Gurkha Hudson Bay Churchill

You might not be able to say it three times fast, but the name Kaizad Hansotia has rapidly swept through the cigar industry. Known as the master blender behind the Gurkha brand, he's admired for his mastery of fine tobacco blending and creativity in developing attractive packaging for his cigars. Released under Gurkha’s East Indian Trading Company’s line, the Gurkha Hudson Bay Churchill is handcrafted at one of Nicaragua’s top factories. This medium-bodied beauty features a rich and leathery San Andres wrapper, an Ometepe binder, and a luscious blend of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long-fillers, all aged to perfection. Cool and slow burning, expect hints of cedar, spice, and pepper. Our panel recommends pairing it with a stout.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.