Vitola:
I’ve decided I want to try to review at least one cigar a night if time permits. I want something sweet and creamy tonight, so I decided I’d have the Gurkha Beauty. It’s not often I crave connecticuts so I think it would be more than appropriate to indulge myself tonight. So, as I’ve already mentioned, this stick has a very light caramel hue to it, without any noticeable obstructions in the wrapper or the filling. The dimensions of this cigar are 7 inches by what is most definitely a 60 ring gauge. The cigar also seems pretty resilient to pressure all around, and I’m expecting a good smoke session (as I should, for the Gurkha Beauty is one of my favorite connecticuts).
First Third:
Punch cut, as usual, especially since I don’t want to strain my jaw unnecessarily because I’m smoking a robusto. After toasting the foot, there is instantly a light, creamy flavor. Unfortunately, it is slightly marred by a bitterness that doesn’t quite belong. If you’ve smoked a fair amount of cigars, the first inch or so seldom tastes good, though this is not always the case and there are quite (exceptional) exceptions to this tendency.
Right on schedule, about three-quarters of an inch in, and the bitterness is almost gone. The smoke is very smooth and creamy. In this particular case, the sweetness in the scent is a sugary sweetness, like one of cream or caramel. It is nowhere near overpowering though, just to be clear.
For a Connecticut, the burn right now is not so bad. (For those who are curious, connecticuts are your lighter, younger, creamy, light brown wrappers. Because it doesn’t have as much oil as an older maduro or oscuro wrapper, the burn has a propensity for running rampant down veins or cracks in the cigar.) Anyhow, everything is looking good. As for flavor, the creaminess and light sweetness have been getting cranked up (and still are). The taste on the palate is slightly bitter again, but it is a bitterness different from what I was tasting earlier. This one belongs in the cigar — it is pleasantly bitter and nutty, not unlike an almond eaten with its skin on.
The burn is starting to get a little uneven, a reminder that I should take my time. This one burns down quickly due to the lack of oils, and it’s not uncommon for Kyle and me to catch ourselves rushing to enjoy the delicate sweetness. The burn is still looking pretty good, and the ash is a little over two inches long and still holding on, which is pretty impressive for a connecticut, and a robusto at that. (Guess I jinxed it. As soon as I finished the last sentence and took a puff, the ash fell all over my shoe.)
Second Third:
Surely enough, after taking a short break on the puffing, the burn is even again. I can’t say the flavor has changed, but an accurate description would be that there has been a shift in flavor. In the first third the sweetness was more prominent than the creaminess, but now the creaminess is taking over a little bit. The flavor of nuts has picked up a bit on the tongue too. I also sense a wee bit of dry cedar on the palate in addition, making the finish creamy and woody.
Ah. And there it is. Every time I smoke a Gurkha Beauty, there is one flavor I always look forward to: butter. This may sound very, very weird to someone who hasn’t had a “buttery” cigar, but I personally believe it to be the richest form of flavor that a connecticut can offer to the smoker. This is a very smooth and pleasant smell, and for those who haven’t experienced this flavor, you absolutely must. I have only experienced this butteriness from two connecticuts of the Gurkha line: the Beauty, which I am smoking now, and the Empire V, which is number five of six of the Gurkha Empire line.
This scent is absolutely heavenly. I had forgotten for a moment that I was supposed to be writing a review. I am almost finished with the second third as of now. The aroma has been exceedingly buttery and creamy. The palate is still nutty and slightly woody. The finish on the palate is very smooth and lingering, which is nice coming from a light cigar.
The construction and burn of the cigar are very good, which is great news. I’ve recently been witnessing (though thankfully not been a victim of) some problems with the integrity of the construction of Gurkha cigars. This stick restores a little faith.
Final Third:
Finally, the much-awaited last third. If I remember correctly, this cigar is supposed to smell exceptionally pleasing in the final third. However, as eager as I am, I will take my time, so as to not downplay whatever is in between.
I just got a huge whiff of buttery, creamy, sugary goodness. It smells absolutely divine. It feels as though I’m smelling whipped cream and butterscotch in the form of smoke. Along with all the tastes on my palate, I would say that this entire experience is something like almond toffee and cream (though there is no sweetness on the palate). One should be careful when dealing with an aroma this pleasant though — a little latency and you will miss the scent — a little too much eagerness will leave you with a pair of burning nostrils. If you can learn to find the sweet spot in the smoke though, the smell is incredibly pleasing.
I am about halfway through the final third and I already don’t want it to end. I must admit this is a very nice break from smoking medium to full-bodied cigars. It appears I am puffing a bit too fast again, so I will let the cigar cool off a bit.
The sensory stimulation is strong until the end, but unfortunately it is time to put this cigar out. It has been an exceedingly pleasing smoke, and I am very satisfied.
Verdict:
Beautiful. There is no better word to describe this session. But as I have mentioned, it would not be as enjoyable unless you’ve learned to find the sweet spot to take a whiff of the smoke. For those who haven’t found that spot yet, I would like to add that thinning out the smoke with your hands before smelling the smoke helps considerably. At the same time though, it would be a travesty to smoke this stick on a windy day, as the smoke will be blown away too quickly, not able to be enjoyed.
Out of experience, I can say that this cigar goes very well with a cup of smooth, creamy coffee. If and when you decide to go through with this pairing, make sure the coffee isn’t too sweet, as it will make the aftertaste unnecessarily bitter in comparison. If you are used to the bitterness and like switching back and forth between bitter and sugary sweet, even a Starbucks Frappuccino would get the job done quite nicely.
(Most importantly, with all cigars, take your time. I know I‘ve been guilty of this one too many times due to eagerness, but seriously — please look past my hypocrisy and take your time. Please don’t smoke one if you haven’t set aside and ample amount of time. It is criminal to put one out and “save it for later”. Besides, the tar and nicotine will accumulate at the foot of the cigar, and a good two or three inches of the cigar would be completely wasted. And for what it’s worth (and of course just for laughs), know that I would cringe and mourn for the cigar you’ve wasted.)
Anyway, back to the Beauty. It was a very pleasing smoke; it had a decent smoking time and had very good construction. The sheer size of the cigar may be intimidating, but this stick is very aptly named the Beauty.
Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 14 minutes