers and new smokers from what I can tell cause aside from a couple of blends I don't know any real cigar nerds smoking them.
Gurkha was my favorite brand when I first got into cigars around 2007 and almost the only one I smoked (beauty, centurian, and status being my favorite). Then I feel their quality went down and they oversold their newer cigars which where not great. When this happened I started looking elsewhere.
About a year ago, I "rebooted" by cigar journey after a multi-multi-year hiatus. I tried the Gurkha Shine and Royal Challenge. They weren't bad by no means... I would say they fit what I was looking for at that time and were a springboard for experimenting with different brands, blends, etc. I just haven't revisited them in a while. I wouldn't be against trying Cellar Reserve.
I have smoked the Gurkha 12 and 15. They were good cigars. They are not in my top 10 but I enjoy them. I actually have a few in my humidor. I like a bit of variety.
My 1st cigar was a Gurkha but it was too strong for a newb. Combine this with the fact that I let it dry out and had no idea what I was doing and thus a bad experience. With that said, I have not tried them again so I am interested to hear what others experience has been.
I will not personally purchase or smoke the brand again because every stick I tried had serious construction issues. Anyone who likes them should just be happy liking them.
When I first started smoking cigars about 4 years ago, I bought a Gurkha sampler pack and enjoyed most of the sticks in the pack. So, I reordered 5 packs of the blends I liked; however, I found the 5 packs were terribly inconsistent with regard to burn and flavor. One might taste great and the next would just taste like garbage. Moral of the story, I think Gurkha still has major consistency issues. I’ve never had the same issue with fuente, padron, Oliva or AJ Fernandez sticks.
Gurkha also made insanely priced cigars with over the top boxes. For fishing or whatever they are worthy. But too many great cigars out there besides Gurkha.
This is extra interesting for me currently, my new neighbor just gave me a Gurkha Titan, plan on enjoying it soon, so this adds a whole new reason to try it. Open minded and looking forward to it. Cheers!
I am in the latter group that is new to cigars, with my first Gurkha being the 18-year Cellar Reserve. While my cigar palette is still developing, it is quite honed from being in the tea industry. In other words, I'm no cigar expert, but I am not coming into the leaf or tasting world completely blank. I found the 18-year Cellar Reserve to have a sophisticated and sweet profile that evolves nicely over the course of the stick. The only criticism I have thus far is that when put side to side, the sticks' profiles vary quite a bit in construction, and with some having the tightest draw I've encountered yet, requiring quite a bit of draw-poker surgery. But a company's shady past is definitely something that can flavor its products, understandably. I appreciated the background you provided so that I could contextualize the situation; I wasn't getting straight answers from various cigar shops that seemed to deliberately omit the brand, and my curiosity was left unfulfilled to your video. Thank you!
I tried 2 Gurkha cigars early in my cigar oddessey. The Ghost and the cellar 15 year. At the time I was “learning” cigars and developing my palette.Neither gripped me but I do remember the Ghost was a total smoke bomb. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, that was the one thing I that really stood out to me. I have deceived to revisit the brand and picked up a Royal Challenge in the rubusto ( my preferred size). As my pallet has matured, I will hopefully be able to discern the nuances and flavors to determine whether or not Gurkha is trash or a good cigar manufacturer.
I'm fairly new to cigars, only started about a month ago. I tried an 18 yr old cellar reserve and absolutely loved it. Since I'm new, I was and am still trying a bunch of sticks in the market and just this past weekend I had gotten a Gurkha variety pack and I tried the 15 yr old cellar reserve and boy I don't know if my pallet has changed, if it was tainted that day, or it was just a bad stick but i really did not enjoy it. Could've been my own personal taste but it tasted nothing like the 18 yr old and kinda left me hesitant to try the rest of the pack. Think I'll let them sit my humidor for a few months or something before trying again. I was a bit bummed out because I had high hopes off the 18 yr old. I'm definitely not counting them out and calling them trash (I haven't even had enough to make any call on them) but it does make me a bit more hesitant to buy them at their price point.
my local tobacconist is doing a Gurkha event this month so its buy 3 get 1 free all month. I have been trying a lot of their Connecticut blends and i have found a few really nice cigars. The Grand Age 2, the 21 years cellar reserve, the Beauty, and the freebees were Aldinos...also very nice
Gurkha was my favorite brand for years, in particular The Titan and Beast. I love the flavor profile of both. Smoked them for years. Unfortunately the quality control is horrendous, everything from the tightest draws to continually going out. I switched over to Perdomo. Until Gurkha makes a better product, I’m out.
I tried to get my buddy into cigars. He came up from West VA to hang out, so we went out and picked out some cigars. He picked out a 12 year aged Platinum gurkha. He said it was amazing. Him and our other friend who's more of a pipe smoker. He had a taste of my oliva Connecticut and he said it was horrible but loved the gurkha. I gave it a taste and thought it was really good. Just one hit though. I'm just happy he found one he liked and wasn't discouraged from the oliva.
I had picked up a 15 yr cellar reserve on a whim then I started researching it and was on the fence on trying it now. Might gift it to a friend for his finances pregnancy announcement. Got a few liga no. 9 that I know I like.
The 18 years cellar are great, unique flavours and sublime, and excellent value, you pay way more for aged other brands. The Ghosts is very average. The 30th Anniversary is superb!
I've just got into cigars and have been trying to smoke many different kinds to find what I like, but so far the Ghurka Ghost Asuras have been my favorite. I love them. I am still learning to pick up flavors in cigars but I do get chocolate notes from them.
