Rocky Patel vs. Gurkha

madurofan

I've noticed an interesting trend here and among other smokers I know. Kuzi and I are good examples of this as well. The trend I'm noticing is that Rocky Patel typically aren't big on Gurkha's and Gurkha fans aren't typically big on RP's. Now this is not saying they hate one or the other just that a big fan of RP like myself doesn't GENERALLY love Gurkha's and vice versa. I've smoked a few I liked but have loved none yet. Of course thanks to the COTMC I have a few more to try. Kuzi seems to have the same experience with RP's. My thoughts here are that IMO Gurkha's tend to be less complex and earthier while RP's generally are more complex and spicy(and I say generally bc he has some that dont meet this at all like the Decade). Just my opinion. Has anyone else noticed this trend? Any opinions on why this may be the case?

Bsneed51

What about those of us that tend to not like either? :-)

madurofan

Well you just have no taste ... LOL had to throw that in there after Kuzi's mini-rant yesterday.

madurofan

Seriously though I'd like your break down of the reasons that you generally don't like either.

kuzi16

madurofan:

I've noticed an interesting trend here and among other smokers I know. Kuzi and I are good examples of this as well. The trend I'm noticing is that Rocky Patel typically aren't big on Gurkha's and Gurkha fans aren't typically big on RP's. Now this is not saying they hate one or the other just that a big fan of RP like myself doesn't GENERALLY love Gurkha's and vice versa. I've smoked a few I liked but have loved none yet. Of course thanks to the COTMC I have a few more to try. Kuzi seems to have the same experience with RP's. My thoughts here are that IMO Gurkha's tend to be less complex and earthier while RP's generally are more complex and spicy(and I say generally bc he has some that dont meet this at all like the Decade). Just my opinion. Has anyone else noticed this trend? Any opinions on why this may be the case?

i find almost the exact opposit. I find that gurkhas are very complex. Ill give you the spice thing but i dont smoke that many spicy cigars. I find that RP's cigars are a bit on the flat side and sometime TOO spicy. not that i cant handle the spice but too spicy as in the spice doesnt match the cigar. i like the way gurkha blends. all gurkhas tend to have a few simaler flavors in them. it ties the line together, same with RP. rocky seems to want less but more pronounced flavors (maybe two or three) where at gurkha they want on dominent flavor and then a bunch of very subtle flavors. also i feel that gurkha tends to go more to the sweeter side of tobacco than Rocky Patel does. nothing wrong with that but i tend to like a sweeter cigar. i find rockey patels price point to be about the same as gurkha for the "standard" cigars. the high end gurkha line is more expensive but im talking afordable smokes here. in the $8 area the regent is great. i just feel that the vintage '90 at $8 doesnt hold up. again, its not that its a bad smoke its that i feel they are over priced.

on that note, let me tell you that i am looking forward to a rocky paterl old world. there are two words that make me glad that i was gifted one: corojo, Honduran.


there may be hope yet for me and rocky.

kaspera79

Both have their distict flavor blend that will appeal to different smokers, but I find myself smoking more patels because of the SIZE. Gurkha's better cigars (to me) seem to be larger length and ring size. Beast and Titan to name the two that I like alot. I have enjoyed the select and legend labelb of Gurkha, but not nearly as often as Patels. Due tothe time involved I more often reach for a vintage, signature, sun grown or fusion robusto. I believe that both are great cigars with their own distinct qualities.

Markbb

I'm both the Patel and Gurkha fan, and to smoke one or the other depends on what I'm drinking, now I'm a straight up guy no mix or on the rocks.....I tend to like a good bourbon like either Turkey or Knob creek...so I'll go with a full bodied smoke with my bourbon just seems to add another dimesion in taste

Bsneed51

I hope I'm not a cigar snob, but I might be. I guess for me it comes down to a couple of things. Let me start by saying that I have tried several of the Rocky Patel blends, but only a small handful of Ghurkas. 1.) There are just to many. Maybe this is based on perception, but lets be honest that has a lot of influence on us. I just don't see how you can put out 500 different lines of cigars like these two do, and maintain a quality product. How could you possibly smoke them all and figure out what you like without spending a fortune. I enjoy trying different cigars all the time, but I can't even keep track of what I have and haven't smoked in their lines. Focus your efforts on producing a few great cigars instead of trying to produce as many cigars as possible. 2.) Consistency. Maybe this goes back to point no. 1, but I notice a lot of inconsistency in their cigars. I know you can get that from any box of cigars, but I've noticed it more with their cigars. Especially with Rocky Patels. 3.) Taste. I think a lot of Rocky's cigars lack complexity. They don't seem to change much from beginning to end. I think they are bland, and I think they tend to be harsh. I also thought the Ghurkas seemed strong, just to be strong. But taste is purely subjective. You may not have noticed what I did. 4.) Price. I think their prices are to high most of the time. I don't mind paying $8-12 for a cigar, if I know it's a good cigar. Now, with all of this being said, it's just one guys opinion. I'm sure I smoke stuff that many of you would hate. I think La Aroma de Cuba's are great, most people disagree. I belong to another forum and one of their main sayings over there applies here "smoke what you like, and you will like what you smoke." Remember, one man's yard-gar is another man's super premium.

