Gurkha Royal Challenge – Definitely Royal

For many years friends have suggested that I try Gurkha cigars.  And, I did, once.  It wasn’t a pleasant experience.  Yet, at an event some moths ago, I met Ollie Hyams, the director of PR for Gurkha.  He has been very responsive to questions and has provided a few cigars for me to review.  This has proven to be an excellent investment on his part since they are nothing like what I remembered, but rather are great cigars.

When I first examined the cigar, it is overwhelmed by the over sized band.  In fact it also has a second band which designates this cigar as Royal Challenge.  Despite the ostentatious ornamentation, there is a very nice cigar underneath.  It has a light wrapper and cuts and lights well.

This stick is well constructed.  It draws well and burns evenly.  It held a nice long light grey ash.  Sometimes a cigar will burn hot or unevenly but the Gurkha cigars ahve never doen that in my tastings.

This cigar tastes unlike most other Gurkha smokes.  It is much more mild and with less spice and pepper.  In this stick, I found an creamy mellowness with some woods and nutty notes.  As the cigar smoked, it did not become harsh but rather continued as a mellow flavor.

The cigars run around $5.00 to $7.00 depending on the shape.  AT that price they are a nice value.  If you like s fuller bodied cigar, other Gurkha’s will be more to your liking.  But, if you are looking to try something different and don’t want a lot of spice the Gurkha Royal Challenge is for you.