I started smoking Cigars around 2010 so a lot of this I had no clue about. But I am one of the people that never understood the hate for Gurkha. I actually started smoking some Gurkhas when I first started smoking Cigars. So for me I actually have a better view of them earlier on. They are not my favorite brand but I'll have at least 1 every now and then still. Sometimes I feel like the hate people give, just think it's the "cool" thing to do. I'll always be the one person to stick up for them in the comments.
Same boat! My impression from that time, was that Gurkha was "hip", "cool", and marketing-forward, catering to a younger crowd? That's my memory of it anyway, I was in my early 20's and liked the brand. But the cigars were a mixed boat, and a bit over-priced.
Great video. Gurkha are a good cigar that people just love to hate on. Their like the kirk cousins of the cigar world, overlooked, under appreciated and not as bad as people make them out to be(a saints fan trying to be unbiased). Either that being said I only buy Gurkha when they're on wicked sale because I know at $2-6 a stick I'm getting a phenomenal deal! I usually get the CI special where 5 stick are like $20 . I don't go to a store and spend Plasencia money on them... a great intermediate cigar for new people and enjoyable year round. Great bands on the cigars too.. again just my opinion a part time cigar smoker of 7 years.
I am a diehard Gurkha fan In fact, I’m smoking the Gurkha revenant Maduro right now. they are my favorite brand of non-Cuban cigars and they are beautifully crafted nowadays. In fact, the Gurkha assassin was the second cigar I smoked. There have been some people on here claiming that they are overpriced but I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than $15 for a Gurkha cigar and I absolutely enjoyed it.
I don't buy many Gukhas, but I will say that the most flavorful cigar I've ever smoked, the very first cigar that actually exploded with flavor on my palate was the Cellar Reserve 21 year. They are outstanding and I would recommend that particular cigar to anyone!
Had a sampler. Was surprised with the aged ones. They didn't last long in my humidor since I really enjoyed them lmao. Seems like a good go-to on a budget.
I smoked some Gurkha's from a sampler a couple years ago when I first started smoking. I don't remember them well enough to have much of an opinion on them. However, a friend recently gave me a sampler pack that I tossed in my humidor and I will be trying them soon. Hopefully they aren't too disappointing, but all the chatter I see online about them doesn't leave me too confident lol.
I hear you. But remember that chatter is just like hype. It can create an unfair impression. But the fact that you've had them and they didn't make much of an impression is a gauge imo.
I happen to love Gurkha cigars,it's probably the one I smoke the most. I just finished their Havana Blend, Governors Private Blend and the 125th, I ordered 10 each and enjoyed every one with no problems. Call me cheap but in this economy you have to save money when you can. Thanks Tim
I have tried quite a few of Gurkha's cigars and never had any real problems with them. Some were good, some were ok but personally I have to say that my favorite was the 15 years old... had the 12, the18, the 21 and others but for me, it was the 15 that surprised me the most. I have not had the chance to try the Ghost, but I will try to get a few of them.
Love em,,, hard to find. First smoked them in 2012 . I was working on a Georgia power plant near Carollton Georgia just driving through the town and saw a small isolated store front of a cigar shop. Started hitting that store every payday and Gurka was one on my list of cigars to buy for the week.
I'm smoking a Gurkha Evil as I watch this, which I received in a sampler from none other than Cigars Daily. 😊 It's really not bad, I'm not loving it but I am definitely enjoying it. Not particularly complex, a bit open draw, but an absolutely impeccable burn on this thing. I may not choose it specifically, but I'd smoke it again if I got it again. Cheers!
Agree with the quality of the smokes. It's not that the cigar is terrible but just the overall construction experience. I've had some good Gurkha and some bad but I would never bash them publicly the way some individuals do online. It seems like its a trend that people just want to be a part of. My opinion, if you really hate them just don't buy or smoke them and keep it moving. I actually have a few Ghosts in my humidor, never had a bad experience with that stick. Good video!
Had a Gurkha for the first time yesterday. 12 year reserve, restricted release. Notes of oak and champagne IMO. It was not a bad experience by any means. Not my favorite but one that I will likely try again. I'm newish to cigars. I started on the infused cigars as one does, then moved to pipes over the past year and a half, and now I'm smoking non infused cigars regularly because I work at a shop. I'm making my way through all the major brands. I smoke usually three to four cigars a day and I can tell you I've had some significantly worse smokes. The only issue I had was the burn but I am not currently able to rule out user error. Overall, I would say to give it a try.
It's funny this video just came out. I work in a cigar lounge earlier this week I was talking with an older co-worker about Gurkha's and that I wasn't a fan but it had been a long time since I had one. As I remember the flavor wasn't good and had terrible problems with the burn. He was saying that they have a lot of good blends and I should give one a try. I also tell guys they should always give a brand a second chance so I'll follow my own advise and try one this upcoming week and see how it goes.
The quality of a Gurkha cigar for me depends on where I purchase it. Ive always had great cigars from B&M stores. However, online they tend to arrive dry and have some construction issues. The best Gurkha cigar I smoked was the Havana Classic which came from a brick and mortar. I haven't given up on the brand completely, just selective about where and what I purchase.
Every cigar I’ve ever smoked had issues. I’ve smoked 5-6 of their blends a couple times as I try not to judge off one cigar. Construction is subpar quite a few wouldn’t draw. If they did draw the flavor was practically non existent. Can’t get with you on this one Tim, but you smoke what makes you happy man. I’m sure I’ll keep giving them a shot every once in a while.
