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Gurkha Beauty Review

As I sit down to write this review I am struggling to temper my use of the terms, “the best this,” and “the most that,” and other such excessive descriptors in labeling the character of this cigar! My final score is 94 and if I erred, I erred low.

If you read my review of the Diesel Unlimited d.5 you know that, while I use the CA, 100 point scale, I make far more use of it than the tasters at CA. My log shows scores ranging as low as 40 and as high as 95. I commonly rate excellent cigars in the 70s and it’s a special blend that makes the 80s. Any score with a 9 in the ten’s place is quite an accomplishment in my book.

The construction and labeling of the Beauty are exactly what you would expect of a premium cigar. It feels substantial in your hand but not quite too big. The cap is perfect and round enough that you can make a shallow cut followed by a deeper one as required to obtain your preference in draw. The 7 year Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is flawless and its 56 ring gauge body surrounds plenty of select, 5 year Nicaraguan and Dominican Republic filler tobacco; absolutely premium.

I lit up easily if not somewhat methodically (it’s a big cigar!) and settled in for a long, slow savor with my new companion. As we enjoyed the evening over two and one half hours, I got to watch her wrapper pull back perfectly to reveal the best looking, whitest ash I’ve ever seen. See? There I go with the excessive descriptors! (BTW, get your mind out of the gutter!)

At this point I have a hard time using simple terms like, “coffee,” “vanilla hazelnut,” and, “toasty nuttiness” to describe her savor. They don’t do my friend justice. I suppose I will just have to settle with another ultimatum: This is the purest, silky smooth cigar I have smoked and can ever hope to smoke again in the future. There! It’s nice to have hat off my chest.

Now, keep in mind that I am a married man and just nearly had an affair with an inanimate object. That explains why all these Proverbs are going through my head about seductresses and wayward women!

I can’t afford to pay retail for this cigar. …but I don’t know if that’s going to stop me.

JDE

P.S. CCOM, the feature for July’s CoTM is another Gurkha, right? Beware the Beast??

Comments

  • wwesternwwestern Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭
    Nobody can afford the retail of gurkhas lol thats why no one pays it. All just a marketing gimick if you ask me. Kinda like when you ask 5k for a car you will easily take 3k for.
  • VidarienVidarien Posts: 246
    Hmm, only thing id mention is that the color/consistency of the ash a cigar produces shouldnt be used as a serious metric of a review, I only say that because you can find cigars that put out ash that wouldnt win a beauty contest (pun? nah) yet are spectacular.

    That being said, I havent had a beauty in a while, I just may pull one out of my box and give it another shot.
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    I'm with you on the ash, Darien. I've seen too much made of them. We are talking about a fire afterall! Haha

    The one thing an ash CAN give you is an indication of the quality of long filler used. ...that is unless you're smoking it too hot and the ash falls off prematurely.

    JDE

  • Ken_LightKen_Light Posts: 3,537 ✭✭✭
    Hey, great reviews you've got going here so far, and welcome to the forum! One question: can you maybe elaborate on that two-cut method you talked about? I cut a second time sometimes if the draw isn't good enough after the first, but I haven't heard of a method that does it on purpose.
    ^Troll: DO NOT FEED.
  • brotheradambrotheradam Posts: 896
    This is one one of my favorite new cigars. Great review.
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    Thanks for the good word on my reviews. I hope everyone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoy writing them!

    The "two cut method" is really just the fact of a huge cigar. The cap is large enough and properly shaped so that you can make a shallow cut to create, say, a 40 ring gauge opening. Then, if the draw is too tight, you've still got plenty of cap left to make another cut and open it up to, say, a 50 ring gauge cut.

    I always start with shallow cut because, as they say in my profession, "You can't cut it smaller!"

    Only high quality caps can survive two cuts in near proximity. Make sure your cutter is sharp or you might damage the cigar!