madurofan

See Kuzi this is what I was hoping for, a good debate . I tend to think Gurkha's are grossly overpriced. The average RP at my local B&M is 6-7 while the average Gurkha is closer to 9. I also agree with the poster who said he smokes more RP's because of the size. It isn't common I have 2 + hours to smoke a cigar. I agree Gurkha has one dominant flavor with a lot of subtle ones along with it my problem is that dominant flavor in every Gurkha I've smoked has been earthy. I love that spice in RP's cigars to me it opens up the taste buds and I taste every little subtility of the cigar. Also complexity in a cigar, to me, is variations like I decribed in that illusione I reviewed where the cigar evolves and changes as you smoke it. The Gurkha's I've smoked so far have all been the same flavors just the strength and fullness of the cigar progress as you smoke more. I hope no one takes offense to this as I mean none to no one just exploring the differences in our tastes Feel free to pick apart my comparisons. On a similar note Kuzi I'm looking forward the the centurian perfecto chilling in my humi I am becoming a huge perfecto fan.

aaron

I'd have to say that I like both.  I may tend more towards RP because of the price, but I like the flavor of several cigars from each.  And then of course there are some of each that fall flat for me.  An example in particular would be the RP Signature Series.  I'm not sure what makes this a Signature cigar, because ironically I find that it is devoid of the complexity I enjoy in the Fusions, Edge, Vintage 99 and 92s. 

madurofan

GREAT POST Bsneed, I didn't take it as snobbish. I disagree with your take of RP's but love your breakdown. To answer your question as to how they produce so many lines: Neither of them produce their cigars, especially RP. They both are focused on coming up with new ideas and blends, once the create the cigar it is left up to the best cigar factories in the world to produce. I understand completely with what you are saying about too many lines but its the modern way. I also take it from your reviews you are more of a mild-medium guy which is certainly understandable.

kuzi16

this is like an "elvis vs the beatles" argument. everyone can fit into one of those groups more than the other. that doesnt mean one is better. its just taste.


...and that rocky patel makes flatter cigars.... lol ... all in good fun.

kaspera79

Maduro, we must have seperated at birth brother. There are four catagories I have found in the Gurkhas Low like the Castle Hall, cheap by Gurkha standards 4 bucks. A huge middle group up to 15 bucks, legends, symphony, very good by any standard, the ones that I like 20-25 bucks Beast, Titan, and others and that stupid ass Majesty Reserve at 750 dollars. Has anyone ever seen such a wide price range (quality range ? ) in any other cigar. And the first Gurkhas I smoked were to strong for me at the time. I sort of grew into the Gurkha line and can appreciate them much more now years later. A lot of cigars I smoked way too soon, stayed away from it because I did not like them at that time, then tried again and truely enjoy them now. Gurkha is the perfect example.... I am still looking for that perfect cigar that changes with nearly draw and makes you go to the tobacco shop and buy the entire box the single stick came out of, the search continues.

kaspera79

Kuzi remember we can't say BEETLES (sic) in front of Maduro. it creeps him out. Patels are not flat they are Box pressed. wait dont they make a waffer shaped too. that is pretty flat.

gott.des.feuer

Markbb:

I'm both the Patel and Gurkha fan, and to smoke one or the other depends on what I'm drinking, now I'm a straight up guy no mix or on the rocks.....I tend to like a good bourbon like either Turkey or Knob creek...so I'll go with a full bodied smoke with my bourbon just seems to add another dimesion in taste

I definitely agree... I've got a bottle of Jameson's 12 Year sitting around that I only pull out for pairing with a cigar if it's a super strong one. Most of the time the Gurkha will be the better choice for that in my experience.

That said I've only tried the Rocky 90 and 92, the ITC Nonpareil, too, if you count that as a RP. Gurkhas, while expensive if bought in singles or by the box, seem to be THE cigar to practically give away in samplers and whatnot, so because of that I've just ended up trying a wider variety of those than I have Rocky's blends.

Man... that makes me want to go try some more RP's... my local tobacconist has a bunch of the Olde World Reserves, which looked like an interesting blend. I'll have to stop by tommorrow after work and sit down to smoke one.

gott.des.feuer

Markbb:

I'm both the Patel and Gurkha fan, and to smoke one or the other depends on what I'm drinking, now I'm a straight up guy no mix or on the rocks.....I tend to like a good bourbon like either Turkey or Knob creek...so I'll go with a full bodied smoke with my bourbon just seems to add another dimesion in taste

I definitely agree... I've got a bottle of Jameson's 12 Year sitting around that I only pull out for pairing with a cigar if it's a super strong one. Most of the time the Gurkha will be the better choice for that in my experience.

That said I've only tried the Rocky 90 and 92. Gurkhas, while expensive if bought in singles or by the box, seem to be THE cigar to practically give away in samplers and whatnot, so because of that I've just ended up trying a wider variety of those than I have Rocky's blends.