I’ve tried Gurkha’s cigar sampler when I got into to smoking cigars and I don’t mind them. Not my top choice but they are worth a smoke every now and then. And definitely a decent enough cigar to lend to a friend who’s interested in getting into smoking cigars.
My first Gurkha was a G3, they ended up becoming my favorite, I still fill my humidor with others as well. And as a big fan I will also say they have dropped the ball on some ghost being an example of one I did not care for and glad I only picked up one. I still stand as a fan though after all the bad. I don’t try and tell people they are the greatest out there, especially at the price point but I still go buy a small sampler for friends when they decide to start smoking.
I seem to remember Juan Lopez talking about bad licensing deals that lead to some of these online retailers slapping the logo on cigars that weren't necessarily "Gurkhas" in order to move product. My rule of thumb is if i cant find it on Gurkhas website or an authorized B&M shop i stay away from it. With that being said, I do enjoy the cellar reserve, the ghost, and even the infusion blends on occasion like the Abuelo.
I’ve had one Gurka last year and I recall that it was fine. Some time later I watched a video of the owner talking about how he acquired the rights to the “Gurka” name. He was traveling in India and saw the name on a cigar shop. He then bragged on how he bought it for $150. Then he smugly bragged how his company was now worth a hundred million-something. (it’s been a while so I may some details wrong, but you get the point). He bought the name, I get it’s business. It just rubbed me the wrong way: some rich guy getting over on a poor guy. Haven’t bought one since and have no plans to in the future.
My first Gurkha was the first generation Ancient Warriors, and they were among the best cigars I have ever had. They were magnificently blended and perfectly constructed. Subsequently I bought a box of some cheap-ass Gurkhas that were revolting. I'd rather steal one of my dad's Corina Larks. I've had one or two Gurkhas since, and they were alright, but I've never gone back in any seriousness.
Smoking cigars as a newbie I was told Gurkha's were too strong for the inexperienced. Also, they seem to have an endless number of blends. I used to enjoy the Gurkha Rogue. I remember bringing a couple for myself and friends on new years a few years ago and one of my friends called it trash lol
I started smoking Gurkha over 25 years ago. They were my favourite cigar. I started smoking cigars recently again after 20 some years and I never knew this but fortunately I missed the bad error LOL because they are my absolute favourite cigar or at least the top three
I’ve only smoked one or two of their cigars but I had a bad experience at a lounge that heavily promoted them. The cigars were fine, but the lounge was extremely pretentious and kinda hostile. I shouldn’t use that to influence me though.
Had a great experience with gurkha 2 6 packs all 12 sticks tightly rolled solid construct with very easy draw and even burn with that said that's half the battle all 12 had a traditional cigar aroma reminding me of being a 12 year old seeing and smelling the grandfather's smoke. So I highly recommend gurkha if you are on a budget or not the blue, yellow and red six packs if you enjoy time smoking a good cigar you can't lose.
I've had some really good ghurkas over the years. I've not had any more dud sticks (burn/draw issues) than I have from any other companies. Lot of people are afraid to appear inexperienced, they heard someone they respected say ghurka was trash so it must be so... the journey is about finding YOUR favorite or best cigar, you'll never find it going off of someone else's opinion.
Gurkha I have to say I'm a big fan. first smoked while I was deployed to Afghanistan. love every moment of the experience of smoking then. also of note, my Platoon Sergeant used then and the rest of my cigars to get are Platoon more missions and to also work with the special forces team on our base. so all in all Gurkha 10/10.
honestly for the price and product you receive, I enjoy gurkha. I smoke on a daily basis and enjoy my perdomos, my plasencia, my ligas, my RP, and all the high end. this is definitely a brand i would have no problems sharing with others.
I also think that the crude comments that were made by Hansotia a few years ago has also soured some folks on the brand. If you run a business you can't go around making comments on sensitive topics and not expect so negative effects from it.
I recently smoke a Gurkha Revenant Maduro. I had never heard of Gurkha cigars or smoked one before. The day before I smoked the Gurkha cigar, I smoked a A.J. Fernandez New World Dorado. The New World was a great cigar, full of flavor. When I smoke the Gurkha there was a big difference in flavor, almost no flavor in the Gurkha. I tried the Gurkha on Cigars Daily recommendations. I will give them another try to be fair. I have two other blends of the Gurkha Revenant Corojo and the Maduro Ghost.
I smoked my first Gurkha this weekend and really enjoyed it, I also bought a Gurkha Ghost for the future. I’m relatively new to learning about different Brands though…does anyone have any suggestions?
A Gurkha is a Nepalese Elite soldier, they served the British Empire for years and created their signature combat knife that they are so well known for. They were concidered fearless in battle and completely trustworthy. A Gurkha has absolutely nothing to do with the Turkish Empire.
Love your channel and have learned much from you all. Greetings from Germany and keep up the good work.
Excellent, thank you.
The Ghurkas remain part of the British Army, who operate a Brigade of them. They specialise in jungle and mountain fighting and are famous for their bravery and ferocity in combat. You only have to look at all the medals they earned in the Iraq and Afgan wars, earning among them the Victoria Cross. Interesting fact that although the Brits had the largest empire in human history spanning a 3rd of the worlds landmass and population in the early 20th centuary, Nepal was never part of it. They just chose them as they made great fighters
And they still serve in the British Army to this day
Thank you for clearing the misinformation.
thanks dude for explaining, love from Nepal❤❤
The issue with Gurkah is that they list their blends for 30 dollars, but have the same build quality and blend of a 2 dollar cigar. If they priced their cigars appropriately they would be better off.
