Gurkha Beast

[dijit]

This cigar has an appearance that would make many cigars proud dark oily looking wrapper, even appearance with no visible seams in the wrapper. Firm feel but not hard like some others I have had. This is where things started getting worse.

This is the third beast I have smoked hoping for the results to be different. When cutting it the wrapper above the band started to peel off. I have used 3 different cutters hoping again it was just me or God forbid my xikar cutter.

After repairing the wrapper to the point I would be able to smoke it and it started in what I have come to expect from Gurkha. Smooth even draw and rich thick smoke. The flavors were earthy and calm a hint of cedar, leather, and earth (like the smell just before it rains). These came together in a subtle and enjoyable manner not overpowering at all.

The middle third the oils from the tobacco itself started to become richer and gave the taste I associate with un-smoked cigars when I open my humi. The ash was long evenly white and seemed to be stable, at least till I decided I didn't want to chance wearing it in the car.

The finish showed very little change in the flavors and lent itself to finishing with my diet coke well. More disappointment in the wrapper at this stage as the wrapper simply started cracking everywhere making the draw uneven and eventually causing me to throw out most of the last third. The wrapper at this point resembled a light brown celophane rather than what I thought to be a light maduro wrapper.

All in all I give the flavor a rating of 88 but the overall due to the wrapper issues a 78 good flavor but largely disappointing when I have to throw out the last third which I typically find to be the strongest and best tasting part of the cigar.