Man... that makes me want to go try some more RP's... my local tobacconist has a bunch of the Olde World Reserves, which looked like an interesting blend. I'll have to stop by tommorrow after work and sit down to smoke one.

Bsneed51

madurofan:

I also take it from your reviews you are more of a mild-medium guy which is certainly understandable.

Actually I tend to lean more towards stronger cigars, but I don't like them just because they are more full strength. If a cigar is well made, with a good, complex flavor profile, I don't really care what strength it is. For example, I love most Pepin Garcia blends, and those have a tendency to be more full strength with lots of black pepper flavor to them. But they also have other great flavors that appear throughout the cigar. On the other hand, I don't like the Joya de Nicaragua Antano because it is nothing but spicy pepper the whole way. I really enjoy a Cusano 18 because it's flavors are great, even though it's a milder cigar. When I said too many lines, I mean they put their name on to much stuff. With that many lines there is no way those guys can monitor the quality of their cigars. I know they develop the blends, and then are pretty hands off, but if I am putting my name on something I want to make sure it's a good quality product, and that I know what is going on with it at all times. It gives off the appearance that all they care about is making money, and not quality.

j0z3r

For what its worth, I like both Gurkha and Rocky. For different reasons of course. For example, if I want a cigar to knock my socks off and leave me drooling, I'll reach for a RP Sun Grown, whereas if I want to relax and let the world slip by me, I'll reach for a Gurkha Warlord.

Joe

madurofan

Bsneed51:

madurofan:

I also take it from your reviews you are more of a mild-medium guy which is certainly understandable.

Actually I tend to lean more towards stronger cigars, but I don't like them just because they are more full strength. If a cigar is well made, with a good, complex flavor profile, I don't really care what strength it is. For example, I love most Pepin Garcia blends, and those have a tendency to be more full strength with lots of black pepper flavor to them. But they also have other great flavors that appear throughout the cigar. On the other hand, I don't like the Joya de Nicaragua Antano because it is nothing but spicy pepper the whole way. I really enjoy a Cusano 18 because it's flavors are great, even though it's a milder cigar. When I said too many lines, I mean they put their name on to much stuff. With that many lines there is no way those guys can monitor the quality of their cigars. I know they develop the blends, and then are pretty hands off, but if I am putting my name on something I want to make sure it's a good quality product, and that I know what is going on with it at all times. It gives off the appearance that all they care about is making money, and not quality.

Well yeah if you like Pepin's blends you definetly like full-bodied. Pepin is by far my favorite blender. Pepin is another that has many, many lines. Don Pepin Garcia, 601, and Tatuaje are all his. There are a few others I can't think of right this minute.

kuzi16

i wanna say he had a hand in some 5 vegas cigar too... i could be wrong though.

madurofan

Thats the one that was escaping my mind. That is one of his lines.

Bsneed51

As far as I know Pepin has a hand in: Don Pepin Garcias, Tatuaje, 601, Padilla(formerly, but they have since split), San Cristobal, Ashton Benchmade, 5 Vegas Miami, Habana Leon, Vegas Cubanas, Little Havanas, Old Henry, El Centurion, Cigar.com Corojo Label, CI Legends, and a few other limited releases. I consider Pepin different from the other two because while he helped in creating the blends for all of these cigars, he didn't slap his name on them. For most of these cigars he was more like a consultant. I also consider it different because he rolls most of his blends within his own factory, El Rey de los Habanos, and he keeps a small staff on hand to insure that quality is maintained. Also, if I'm remembering what I read correctly, all of his rollers have acheived a certain high level of rolling skills to work in his factory. FYI....after I typed this up I verified alot of this info to his wikipedia page. It's a good read if you have a few minutes (I don't know if linking to other sites is allowed here.)

madurofan

Good points Bsneed, especially that he does in fact have his own factory. I'm not positive but I believe DPG, Tatuaje, and San Cristobal are his the rest he acted as a consultant as you said.

phisherman

madurofan:

Good points Bsneed, especially that he does in fact have his own factory. I'm not positive but I believe DPG, Tatuaje, and San Cristobal are his the rest he acted as a consultant as you said.

Tatuaje is owned by Pete Johnson. I am not dure which; but San Cristobal is owned by Altidis or General. DPG he owns.

madurofan

hmmm thanks for the info phish.

kuzi16

madurofan:

hmmm thanks for the info phish.

heck thats why we keep you around.

madurofan

LOL

carmike22

Have only smoked 1 Gurkha so cant give that great of a response but I love Rocky Patel's. Espesially the Decade. But yes, more complex and spicy. But what about the construction on the Decade. Absobetly silky smooth and perfect draw. Awesome cigar.

sdip

Got to say I like them both. My other favorite brands are probably CAO and 5 Vegas. Smoked a Gurkha Nepalese Warrior tonight and it was excellent

urbino

I realize I'm commenting on an old, dead thread, here, but I just wanted to say this was a really interesting discussion. I've had neither brand -- in fact, I'd never even heard of them before this week, were they around 10 yrs. ago? -- but I have some samplers of both on their way.

kuzi16

im almost positive they were around ten years ago.