They have a small handful of elegantly crafted cigars, but the last 20+ blends all felt like an afterthought to the marketing.
Sadly, the actually good blends are the ones that are priced so high that there are better options in that price range.
Hublot
I have tried a few of the Gurkas but have been very disappointed .
@@kovy689Exactly - Gurkha is the Hublot of the cigar world!
@CobraKaiNoMercy think u made a mistake on your math there bud
Yeah, those '$30 blends' have been around for a long time. Its for sure one of those cigars that makes me give a little side eye! lol
Never had any issue with Gurkhas. In fact one of the most flavourful smokes I've ever had was the royal challenge. Being in the British military, I like their branding too, although I feel like the guys running it don't know much about that history nowadays.
I'm one of those people who sample multiple cigars to find the perfect life changing one. Saying that I have tried the Gurkha brand and found it pretty good. I have also sampled lots of garbage with high end names. I do like watching your vids to try to wrap my brain around the whole selection process. Keep up the good work!
I feel like AJ Fernandez is marketing really well his lines like Ave Marie and New world and Man o War. Makes me wonder. Is AJ cigars good and worth the money or they just marketed well?
I counted you saying Gurkha 52 times…..great information and unbiased perspective on a brand that has struggled with reputation.
Smoking a Gurkha right now, a little overpriced but definitely a good flavourful well constructed cigar. Definitely would buy again.
The Cellar Reserve 15 year is a favorite. I've sampled other Cellars but the 15's flavor suits my palette. I haven't had many other Gurkhas, but am trying some of the Ghosts lately, the first one wasn't noteworthy but I tried another and found it pretty good, rich, toothy without the oil and grit, and a very nice ash. I'm optimistic that I'll enjoy the rest of the Ghosts, will let them rest a few months in my humidor first. Nice video.
Mine also!
I really like the grand reserve, the cognac really sets it apart
Gurkha is the nickelback of cigars, most people hate them, some people just like to hate on them and then there is a few that actually like them but are too afraid to admit it.
😂🙌🙌
The nickleback of cigars...haha😂
Nickelback is great. Phenomenal live show.
Gurkha is unadulterated lawn clippings from a poo soaked 3rd world cow farm.
The Nickelback of cigars is Acid. It's popular to hate them, yet they're secretly loved in private.
Lol dude nickel back is a hugely popular band
I started my cigar journey with Gurkha Cellar Reserve 21y Solara Double Robusto, It was an amazing nutty, naturally sweet flavor going all the way to chocolate and becoming more apparent towards the end of the smoke. The issue that I have found since then with Gurkhas is their quality control and that the same cigar will taste and be wrapped much differently, so it is sometimes true hit or miss. The next time I had 21y it was just underfilled and soft... the flavor was noticeable but not that strong (came from the same box and humidor)
Last time I had Gurkha 15-year limitada which quite frankly I was disappointed with, was underfilled and the wrapper at the foot was not holding properly so half of the smoke was going everywhere... but not coming through.
So to sum it up... I found that the greatest issue is with their QC, and consistency and nobody wants this hit-or-miss type of cigar in the box when you want to relax.
( Price of these cigars in EU are about 18-20€, so for that price I would rather go La Aroma del Caribe Pasion Encanto which had same nuttines, sweetness and is cheaper at least in my experience in EU and much more consistant)
Long-time viewer, first-time commenter. Love your content. Nearly all of my cigars are purchased online (a majority are rated 90+) at discounted prices. The only cigars I have ever returned were Ghurkas: Beauty and the Beast. Construction, presentation and flavor could be described in a word: cheap.
I've never had construction issues with Gurkhas. And the Beauty and the Beast are a poor example of Gurkhas by which to judge the whole brand
True enough, though I've tried others. Let Cigar Aficionado be the judge: 427 non-Cuban cigars/blends to crack the top 25 in 21 years. Gurkha has made the list exactly once.
I’m new to cigars and have purchased a couple sample packs from my local smoke shop. I found that I like Gurkha, I didn’t know there was this issue with them till now. WITH THAT SAID I wouldn’t pay full retail per cigar, only worth it for me in a multi pack that comes to about 6 or 7 per cigar
Thanks for sharing. I love Gurkhas, but only have been smoking them for 4 years and never heard any criticism other than who didnt like them or who did. The Gurkhas today are beautifully constructed and some transition better than other.
After basically a decade plus long hiatus away from smoking cigars, it was actually a Gurkha that reeled me back in about 2 years ago. Specifically under the label of "East India Trading Co." Or the GURKHA CLASSIC CIGAR HAVANA BLEND ROBUSTO.
I absolutley love this little cigar and frequently buy a box at a time and go to it as my "daily smoke" kind of cigar.
Love your content, keep up the great work, and I would love to visit your shop one day.
The Heritage was one of my all time favorites for awhile. The only reason I've began to shy away from them is just because of frequent issues with the draw towards the middle of my smokes. The I'm a huge fan of pepper flavors with my cigars and I always get that, on the finish, of each gurkha I've smoked.
Remember Gurkha VS Rocky Patel!! You either liked one hated the other. I think Rocky fell into this situation too. Built a big name, made way too many different cigars for too many distributors and suffered quality issues. I like Rocky over Gurkha but today I hesitate to buy both!
I've always been a Gurkha fan, I wish my local shop carried more of their blends
Always liked the black ops, they're tasty, and considering most of the time I have to smoke a cigar Im doing something, they're cheap, if I drop it over the kayak or while I'm doing yardwork, whatever I get another 1
If i counted correctly, you said Gurkha 50 times.
