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Gurkha Micro-Batch

Alex WilliamsAlex Williams Posts: 1,515
in Cigar 101
Has anyone tried these? I was thinking about buying some because of the reknown Gurkha name and the low price. I couldn't decide between that or the oliva serie o maduro (I know they are very different but I LOVE maduro cigars). Is it abnormal to gravitate towards darker cigars so early in my cigar smoking experience? Thanks for the input.

Comments

  • HugemooseHugemoose Posts: 458 ✭
    I have no experience with those, but I am really enjoying my Oliva G Maduro. I had both the G and the O in the natural wrapper and I preferred the G. The O, I felt lost a lot of its flavor in the last third.

    Go to your local shop and just pick up one G Maduro.....you'll like it.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    gurkha has become very hit or miss. if you go with the "classic" gurkha blends (regent, centurian, legend, beast, beauty, titan) you wont be led astray. once you get out there with the newer blends (blue steel, black dragon, micro batch, master select) its a real crap shoot.

    i feel they are going the way of rocky patel.
    ...as in, the money and brand recognition is more important than the blend and the tobacco itself.

    the gurkha brand took a lot of time building up their reputation of being a boutique brand. they did a few blends that were always around (yet still expensive) and then a few blends that were one time runs. then something happened (in the last 2 or so years). Instead of doing a few blends and doing them well, they are doing as many blends as they can to appeal to as many people as they can. More money. more brand recognition. this often translates to lower quality- not so much in the construction but in the flavor profile. For example, the master select is described on gurkhas website as:

    This aged old Havana 2000 Wrapper beautifully blends with the complex flavors of the Honduran Filler and the Dominican Binder. This is a rich and full body smoke for the true cigar aficionado.

    this description plus gurkhas reputation lead me to buy a 5 pack.
    i wasnt "disappointed" with the cigar. it just did not live up to the hype and/or reputation of gurkha. this has been my experience with many of the new gurkha blends.

    there is, and always will be, a place in my heart for the regent and the centurian. I will also be willing to try gurkha cigars but i am not as willing to rush out and buy them in bulk.

    Right now i would also suggest going with the Oliva serie O or G maduro. i see the beginnings of oliva heading down the same path as Gurkha. i hope it doesnt happen.


    is it abnormal to like darker cigars early in your cigar experience? not if you like a sweeter smoother tobacco over a spicier stronger smoke. I liked maduro from the get go. The subtle sweetness it a quality that i enjoy quite a bit.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    I just ordered a 5 pack of each of the micro batch. I don't have room for a box of either or all and didn't want to spend that much money so I got myself a few of each and if I don't like them I can always hand them out.

    I'm with Kuz on the Master Select. The first one I had (6X60) was really good. The second one was not as good. I have a few more and may have one and give the rest away.

    I tend to lean toward darker cigars too but I have learned it it depends on the cigar for me. For the most part I do not like connecticut wrappers but I do like the Grand Reserve, 5 Vegas Gold and I kinda like the Nub connie. I LOVE Fuente but HATE their few connecticut wrapped cigars. I will have to try more to see if there are others I like but so far not really. If you decide to go with the O, get the maduro. I had the O natural and really did not like it. I'm going to give it another shot but I'm pretty sure my feelings will be the same.
  • VidarienVidarien Posts: 246
    I agree with kuzi in the entirety of what he saiid. That being said, the legend and centurian hold specal places in my humidor.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    Maybe... I didn't enjoy the black dragon too much, but the green dragon and dragonfire were tasty. I had the s-2 micro batch, it wasn't bad. I have another which I have yet to try. I do think that the classics were probably better. I didn't enjoy the blue steel too much.
  • alienmisprintalienmisprint Posts: 3,964 ✭✭✭
    kuzi16:
    is it abnormal to like darker cigars early in your cigar experience? not if you like a sweeter smoother tobacco over a spicier stronger smoke. I liked maduro from the get go. The subtle sweetness it a quality that i enjoy quite a bit.
    I agree 100%. The first cigars I ordered online were a sampling of pretty much all maduros, about 16 or so if I remember right.

    phobicsquirrel:
    I had the s-2 micro batch, it wasn't bad.
    That is the one I wanted to try. I dunno now.

