Gurkha Micro-Batch Liga VH-7

Gurkha, often referred to as the "Rolls Royce of Cigars,” is one of the Beach Cigar Group / K. Hansotia & Company’s more affordable cigar lines. We wish we could offer members something from their HMR (His Majesty's Reserve) line. At $15,000 a box—the world's most expensive production cigar—you'll understand why we don't. HMRs are that expensive because they're enhanced with Louis XIII cognac which sells for about $1,500 a bottle. Obviously, our Gurkha offering isn't in the same league price-wise but all Gurkas benefit from the same standards for quality and flavor. Their Micro-Batch Liga VH-7 is no exception. This beautiful, medium-bodied cigar is full flavored without being offensive or overpowering. It’s comprised of four unique blends, each consisting of tiny lots of rare, vintage tobaccos with extremely limited availability. Such lots are too small to use on any big production cigar but too darned good not to use for something. Micro batch stogies to the rescue! To enhance the flavor profile, each liga, or blend, is rolled in just one size and shape carefully designed to optimize its potential. With its distinctive box-pressed lines and its silky dark chocolate Jamastran Habano wrapper, panelists concur it’s hands down this month’s best looking cigar. There’s also consensus that the burn is close to perfect, although the draw is a bit loose. Expect a medium to full-bodied smoke.The first half offers a good bit of earthy complexity, showing creamy smooth leather, bread, deep earth and a touch of pepper on the short clean finish. The second half switches to a slightly sweet cocoa, with the creamy leather coming back at points. This stick burns slowly and makes for a pleasant evening smoke with spicy food and a robust red cabernet or shiraz.

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.