Yup counted 50
Take a drink every time he says it
I've been smoking Gurhka cigars for some time now. The 12 & 15year aged blends are my favorites, after the Ghost.
I counted about 53.😅 Whatever you’re talking about Tim, I’m listening to 👍🏾
I counted 52
I definitely enjoyed this video. It was really interesting to hear the history / background of this brand and it's comeback. I've had a few different Gurkhas over the past few years and have enjoyed them. I think it would be a cool series if you did more background / history style videos of different brands.
The Gurkha Colorado is one of my favorites, I have yet to try more, looking forward to the cellar reserve lines. Good topic and always enjoy the videos.
So far no good experience smoking them. Barnyard murky yucky unlucky
Cigars. What a Beast!😂
I watched Rocky Patel new quality control in his factory tour and was impressed by his precise description of the complex process of making cigars. Kudos for a fantastic lecture. A must see !
When i first started smoking cigars I fell in love with the gurkha Royal Challenge. After smoking numerous of the brand over several months I gradually began to hate them realizing that for the price point there was just much much better options out there.... After taking a 7-8 year hiatus from gurkha and coming back to my beloved Royal challenge I noticed a massive change in flavor profile and complexity. The cigars tasted fresh but also like they had been aged in a humidor for 8+ months with incredible complexity and boldness. Im now smoking them semi regularly again and haven't not enjoyed a single stick. It's been hot as shit out and I've been rusty as hell lighting up, scorching the first 1/4" of the cigar, I can only imagine a perfect light!
I totally noticed everything Tim is talking about in this video about Gurkha. I used to love their cellar reserve line and ghost line but then I tried the beast and beauty line and the construction on them were terrible and long with no flavor. I do like some of their new blends. I can see why so many people talk so much smack about this company and their cigars used to be so over priced.
My first cigar 7 years ago was a Gurkha Class Regent, and to this day I still really enjoy that cigar. As an auto detailer on the side, Gurkha is like the Chemical Guys of the auto detailing industry. If there’s one tire dressing, there’s 10,000. The heavy marketing is annoying and a put off for me.
as someone who used to be a detailer and still enjoys it, this makes me want to try a Gurkha less lol
I have tried the Gurkha Ghost and Evil. Honestly, I like them. That's just me. I agree with Tim, not every cigar is for everyone.
Your analysis is 100% spot on. They were ok in the beginning back in the 90s, got crappy for a few years when they concentrated more on packaging than product. Over the past 10 years they've improved
I road the wave of Gurkha. Had some that were great and fell in love with the brand years ago, then for a while I could not get a cigar from them that didn't have construction issues (cracking, coming apart after a clean cut, etc). I haven't bought any for a while, but I keep my eye out for some of their newer blends
I love your stuff Tim. You're the best at what you do. As far as this brand, I'm just not a fan, but I will try a couple of their newest cigars based on fairness. BTW, I'm currently enjoying my Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro which is my favorite Maduro on the market today. That should tell you something about my taste. Been enjoying cigars for over 40 years.
Tim should buy and review the million dollar Gurkha!
I avoid them purely based on reputation. Maybe I should try a few? 🤷🏼♂️⚔️
The bogus origin story, the wingnut owner, the inconsistent quality (to this day), the blends and tobacco sourcing that changes without warning so your favorite blend of theirs might be different next time you buy it, the ridiculous marketing, the absurd suggested MSRP, the countless blends, etc, etc, etc.
They have a few good lines, but I still usually tell people to avoid them until they're more knowledgeable. I do the same with Rocky Patel, Alec Bradley, and a few others too cause they have sooo many blends that range massively that newer smokers basically get taken advantage of and/or lost.
I have no issue with people liking those brands, I just don't so I suggest what I feel are better brands.
And I'm not talking about the early 00's either, I'm talking about right now. They're a sketchy brand that relies on casual smokers and new smokers from what I can tell cause aside from a couple of blends I don't know any real cigar nerds smoking them.
Gurkha was my favorite brand when I first got into cigars around 2007 and almost the only one I smoked (beauty, centurian, and status being my favorite). Then I feel their quality went down and they oversold their newer cigars which where not great. When this happened I started looking elsewhere.
Same. They started getting focused on bands the cigars quality took a distant third rank to the weird new names they kept coming up with.
About a year ago, I "rebooted" by cigar journey after a multi-multi-year hiatus. I tried the Gurkha Shine and Royal Challenge. They weren't bad by no means... I would say they fit what I was looking for at that time and were a springboard for experimenting with different brands, blends, etc. I just haven't revisited them in a while. I wouldn't be against trying Cellar Reserve.
I have smoked the Gurkha 12 and 15. They were good cigars. They are not in my top 10 but I enjoy them. I actually have a few in my humidor. I like a bit of variety.
My 1st cigar was a Gurkha but it was too strong for a newb. Combine this with the fact that I let it dry out and had no idea what I was doing and thus a bad experience. With that said, I have not tried them again so I am interested to hear what others experience has been.
So now the Gurkha has taking the time to rebuild their brand is there anything in particular there's you would recommend to try?
Had Gurkha at the beginning of my Cigar experience so , no opinion because I haven't had one since ☺️
Gurkha fan here. They haven't all been amazing, but most of them have been quite enjoyable. The continue to be a go-to brand of mine.
I will not personally purchase or smoke the brand again because every stick I tried had serious construction issues. Anyone who likes them should just be happy liking them.
I'm new to Gurkha and love the Cellar Reserve. My favorite is the 12 year Platinum.
