Gurkha Empire VI

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Gurkha Empire VI

Gurkha Empire VI - main.jpg

Origin : Unknown
Wrapper : Brazilian
Binder : Unknown
Filler : Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan Ligero
Source : Purchased from Cigars International with my own funds

Today I have for you the Gurkha Empire VI. This is a cigar that there is not much information floating around on except what is on the Cigar’s International website. To sum it up, there are six blends available that vary in construction, strength and flavor. Over the previous six reviews, you got to see if I got those same results.

This cigar comes in one size, a 5.5 x 52.

Pre-Light

Looking over this Gurkha Empire VI, I only notice minor veins along with a nice dark oily looking wrapper. I can feel one small squishy part, but I am not concerned about it.

I am getting a very distinct barnyard smell from the wrapper but it is diluted quite a bit at the foot of the cigar.

I threw a bit of fire towards the foot of the cigar and started the journey on the last of the Gurkha Empire Series cigars.

First Third

Starting on my Gurkha Empire VI, I do not notice a whole lot of flavor right off the bat, or I should say, I do not notice a lot of flavors standing out. I can taste the chocolate and nuttiness, but can’t tell if it is earthy or woodsy undertones in with it.

Finishing the first third I have been getting chocolate, coffee, nuttiness, and I am leaning towards earthy tastes. I would say this is the most flavorful of all of the empire series so far.

Ash on the one I am smoking is not holding too well, but as I admit in the video, I kind of dropped it a bit when I went to put it in the ashtray and caught the burning end with my fingers. All of the other ones I have smoked have had the best ash of all the series, with it holding on an inch and a half to two inches.

I also point out in the video a small crack in the wrapper. I have gotten this crack on all the ones I have smoked, sometimes it was two cracks. None of them have caused any smoking problems, but for the sake of full disclosure, I figured I would let you know.

Second Third

Starting the second third of the Gurkha Empire VI, I am so far very impressed. I am getting lots of flavor without the power, which in my eyes, makes a very nice smoking experience.

I have been getting mostly the chocolate and coffee tastes in this third along with a bit of bitterness. I do not think the bitterness is very harsh, but you can tell it is there especially at the back of your tongue.

I would say the body is in the high medium range and I am still enjoying this cigar. I would not have this cigar as a morning smoke, but some of you may enjoy this with a cup of coffee with the profile so far.

Final Third

Entering the final third of my Gurkha Empire VI, I am still getting the chocolate and coffee notes but a bitterness has crept in that shows itself on the aftertaste. It is nothing very harsh at this point, but it is there.

In the final third I have been getting mostly coffee tastes after the initial half inch or so. I have also noticed a bit of the ammonia taste creeping into the cigar but it is really subtle at this point. I am hoping it goes away as I near nubbing this.

Harshness has come back with a vengeance toward the end and i also got more of the ammonia taste.

I enjoyed the cigar until the very end, so if you don’t smoke them as far as I do, you may very well have a nice lower cost smoke available in the Gurkha Empire VI.

Wrap-Up

What can I say about this Gurkha Empire VI. I really did enjoy this higher medium bodied cigar right down to about an inch or inch and a half left in it. I would have to recommend letting these rest in your humidor for a couple of months before trying them and you may have a better experience right down to the nub.

AUDIO –> Right-Click: Save As

Purchase this album – Queensryche – Empire

Quick links to the others – Gurkha Empire I – Gurkha Empire II – Gurkha Empire III – Gurkha Empire IVGurkha Empire V

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I am just me.

9 thoughts on “Gurkha Empire VI

  1. Hi Mike,

    Thanks for the dedication and doing the whole ine for us. A buddy of mine smoked a VI the other day and it had a wonderful aroma to it. He seemed to truly enjoy it. I may have to try one of these.

    Marc E.

  2. Hey Mike,

    Me again, you asked for suggestions about series reviews. While I would welcome a CI label series review what I would really love to see if a top down review of one blend. In other words reviews of all the shapes for one blend. That way we can get your view on all the nuances that sizes and shape can bring to the same blend.

    Thanks again.
    Marc E.

    1. Good idea, I will have to keep that in mind. Cost could be pretty high for something like that, especially if they have 7 or 8 vitolas though πŸ˜‰

      Mike

  3. Mike,
    I’ve got an extra xikar cutter laying around. You want it? You can chuck the cheap ass cutter…
    Let me know if you want it.

  4. Awesome Mike! I would love to see reviews of other series too. I like the size idea, and another series that is inexpensive and an exclusive is the cigar.com series. I used to like the cuban label, but I haven’t tried the brazil or corojo label which is a pepin blend. That would be cool.

  5. Hey Mike thanks for going through the whole series for us! I’ve never really been a big fan of Gurkha (mostly because it seems they care more about the packaging than the cigar), but it’s nice to see them come out with something that’s more economical and apparently pretty good after watching/reading all of your reviews.

    Here’s my suggestion; you know how sites like JR & TNT will have “Alternatives” for a cigar? I’ve always thought that it’d be cool to see the real thing and the alternative compared side-by-side. I know, I know, it’s a little bit more work because you have to smoke more than one type of cigar for a review…..But at least you get to smoke more than one type of cigar for a review πŸ™‚ It has nothing to do with any kind of series, but I always thought it would be interesting and informative to see.

  6. Great idea to reveiw the whole line and it came at a great time as I think many of us BOL were looking at that sitck as a great way to have a quality cigar at a budget conscious price. I really enjoyed the series review.

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