    I think I have to agree with Kuzi here. Even though I wasn't smoking cigars back before Gurkha had all these blends, I definately agree that they are very hit and miss. Rocky Patel and CAO as well for me. About the only lines I have liked every cigar I have tried so far is 5 Vegas (tried all except the 06 and 07 Limitadas) and Alec Bradleys (tried about half that line so far). Both of those have ups and downs, but they are all at least solid smokes.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    You gotta try the Limitada '06 Tony...it has a flavor that just makes you go "oooh".
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    I wish they were still around jozer. I'm still waiting to light one you sent me. the 09's seem like a good one too, though I need to try it.
  • alienmisprintalienmisprint Posts: 3,964 ✭✭✭
    I'm in the same boat as Pheebs, I have one Jet sent me sitting in the humi, I can't bring myself to lighting it, lol.
  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    If anybody knows where to get the 06 and maybe some more 07's let me know. I would love to try the 06.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    I just finished the c-10 and thought it was good. I wouldn't pay 200 for a box but I got a great price on it so I figured why not.
  • Alex_SvensonAlex_Svenson Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    Remember that for companies like Gurkha and Rocky Patel, they dont own their own factories but rather contract production. This makes it easy to have as many lines as they want. Research what factories are making the blends by these makers you like. For example, if you like titan, beast and legend, then you like the gurkhas made by torano. IF you like RP vintage then you like the RP stuff from General Cigar etc. This has been helpful for companies with a vast portfolio.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Interesting Alex. I knew they contracted out some of their production, but I didn't realize they did all of it. I'm not a huge fan of some RP cigars, but the ones made by AJ Fernandez are all ones I like. I'm starting to realize that I'm just a Fernandez fanboy at this point, I just seem to like everything he makes.
  • brsmith21brsmith21 Posts: 207
    Alex Svenson:
    Remember that for companies like Gurkha and Rocky Patel, they dont own their own factories but rather contract production. This makes it easy to have as many lines as they want. Research what factories are making the blends by these makers you like. For example, if you like titan, beast and legend, then you like the gurkhas made by torano. IF you like RP vintage then you like the RP stuff from General Cigar etc. This has been helpful for companies with a vast portfolio.

    Is there a fairly comprehensive resource anywhere that lists these things? I, too, was not aware of this and I think it would be great to find similar smokes to ones I know like but may not even be aware of.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    Alex Svenson:
    Remember that for companies like Gurkha and Rocky Patel, they dont own their own factories but rather contract production. This makes it easy to have as many lines as they want. Research what factories are making the blends by these makers you like. For example, if you like titan, beast and legend, then you like the gurkhas made by torano. IF you like RP vintage then you like the RP stuff from General Cigar etc. This has been helpful for companies with a vast portfolio.
    its never so much been about the construction quality to me. Its always been about the interest of the smoke. someone has to sign off on that blend. Im guessing it is either one person or a small group of people that have a similar taste in cigars. this would explain why so many cigar companies have a similar feel to them.

    i just find that gurkhas newer blends dont stand up to their classic blends.

    IMHO of course
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • Alex_SvensonAlex_Svenson Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    There is no one source for who makes what or central reference. Many people who have a brand and contract with factories will try to have you convinced they have a factory or that the factory that is making their cigars is "theirs" but in reality, they contract a certain amount of production to say that. There are many factories we have significant production with and if I asked the owner, I am sure I could hang a Cigar.com banner outside and call it mine, but that is not my speed. Below is a list of the largest makers and factories for Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican. My apologies upfront since I am sure I am leaving some people out.

    Honduras- Camacho, General (HATSA), Plasencia (has several factories), STC (Gran Habano), Puros Indios, Latin Cigar (CAO and Torano), Oliva, Altadis, Raices Cubanas (Tropical)

    Nicaragua - Altadis (NATSA), Pepin, Oliva, Perdomo, Latin Cigar (CAO and Torano), Plasencia, Fernandez, Nicarao Cigar (private label factory), Drew Estate, Tambor, Padron. Dominican- General, Altadis, La Aurora, MATASA, Funete, Davidoff, La Flor Dominicana, Victor Sinclair. (there are tons of smaller factories in the DR as well as some large ones not on this list. These are just the ones customers would be most familiar with).

    I would say that 90% of premium cigars regardless of brand are made at these factories.
  • bocardsbocards Posts: 32
    Wow...all the while, Im thinking that these makers have their own factory and guard the production like Ft. Worth depository. 90 % of premiun cigars made at these few factories is shocking to me. Bo
  • Alex_SvensonAlex_Svenson Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    In fact, you could probably narrow about 75% of all imports to six. It is amazing. That is not to say the people that contract with factories make any less worthy cigars. In fact, contracting gives you a lot of advantages. if you dont own the factory, you are not stuck there. For example, if brand A is made at factory B, and factory B gets stuck with **** tobacco one year, Brand A can move at a moments notice to a different factory. Had he owned the factory and the materials, he would have had to make due with what he had.
  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    Great information Alex. I know that C.COM includes the factory in which a particular blend is made, at least in most cases. Would it be possible to include that information for every cigar C.COM offers? That way a person really could build a "company profile" for some favorite smokes, and use that information to help select some possible new sticks to try in the future.
    If you know that "such & such" company makes "such & such" cigars at a particular factory and you like some of the blends coming out of those factories then you could use that information to help choose future sticks that you are more likely to enjoy. JMO
  • brsmith21brsmith21 Posts: 207
    laker1963:
    Great information Alex. I know that C.COM includes the factory in which a particular blend is made, at least in most cases. Would it be possible to include that information for every cigar C.COM offers? That way a person really could build a "company profile" for some favorite smokes, and use that information to help select some possible new sticks to try in the future.
    If you know that "such & such" company makes "such & such" cigars at a particular factory and you like some of the blends coming out of those factories then you could use that information to help choose future sticks that you are more likely to enjoy. JMO
    That, or even just a sticky post listing that info would be cool too.
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