When I first started smoking cigars about 4 years ago, I bought a Gurkha sampler pack and enjoyed most of the sticks in the pack. So, I reordered 5 packs of the blends I liked; however, I found the 5 packs were terribly inconsistent with regard to burn and flavor. One might taste great and the next would just taste like garbage. Moral of the story, I think Gurkha still has major consistency issues. I’ve never had the same issue with fuente, padron, Oliva or AJ Fernandez sticks.
Gurkha also made insanely priced cigars with over the top boxes. For fishing or whatever they are worthy. But too many great cigars out there besides Gurkha.
This is extra interesting for me currently, my new neighbor just gave me a Gurkha Titan, plan on enjoying it soon, so this adds a whole new reason to try it. Open minded and looking forward to it. Cheers!
I am in the latter group that is new to cigars, with my first Gurkha being the 18-year Cellar Reserve. While my cigar palette is still developing, it is quite honed from being in the tea industry. In other words, I'm no cigar expert, but I am not coming into the leaf or tasting world completely blank. I found the 18-year Cellar Reserve to have a sophisticated and sweet profile that evolves nicely over the course of the stick. The only criticism I have thus far is that when put side to side, the sticks' profiles vary quite a bit in construction, and with some having the tightest draw I've encountered yet, requiring quite a bit of draw-poker surgery. But a company's shady past is definitely something that can flavor its products, understandably. I appreciated the background you provided so that I could contextualize the situation; I wasn't getting straight answers from various cigar shops that seemed to deliberately omit the brand, and my curiosity was left unfulfilled to your video. Thank you!
I tried 2 Gurkha cigars early in my cigar oddessey. The Ghost and the cellar 15 year. At the time I was “learning” cigars and developing my palette.Neither gripped me but I do remember the Ghost was a total smoke bomb. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, that was the one thing I that really stood out to me. I have deceived to revisit the brand and picked up a Royal Challenge in the rubusto ( my preferred size). As my pallet has matured, I will hopefully be able to discern the nuances and flavors to determine whether or not Gurkha is trash or a good cigar manufacturer.
I'm fairly new to cigars, only started about a month ago. I tried an 18 yr old cellar reserve and absolutely loved it. Since I'm new, I was and am still trying a bunch of sticks in the market and just this past weekend I had gotten a Gurkha variety pack and I tried the 15 yr old cellar reserve and boy I don't know if my pallet has changed, if it was tainted that day, or it was just a bad stick but i really did not enjoy it. Could've been my own personal taste but it tasted nothing like the 18 yr old and kinda left me hesitant to try the rest of the pack. Think I'll let them sit my humidor for a few months or something before trying again. I was a bit bummed out because I had high hopes off the 18 yr old. I'm definitely not counting them out and calling them trash (I haven't even had enough to make any call on them) but it does make me a bit more hesitant to buy them at their price point.
my local tobacconist is doing a Gurkha event this month so its buy 3 get 1 free all month. I have been trying a lot of their Connecticut blends and i have found a few really nice cigars. The Grand Age 2, the 21 years cellar reserve, the Beauty, and the freebees were Aldinos...also very nice
Gurkha was my favorite brand for years, in particular The Titan and Beast. I love the flavor profile of both. Smoked them for years. Unfortunately the quality control is horrendous, everything from the tightest draws to continually going out. I switched over to Perdomo. Until Gurkha makes a better product, I’m out.
This is why I love you Tim, other cigar videos who talk about Ghurka, trashed it, hence why I dont have an opinion on it. Ive never had a Ghurka.
I tried to get my buddy into cigars. He came up from West VA to hang out, so we went out and picked out some cigars. He picked out a 12 year aged Platinum gurkha. He said it was amazing. Him and our other friend who's more of a pipe smoker. He had a taste of my oliva Connecticut and he said it was horrible but loved the gurkha. I gave it a taste and thought it was really good. Just one hit though. I'm just happy he found one he liked and wasn't discouraged from the oliva.
I had picked up a 15 yr cellar reserve on a whim then I started researching it and was on the fence on trying it now. Might gift it to a friend for his finances pregnancy announcement. Got a few liga no. 9 that I know I like.
Its a great smoke. Not too far off from quality and taste of the Liga Privada flying pig but bigger
I've just gotten into cigars and Ive smoke a lot of Gurkhas and they have all been well constructed and tasted good
The 18 years cellar are great, unique flavours and sublime, and excellent value, you pay way more for aged other brands. The Ghosts is very average. The 30th Anniversary is superb!
tried 30y ann, 15y cellar and 18 y cellar, imho 15y cellar was the best
I've just got into cigars and have been trying to smoke many different kinds to find what I like, but so far the Ghurka Ghost Asuras have been my favorite. I love them. I am still learning to pick up flavors in cigars but I do get chocolate notes from them.
I started smoking Cigars around 2010 so a lot of this I had no clue about. But I am one of the people that never understood the hate for Gurkha. I actually started smoking some Gurkhas when I first started smoking Cigars. So for me I actually have a better view of them earlier on. They are not my favorite brand but I'll have at least 1 every now and then still. Sometimes I feel like the hate people give, just think it's the "cool" thing to do. I'll always be the one person to stick up for them in the comments.
Same boat! My impression from that time, was that Gurkha was "hip", "cool", and marketing-forward, catering to a younger crowd? That's my memory of it anyway, I was in my early 20's and liked the brand. But the cigars were a mixed boat, and a bit over-priced.
Just puffing on my Gurkha Ghost Gold Shadow as I watch. Love your videos! Always informative.
Also, this is my first Gurkha and I love it!
THAT is a good Gurkha blend!
