East India Ltd.

K. Hansotia of Gurkha has an inspiring resume which includes such top-rated blends as Gurkha, K. Hansotia and Sherpa. We find ourselves featuring one of his blissfully enjoyable cigars just about every month, and one thing we’ve noticed (perhaps you have as well) is the extra attention to detail that goes in to his cigar labels. Like the Gurkha Regent Toro we featured in September, this cigar has a label design that really catches the eye, giving you something to admire while you smoke it. Not just a title or a simple (yet appreciated) “Hecho a Mano”, the care that goes in to these labels is just another manifestation of K. Hansotia’s almost religious commitment to creating interesting and novel cigars. His latest, East India, is made by the elite Torano family in their Dominican factory. This cigar offers a gorgeous, reddish-brown Brazilian wrapper and lip smacking, medium-bodied, complex but mellow blend of premium Dominican and Honduran long-leaf tobaccos. We found it to be mild-to-medium-bodied but with a firm spiciness that is especially present at the start. Its restrained smoke volume and pleasant aroma make this a cigar you can enjoy without imposing upon those around you. Smoke it with a dry, crisp, hoppy IPA.