An Afternoon with Litto Gomez (Part One of Two) posted on May 18th, 2012
Gurkha Evil (First Impressions)
On Monday I was smoking an Illusione 888 and conversing on Twitter when a link came through from @LadyOfTheStick. The link was pointing to her weekly uStream cigar show entitled “Simply Smoke and Ashes“. Christine’s show generally goes live after I have walked away from the computer for the evening but with time to kill, I started watching some of her recorded shows.
I got into a grove with the shows and decided to hang out a bit longer and watch the live show later that evening. The featured cigar was the Gurkha Evil. The cigar sounded interesting and reminded me that I had one buried in my humidor. The cigar was a sample passed along to me from Kurt at Kensington Tobacconist.
After removing my Gurkha Evil from the cellophane, the first thing I noticed was the matte band. The great thing about this band was that photographing it was easy (no glossy glare) but at the same time it resembled a recycled paper grocery bag. The coloring of the stick was consistent from head to foot and medium sized veins were present.
When handled, the cigar had a bit of a lumpy texture. The weight felt good in the hand and seemed as though it was packed with plenty of tobacco. Both the wrapper and foot produced an earthy aroma. When clipped, this earthy quality came through on the cold draw. The draw was too stiff for my liking and required a second clipping of the torpedo shaped head.
Once lit, my Gurkha Evil produced a solid supply of smoke which was dense and easy to pass through the sinus. The finish was a bit on the dry side and was a minor irritant to the back of my throat. The minor irritation remained throughout the first and second thirds, finally clearing up in the final third. When the irritant cleared up, the smoke became creamy and enjoyable. The body was medium and remained that way until it was time to set the cigar down to rest.
The flavor profile was straightforward throughout most of the cigar. The flavor that jumped out at me reminded me of Earl Gray Tea. This was the dominant flavor until late in the cigar when it switched over to an earthy flavor. As the cigar progressed I felt as though the flavors were a bit muddy and lacked a crispness that I enjoy. Beyond the band I began to notice a dirty flavor that was rather off putting.
Overall I think that the Gurkha Evil was a decent smoke but not something that I would search out and purchase. Because I went into this review blind, not knowing anything about the make up or pricing, I am unsure if this stick it readily available at this point (Gurkha does a lot of small batch stuff). If you happen to come across one in your travels, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.
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Great informative review as usual, Walt, including the ‘off-topic’ stuff. I believe the flavor in Earl Grey tea is bergamot oil, a kind of citrus fruit. I’ve only had one Gurkha, the Triple Ligero, so I’m not familiar with the flavor profiles, but it seems I’ve read about this flavor in some of their other sticks. What’s with Gurkha and their huge freakin’ bands? Trying to remove that thing like you had to would just piss me off.
jjo,
I hate destroying bands. I try to get them off without too much damage and save them. Once my container fills up I either do something creative with them or hand them off to someone that will.
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the video, even if it was pushing 30 minutes.
-Walt
Walt,
Thanks a good honest review that provided information about your personal buying preferences and why. These are the things we like about you guys nothing sugar coated and as always you leave it up to us to try. And we should always give something new a go. Thanks for the many reviews you provide Walt. It’s really appreciated all the way down in Oz.
Brett
Walt ….this is a great topic….one i would like to hear all the reviewers talk about….you talked about the oliva you buy for 6 bucks as opposed to 5 bucks…I just cant justify paying an additional 20 percent for cigars. And trust me I would love to buy local and enjoy the B&M. Although it seems like yours is alot nicer and closer nit. No offense to Mike but to smoke higher quality cigars on a budget right now online is the only way to do it. I just dont enjoy smoking average to below avg cigars.
Great review…real topics on reviews cigar related are what I watch these for
Great review. I agree with your reason to avoid Gurkhas. I do the same thing.
I gave Gurkha enough chances.I find them to be sour and unbalanced.My local will not sell them.He calls them “Internet Cigars”.
I bought a few of the New York exclusive Gurkhas. I just like exclusive things. The first half was good. The 2nd half was horrid.
hey walt- your reviews are the best! I like the g5 avenger by ghurka best… do you have a good recommendation for a very strong, complex cigar? i enjoy the full- bodied ones best, like lfd double ligero chisel and the opus x lost city
I on occasion smoke the Gurkha Evil. I smoke them at my B&M. I enjoy them. It is a change of pace from my usual smokes. (Perdomo). I also would not seek them out online or buy a box, but it’s a good smoke.
I’ve never smoked a Ghurka, and I refuse to bye them. It’s interesting you bring that up. Partly is due to the fact that you brought up, and part is how they present themselves. For whatever reason the brand is very off-putting to me. They market themselves as the Rolls Royce of cigars, the fact that they make the most expensive cigar in the world and in almost a stuffy, snooty attitude. That and the fact that I feel as if I’m paying for packaging and not quality tobacco. The brand as a whole just rubs me the wrong way, and it’s the only brand I feel that way about.
Walt, you have hit a nerve and opened a can of worms, when you asked, “Why do some Gurkha’s cost $3 to $4 at the internet stores vs. $11 and up at the B&Ms?” Well, the truth is they are not the same product, but disguised exclusive knock-offs and fakes (if you look closely they have a different ring size or length vs. the genuine limited production product offered at the B&Ms). How is that? The large internet shops who do huge volume, contract out Gurkha to produce an exclusive similar watered down cigar, glue the Gurkha band, and pass it on to the ignorant public an inferior product. The internet shops do a marketing and advertising blitz hawking it as the genuine Gurkha limited to 1000 boxes annually worldwide, even putting the MSRP of the genuine vitola and telling the public what a great deal they are getting. You get what you pay for, good and hard. LOL
That is another reason to patronize your local B&M, they won’t cheat you or sell you dry or wet cigars, they will fill you on the best cigar news, and you can relax and smoke at their lounge. It is kind of sad watching the B&Ms going out of business while the big internet sites cheating the public, selling inferior cigars, pushing their private label blends, and prospering. Even sadder is watching the top manufacturers, churning out bad cigars, dyed cigars, and riding on their past great ratings, which now don’t really mean much.
Walt, you should expose all these unscrupulous internet retailers, greedy manufacturers churning out poor product and claiming their past ratings to push their dyed fakes, claiming ten year aging while the truth is only two years. The cigar industry will continue to evolve, so it will be more and more difficult getting the “real product”, that tastes good and ready to smoke. That is why I don’t mind paying the extra overhead fee to the B&Ms for their honesty, cigar humidification, and leather couch. Let’s be realistic, the owner needs to make a living too.
BTW Walt, was that a real Gurkha Evil cigar you reviewed, or an internet knock-off, LOL.