Great video. Gurkha are a good cigar that people just love to hate on. Their like the kirk cousins of the cigar world, overlooked, under appreciated and not as bad as people make them out to be(a saints fan trying to be unbiased). Either that being said I only buy Gurkha when they're on wicked sale because I know at $2-6 a stick I'm getting a phenomenal deal! I usually get the CI special where 5 stick are like $20 . I don't go to a store and spend Plasencia money on them... a great intermediate cigar for new people and enjoyable year round. Great bands on the cigars too.. again just my opinion a part time cigar smoker of 7 years.
I am a diehard Gurkha fan In fact, I’m smoking the Gurkha revenant Maduro right now. they are my favorite brand of non-Cuban cigars and they are beautifully crafted nowadays.
In fact, the Gurkha assassin was the second cigar I smoked.
There have been some people on here claiming that they are overpriced but I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than $15 for a Gurkha cigar and I absolutely enjoyed it.
I don't buy many Gukhas, but I will say that the most flavorful cigar I've ever smoked, the very first cigar that actually exploded with flavor on my palate was the Cellar Reserve 21 year. They are outstanding and I would recommend that particular cigar to anyone!
Had a sampler. Was surprised with the aged ones. They didn't last long in my humidor since I really enjoyed them lmao. Seems like a good go-to on a budget.
I smoked some Gurkha's from a sampler a couple years ago when I first started smoking. I don't remember them well enough to have much of an opinion on them. However, a friend recently gave me a sampler pack that I tossed in my humidor and I will be trying them soon. Hopefully they aren't too disappointing, but all the chatter I see online about them doesn't leave me too confident lol.
I hear you. But remember that chatter is just like hype. It can create an unfair impression. But the fact that you've had them and they didn't make much of an impression is a gauge imo.
I happen to love Gurkha cigars,it's probably the one I smoke the most. I just finished their Havana Blend, Governors Private Blend and the 125th, I ordered 10 each and enjoyed every one with no problems. Call me cheap but in this economy you have to save money when you can. Thanks Tim
I have tried quite a few of Gurkha's cigars and never had any real problems with them. Some were good, some were ok but personally I have to say that my favorite was the 15 years old... had the 12, the18, the 21 and others but for me, it was the 15 that surprised me the most.
I have not had the chance to try the Ghost, but I will try to get a few of them.
I have probably ten different Gurkha blends. A small minority were bad but the majority are very good. You have a great show..
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Love em,,, hard to find. First smoked them in 2012 . I was working on a Georgia power plant near Carollton Georgia just driving through the town and saw a small isolated store front of a cigar shop. Started hitting that store every payday and Gurka was one on my list of cigars to buy for the week.
I’ve a bad experience with Gurkha. As of late I’ve tried the Park Ave natural Churchill and found that it is completely unsatisfactory for me.
I just bought the sample pack and I wanted to know more before I smoke it. That’s why I watch your video
I've tried 3-4 different ones so far. Have liked all I've tried..
I like Gurkha just started smoking them...didn't know about that bit of history so I appreciate you speaking on it
I enjoy a good Gurkha, I have had many of the different ones, and I can’t remember getting a bad one.
I like Gurkha sticks especially the royal challenge in Maduro Robusto the second third is amazing
I'm smoking a Gurkha Evil as I watch this, which I received in a sampler from none other than Cigars Daily. 😊 It's really not bad, I'm not loving it but I am definitely enjoying it. Not particularly complex, a bit open draw, but an absolutely impeccable burn on this thing. I may not choose it specifically, but I'd smoke it again if I got it again. Cheers!
Agree with the quality of the smokes. It's not that the cigar is terrible but just the overall construction experience. I've had some good Gurkha and some bad but I would never bash them publicly the way some individuals do online. It seems like its a trend that people just want to be a part of. My opinion, if you really hate them just don't buy or smoke them and keep it moving. I actually have a few Ghosts in my humidor, never had a bad experience with that stick. Good video!
Ghurka is one of my favorite cigar's, I got back into cigars during the pandemic. Help keep me sane.
Had a Gurkha for the first time yesterday. 12 year reserve, restricted release. Notes of oak and champagne IMO. It was not a bad experience by any means. Not my favorite but one that I will likely try again. I'm newish to cigars. I started on the infused cigars as one does, then moved to pipes over the past year and a half, and now I'm smoking non infused cigars regularly because I work at a shop. I'm making my way through all the major brands. I smoke usually three to four cigars a day and I can tell you I've had some significantly worse smokes. The only issue I had was the burn but I am not currently able to rule out user error. Overall, I would say to give it a try.
I’ve tried many because I hear everyone trash talk them but out of the around 8 different cigars I’ve had from them, I’ve like every one!
It's funny this video just came out. I work in a cigar lounge earlier this week I was talking with an older co-worker about Gurkha's and that I wasn't a fan but it had been a long time since I had one. As I remember the flavor wasn't good and had terrible problems with the burn. He was saying that they have a lot of good blends and I should give one a try. I also tell guys they should always give a brand a second chance so I'll follow my own advise and try one this upcoming week and see how it goes.
Used to be a fan back in the Black Dragon days.
The quality of a Gurkha cigar for me depends on where I purchase it. Ive always had great cigars from B&M stores. However, online they tend to arrive dry and have some construction issues. The best Gurkha cigar I smoked was the Havana Classic which came from a brick and mortar.
I haven't given up on the brand completely, just selective about where and what I purchase.
