Gurkha Class Regent

Size: Toro (6.0 x 50)
Body: Medium
Wrapper: Havana 2000
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican (Cuban seed)
MSRP: $4.50

This is hands-down a very beautiful cigar. The box-press gives it a unique look, especially as it is not "evenly" box-pressed, but rather more rectangular. The construction feels spot-on, and the wrapper has no major flaws. The band is attractive as well, not as obnoxious as Gurkhas normally are. The cold pre-draw gave me a taste of berries, with spice on my lips. I couldn't wait to light it up.

To start things off, the cigar had a mild-medium body, unlike the description. The predominant taste in the first third was a sort of leathery-oak combination, with a little spice mixed in to keep things interesting. As I progressed through the first third, the spice got progressively stronger... but practically dropped off about halfway through the first third, which caught me off-guard. It was still there, but not nearly as much.

Moving into the second third, the oak-tones change flavor slightly, more mesquite than oak. This doesn't last too long, however, and the oak flavors return. The predominant flavor is still leather and oak throughout the second third, with a hint of spice. By the end of the second third, the spice has faded out, and by this point the cigar has progressed from mild-medium to medium.

As I reach the last third, I began to notice a different taste entering the flavor profile, barely noticeable. It took a couple puffs to place it - berries (remember my cold-draw?). As I continued through the smoke, this flavor became more predominant until it overshadowed the aforementioned oak-and-leather combination, becoming the predominant flavor. The spice makes a little bit of a comeback, but is phased out by the end. The flavors were dynamic enough to keep a more experienced smoker entertained, but simple enough for anyone to enjoy - a great combination.

The draw was an excellent combination of resistance and flow, and the smoke was a great amount - not the most I've had, but a respectable amount. Towards the end of the last third, it turns into huge globs of smoke. I had a couple burn issues, but I credit that to dropping the cigar at one point, so I won't fault Gurkha for that. The ash hung on for a respectable inch-inch and a half (although, like I said, I dropped it at one point), which is good enough in my book.

Overall this was a great cigar. It is very enjoyable smoke for those that prefer the flavors I've mentioned (leathery-oak and berries towards the end, with some spice). After writing this, I looked up the info for the header and found out that CA had rated it a solid 90 - impressive. I'm not giving it a 90 just yet (for me, a cigar has to knock me off my feet to get a 90), but you should get over your aversion to Gurkha and check this smoke out if you see it lying around for a good price.

Overall: 4.3/5
Final Grade (factors in price): 4.2/5

Angolom