    JDE
  • Ken_LightKen_Light Posts: 3,537 ✭✭✭
    Ah, got it...thanks!
    ^Troll: DO NOT FEED.
  • Russ55Russ55 Posts: 2,765 ✭✭
    I've got a couple of these resting. Haven't tried the blend yet, and I'm still trying to decide if I want to try them, or just give them away, but after reading this maybe I'll give them a whirl. They sound really good. Anyone know who the actual blenders are on this one? I'm guessing the Torano's? I don't know.
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    Russ55:
    I've got a couple of these resting. Haven't tried the blend yet, and I'm still trying to decide if I want to try them, or just give them away, but after reading this maybe I'll give them a whirl. They sound really good. Anyone know who the actual blenders are on this one? I'm guessing the Torano's? I don't know.
    I suggest that you give them away! My address is...

    (hahaha) Definitely try at least one of them.

    JDE
  • JCizzleJCizzle Posts: 1,913 ✭✭✭
    Good review, I'll have to revisit this one...
    Light 'em up.
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    JCizzle:
    Good review, I'll have to revisit this one...
    Or maybe I will revisit it for you!

    You couldn't have picked a better bomb, man. I loved this cigar so thanks a million!

    JDE

  • The SniperThe Sniper Posts: 3,910
    Uh, JDE - do you know about the Gurkha Guerrilla Warfare section in CComs list of cigars? You can pick up 10 of your new faves for under $40. F a bunch of retail my friend! :-)

  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    The Sniper:
    Uh, JDE - do you know about the Gurkha Guerrilla Warfare section in CComs list of cigars? You can pick up 10 of your new faves for under $40. F a bunch of retail my friend! :-)

    Shhhhhh!!! The demon on my shoulder will hear!

    Yes, I know about it and have had my finger hovering over the "Add to Cart" button more than once!

    JDE

  • The SniperThe Sniper Posts: 3,910
    JonathanE:
    The Sniper:
    Uh, JDE - do you know about the Gurkha Guerrilla Warfare section in CComs list of cigars? You can pick up 10 of your new faves for under $40. F a bunch of retail my friend! :-)

    Shhhhhh!!! The demon on my shoulder will hear!

    Yes, I know about it and have had my finger hovering over the "Add to Cart" button more than once!

    JDE

    Just pull the trigger brother! You know you wont be able to concentrate on anything else until you do.... LOL

  • JCizzleJCizzle Posts: 1,913 ✭✭✭
    He has no room in his humidor. mwahahaha
    Light 'em up.
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    JCizzle:
    He has no room in his humidor. mwahahaha
    ...and it's only getting worse! I was at -3 spaces the other day and then I saw This!

    JDE

  • dbeckomdbeckom Posts: 2,193 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The Sniper:
    JonathanE:
    The Sniper:
    Uh, JDE - do you know about the Gurkha Guerrilla Warfare section in CComs list of cigars? You can pick up 10 of your new faves for under $40. F a bunch of retail my friend! :-)

    Shhhhhh!!! The demon on my shoulder will hear!

    Yes, I know about it and have had my finger hovering over the "Add to Cart" button more than once!

    JDE

    Just pull the trigger brother! You know you wont be able to concentrate on anything else until you do.... LOL

    Whoever came up with the Gurkha Guerrilla Warfare has been my friend for some rime now....BUT, my wife would do mean and nasty things to whoever it is!

    "Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset

     "A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown

    “A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.”  Indian Proverb
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401
    The Sniper:
    JonathanE:
    The Sniper:
    Uh, JDE - do you know about the Gurkha Guerrilla Warfare section in CComs list of cigars? You can pick up 10 of your new faves for under $40. F a bunch of retail my friend! :-)

    Shhhhhh!!! The demon on my shoulder will hear!

    Yes, I know about it and have had my finger hovering over the "Add to Cart" button more than once!

    JDE

    Just pull the trigger brother! You know you wont be able to concentrate on anything else until you do.... LOL

    Well, I pulled it. I figured once I had someone other than myself - YOU for example ;-) - to blame that it was all good, right?? I didn't order the sampler but I've got several Gurkha's en route!

    JDE

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