Every cigar I’ve ever smoked had issues. I’ve smoked 5-6 of their blends a couple times as I try not to judge off one cigar. Construction is subpar quite a few wouldn’t draw. If they did draw the flavor was practically non existent. Can’t get with you on this one Tim, but you smoke what makes you happy man. I’m sure I’ll keep giving them a shot every once in a while.
I’ve tried Gurkha’s cigar sampler when I got into to smoking cigars and I don’t mind them. Not my top choice but they are worth a smoke every now and then. And definitely a decent enough cigar to lend to a friend who’s interested in getting into smoking cigars.
My first Gurkha was a G3, they ended up becoming my favorite, I still fill my humidor with others as well. And as a big fan I will also say they have dropped the ball on some ghost being an example of one I did not care for and glad I only picked up one. I still stand as a fan though after all the bad. I don’t try and tell people they are the greatest out there, especially at the price point but I still go buy a small sampler for friends when they decide to start smoking.
How's that king chii humidor working out for you?I bought one also.
I seem to remember Juan Lopez talking about bad licensing deals that lead to some of these online retailers slapping the logo on cigars that weren't necessarily "Gurkhas" in order to move product.
My rule of thumb is if i cant find it on Gurkhas website or an authorized B&M shop i stay away from it.
With that being said, I do enjoy the cellar reserve, the ghost, and even the infusion blends on occasion like the Abuelo.
I am new to the cigar world. I’ve only tried the leather rose by deadwood. I’d really like some suggestions on cigars to try.
I’ve had one Gurka last year and I recall that it was fine. Some time later I watched a video of the owner talking about how he acquired the rights to the “Gurka” name. He was traveling in India and saw the name on a cigar shop. He then bragged on how he bought it for $150. Then he smugly bragged how his company was now worth a hundred million-something. (it’s been a while so I may some details wrong, but you get the point).
He bought the name, I get it’s business. It just rubbed me the wrong way: some rich guy getting over on a poor guy. Haven’t bought one since and have no plans to in the future.
Right on point with the story. He also rubbed me up the wrong way with his story.
My first Gurkha was the first generation Ancient Warriors, and they were among the best cigars I have ever had. They were magnificently blended and perfectly constructed. Subsequently I bought a box of some cheap-ass Gurkhas that were revolting. I'd rather steal one of my dad's Corina Larks. I've had one or two Gurkhas since, and they were alright, but I've never gone back in any seriousness.
The coolest part of this rundown is that the poor cigar doesn’t smoke, and doesn’t get smoked. 😂Good video.
I don't usually buy them, but I was given a Heritage for Father's day, and it was a really pleasant smoke. I would definitely smoke more.
Smoking cigars as a newbie I was told Gurkha's were too strong for the inexperienced. Also, they seem to have an endless number of blends. I used to enjoy the Gurkha Rogue. I remember bringing a couple for myself and friends on new years a few years ago and one of my friends called it trash lol
Ahhh, yes the Rogue was another I like outside of the Cellar Reserve and Ninja. It was very very strong though on the body and nicotine side.
I started smoking Gurkha over 25 years ago. They were my favourite cigar. I started smoking cigars recently again after 20 some years and I never knew this but fortunately I missed the bad error LOL because they are my absolute favourite cigar or at least the top three
The black dragon Maduro tubo is what first started me on this journey
I’ve only smoked one or two of their cigars but I had a bad experience at a lounge that heavily promoted them. The cigars were fine, but the lounge was extremely pretentious and kinda hostile. I shouldn’t use that to influence me though.
Had a great experience with gurkha 2 6 packs all 12 sticks tightly rolled solid construct with very easy draw and even burn with that said that's half the battle all 12 had a traditional cigar aroma reminding me of being a 12 year old seeing and smelling the grandfather's smoke. So I highly recommend gurkha if you are on a budget or not the blue, yellow and red six packs if you enjoy time smoking a good cigar you can't lose.
I've had some really good ghurkas over the years. I've not had any more dud sticks (burn/draw issues) than I have from any other companies. Lot of people are afraid to appear inexperienced, they heard someone they respected say ghurka was trash so it must be so... the journey is about finding YOUR favorite or best cigar, you'll never find it going off of someone else's opinion.
Gurkha I have to say I'm a big fan. first smoked while I was deployed to Afghanistan. love every moment of the experience of smoking then. also of note, my Platoon Sergeant used then and the rest of my cigars to get are Platoon more missions and to also work with the special forces team on our base. so all in all Gurkha 10/10.
That 15 year reserve and the ghost. One smooth and one for the pepper. Amazing sticks
Going to be smoking a Yakuza tonight so perfect timing
honestly for the price and product you receive, I enjoy gurkha. I smoke on a daily basis and enjoy my perdomos, my plasencia, my ligas, my RP, and all the high end. this is definitely a brand i would have no problems sharing with others.
I also think that the crude comments that were made by Hansotia a few years ago has also soured some folks on the brand. If you run a business you can't go around making comments on sensitive topics and not expect so negative effects from it.
I recently smoke a Gurkha Revenant Maduro. I had never heard of Gurkha cigars or smoked one before. The day before I smoked the Gurkha cigar, I smoked a A.J. Fernandez New World Dorado.
The New World was a great cigar, full of flavor. When I smoke the Gurkha there was a big difference in flavor, almost no flavor in the Gurkha. I tried the Gurkha on Cigars Daily recommendations.
I will give them another try to be fair. I have two other blends of the Gurkha Revenant Corojo and the Maduro Ghost.
I smoked my first Gurkha this weekend and really enjoyed it, I also bought a Gurkha Ghost for the future.
I’m relatively new to learning about different Brands though…does anyone have any suggestions?