Gurkha Cigars.
cubanphan
Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 13
Good evening gentlemen. I've recently returned to the world of cigars after a prolonged absence. I'm 41 years old, grew up in the Bronx, NY around (among others) Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Italians who were part of a certain "thing". Not being insensitive, just stating fact. The point is that I grew up learning about and smoking a lot of "Old School" ie. "Cuban style" and actual Cuban cigars that tasted and smoked great.
I enjoy a lot of the currrent growers/blenders' lines (Pepin and A.J. Fernandez especially), but: What is really up with the Ghurka brand.
Since returning to cigars, they're all I hear about. I've read interviews with the owner/founder going on about "ultra premium" and "luxury". I've heard him go on about "the most expensive tobaccos" and "most expensive packaging". I've heard many aficianados go on at ecstatic length about these sticks.
What about taste? I've tried several of their MANY lines and so far am not impressed. A Cuban friend once presented me with a hand made cigar rolled by his uncle from a small tobacco patch on his land in Cuba (we're talking just a "hobby" tobacco grower) and it was a phenomenal smoke, certainly better than a lot of these "most expensive" Ghurkas.
Please understand, I'm not a snob and by no means wealthy. But I have no issue with spending some money on something good. $20.00 for a My Father Ltd Ed. 2010? No problem. (The 2011, eh... not so much). But am I missing something with Ghurka? Maybe a little more focus on taste and a little less on 60 coats of perfectly applied lacquer on the box?
Opinions?
I enjoy a lot of the currrent growers/blenders' lines (Pepin and A.J. Fernandez especially), but: What is really up with the Ghurka brand.
Since returning to cigars, they're all I hear about. I've read interviews with the owner/founder going on about "ultra premium" and "luxury". I've heard him go on about "the most expensive tobaccos" and "most expensive packaging". I've heard many aficianados go on at ecstatic length about these sticks.
What about taste? I've tried several of their MANY lines and so far am not impressed. A Cuban friend once presented me with a hand made cigar rolled by his uncle from a small tobacco patch on his land in Cuba (we're talking just a "hobby" tobacco grower) and it was a phenomenal smoke, certainly better than a lot of these "most expensive" Ghurkas.
Please understand, I'm not a snob and by no means wealthy. But I have no issue with spending some money on something good. $20.00 for a My Father Ltd Ed. 2010? No problem. (The 2011, eh... not so much). But am I missing something with Ghurka? Maybe a little more focus on taste and a little less on 60 coats of perfectly applied lacquer on the box?
Opinions?
Comments
My amateur opinion..........Gurkha = lots of hype + marketing.......... resulting in too many cigars, inconsistencies among their lines, some of which are simply not that good imho.
I'll take the GH Vintage 2002 over most Gurkhas, and they're $2/each, and less on occasion...................
I really think Gurkha's problem is that they have too many cigars in their portfolio that are mediocre and don't focus on a select core that could be stellar.
Kaiser focuses on glitzy packaging and gimmicks like knives and coins.
A few of the sticks I really like from Gurkha are Evil, Blue Steel, Empire IV & VI and believe it or not Cuban legacy (San Andreas wrapper) and Park Ave Maduro. I have always had consistent flavor and success with those sticks.
A few sticks I really wanted to try and were let down were Genghis Khan, Assassin and Centurian (good sometime and bad others). I am waiting I have a Warlord and hope it is good.
I think for a cheaper price most of AJ Fernandez sticks are great and Perdomo has tons of great priced quality sticks, you get more bang for your buck.
Just my 2cents
Welcome to the forum.
By the way , welcome to the forum , hope you stay with us .
On another more important note. Welcome to the forum....
I have so many that I can't remember all of the lines. Doble maduro, signature, small batch this and that, royal brigade, etc...
I tried my first crest and wasnt impressed, swiftly traded my other away to JSaint!!!!
My assburn with Gurkha's is well known to long tenured members of the forum, so I will not rehash my complaints in length here. With the exception of the Titan and Titan II, I have had some sort of issue with EVERY SINGLE one of their "premium" sticks Ive tried (burn problems, wrappers unraveling, tasting like a dog rocket, etc).
However, I have had much better luck and enjoyment out of their "budget" lines. The Cuban Heritage, Triple Ligero and Park Avenue have all been great experiences for me.
Someone brought up something earlier in this thread that I wasnt aware of in myself where Gurkha is concerned. They come out with TONS of different lines of cigars, trying to cover all bases of sigar enthusiast's tastes - which I suppose is fine...
... but if they didnt hype every single new line as THE GREATEST CIGAR EVER CREATED (and charge for them accordingly), perhaps my disappointment wouldnt be AS great when they disappoint.