Tag Archives: Gurkha

Feb 26 2013

Cigar Review: CAO America Potomac

My, my, where has the time gone? I haven’t reviewed a cigar since last year! This hiatus has gone on for too long. I should really stop studying so hard and focus on what’s really important haha. Well here you go readers, wherever you may be—my first review of 2013.

-Josh

 

Vitola:

I have here with me the CAO America Potomac by Drew estate, weighing in at 6” X 52. It sports a beautiful barberpole-style wrapper made with Brazilian aged connecticut. It is a chocolate colored wrapper with a thin stripe of caramel spiraling down its sides. The pinstripe wrapper complements the beautiful label as well, covered in stars and stripes of its own. The aesthetics cannot go unappreciated—this is a prime example of beautiful presentation. The wrapper is fairly smooth in texture but bumpy, with some minor veins here and there. The construction isn’t perfect, but it’s a damn good job considering it’s a barberpole.

I’ve been holding onto this one for a long time, probably five or six months. I’ve been looking for a good occasion to smoke this one, and I figured I’d break my hiatus with something special. I’ve barely punch-cut this cigar, and it turned out alright considering I have a broken fifth metacarpal on my left hand (yes, I’ve had a little accident). Anyway, now that I’ve made my cut, LET THERE BE LIGHT!!

 

First Third:

The draw is very good. After toasting and lighting the foot, the first few puffs are instantly toasty and nutty. I’ve seasoned this stick very well apparently. There’s a little bit of lingering sweetness in the scent as well, not sure exactly what kind, but something slightly saccharine. The distinctive scent of coffee also makes its appearance, making for a very pleasant combination of olfactory stimulation. The burn is very slightly uneven, but I am not too worried about it. It should correct itself soon enough.

Now the bouquet has developed into a deeper roasted coffee bean and sweet cocoa flavor. The scent is still very much nutty. It is also oily and savory, as any well-aged tobacco should be. Delicious. The flavor on the palate is mild but there. It’s slightly bitter but nutty, like cocoa. There is also the crisp woodiness of cedar on the palate, with a slight creaminess in the scent to go with. The combination of the tastes and scents give off the vibe of dark chocolate and coffee beans.

The flavors haven’t changed much but it is very pleasing and I am fine with them sticking around longer for my enjoyment. The burn has since become fairly even and the ash is holding on quite firmly despite a weak breeze.

 

Second Third:

Ah, a new arrival. A sweet and fruity tartness in the scent. Reminds me of craisins, actually. I might be crazy, but I’ve double and triple checked and am positive. Besides, considering this stick is by Drew Estate, hands down the best roller of flavored cigars, I suppose it’s not such a far-fetched claim. The creaminess has also picked up in addition to the introduction of a subtle but growing leatheriness.

After about a minute, the tartness is sadly gone. It was a very unexpected turn in flavor and I’m sorry that it’s gone so soon. Taking its place is a vanilla bean sweetness, creamy cedar, a raisins (without the tartness of course) and leather, so often seen together with raisiny notes. It’s a good mix and a very pleasant smell. The taste is toasty and bitter, giving the flavors and scents another level of complexity.

Two-thirds down the second third. The burn is good and the flavors have been consistently tasty. No significant changes were experienced, just a smooth, relaxing ride.

 

Final Third:

I am increasingly amazed at the relentless deluge of flavors and sensory stimuli. There is no time to rest, (but I am very far from complaining). The sweetness alternates between a creamy, saccharine sweetness and a fruity, nutra-sweet flavor. The creaminess is substantial, but not overpowering. Oily and cocoa-sweet smoke. The palate is toasty and nutty with just the right amount of spice from the tobacco.

Home stretch. The smell is mostly that of a creamy coffee with hints of leather. I think I also sense a subtle tartness coyly coming and going. It’s a nice, smooth finish.

 

Verdict:

Wow. Very rich flavors. Immensely enjoyed it. The nonstop flavors were a delight, as I normally don’t like hang time waiting for flavors to appear. The tobacco was rich, oily, creamy, and savory with very little spice. This stick had all the perks of a connecticut, and then some. This was not unlike the Gurkha Black Beauty, which is also a very flavorful and impressive aged connecticut. I can’t see this stick not being enjoyed by anyone, amateur or veteran. Awesome smoke and would definitely recommend.

 

Total Smoking Time: 50 minutes

Jan 17 2013

Cigar Review: Gurkha Beauty Robusto

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