Gurkha

[Hardheaded]

Yeah, the Gurkha thread. No, not the one where people knock em, the one where people post up the ones they have enjoyed smoking. I know it's a brand that gets a bad rap, but some are pretty good, especially at cbid prices.

I hope a few of our resident Gurkha experts will chime in here as well.

So far for me the Doble Maduro is a winner. I understand the Titan to be a good maduro as well, and will be in my next round of cbid bids. I'm also considering one of the samplers to branch out a bit more.

So what say you bums, anyone care to come forward and admit they found one they like?

[c.ortiz108]

I liked the Symphony, the Beast, and half the Regent. The Status and the Master Select were pretty poor.

[Old Smokey]

I have honestly never smoked one, so I got nothin.

[bluenoser]

I've only tried one, a gurkha viper and it was quite possibly the worst cigar I've ever had. That said I'm not completely ruling them out as I was recently gifted a gurkha prestige from a facebook botl that I've yet to and look forward to trying at some point.

[Laynard]

I thought Beauty was good for an ultra mild cigar. I somewhat enjoyed the Warlord too. And I believe they make Black Ops, which is OK for the price. Nothing I've had has blown me away, and there is some serious rough to sift through to find a diamond, but at about $2/stick, you get a decent yard gar when you find one that suits your palate.

[Hardheaded]

I thought Beauty was good for an ultra mild cigar. I somewhat enjoyed the Warlord too. And I believe they make Black Ops, which is OK for the price. Nothing I've had has blown me away, and there is some serious rough to sift through to find a diamond, but at about $2/stick, you get a decent yard gar when you find one that suits your palate.

I had forgotten they make the Black Ops. That is a fairly decent yard gar for sure.

[DogRockets]

Doble Maduro is their big winner for me - I picked up 10 on cbid for $25. I'd say Black Beauty is my 2nd favorite of theirs of the cbid/cigars international type cigars. The regular Beauty is a nice mild smoke as well.

If you get outside those and are talking about the B&M sticks - the Rogue is a nice smoke. I've also enjoyed the (I think it's called) Cellar Reserve - it has a pigtail cap on it.

Don't get me wrong, they have a lot of different cigars (not sure why they choose to have about 100) and some of them are just nasty, but there are some good ones in there too.

[BrianWilliams]

I smoke nothing but the finest Gurkhas when meeting with world leaders such as the Sultan of Brunei. He is a fan of the Gurkha Centurian. NBC News Flash: Originally it was made exclusively for him!

It appears there is a great sale at Cigars International on these cigars this week. 16 options at 90% off! Now even a commoner such as yourself can smoke like the great Brian Williams!

Gurkha BIG Bundle Bonanza II - Cigars International (http://www.cigarsinternational.com/flash/gurkha-big-bundle-bonanza-ii/)

[thechasm442]

Black ops maduro is decent with proper rest. Like 1+'years.

I had the same experience as bluenoser with the viper. Worst smoke ever.

[Usafvet509]

Now that I have finished the RyJ review set, I believe I will start a Gurkha set that I have assembled. This thread has me curious about them. My experience with them is limited. I know I have enjoyed 2, the Cellar Reserve and Master Select. Thanks to samiam2007, I have 5 from the dog rocket pass, including a Black Ops.

[Billb1960]

The Centurian was not a winner for me. I've smoked a couple of Black Ops and they're not bad. Other than that I've stayed away from the marca.

[Jaybird]

I enjoyed the WidowMaker, Beast and the Beauty. I don't think I would buy anymore but they were a solid smoke. The Beauty is the best representation of cinnamon flavor profile I have ever had in a cigar. It was crazy cinnamon flavor.

Cheers
Jay

[Cool Breeze]

I have had a couple of Beasts and thought they were very good.
I got one in a sampler and can't remember the name. It was in a cedar sleeve and it was terrible.

So I'm batting .500 with Gurkhas.

I do have a couple of Status maduros that I got on C-Bid on the way. We'll see how they are.

Adding: Oh I forgot, I did have a couple of Black Ops maduros. They weren't anything to write home about but were fine for yard gars or golf course smokes. Definitely not terrible.

[frodo]

The Doble Maduros I wouldn't look forward to trying again but I remember liking the Black Ops. Liked the Centurion too.

[Bruck]

Gurkha Park Avenue CT and Maduro are great cheapies. I believe I had one called the Ghost a while back and enjoyed it. Other than that, not a fan. Have had several in samplers and whatnot, which failed to turn my handle.

[T.E.Fox]

Only have a Titan sitting in the humi waiting its turn but have never had any smoking experience with them yet. I've heard people say there is a couple of lines which PDR make for them and they are quite smokable. I doubt I'll ever smoke much of them for the simple fact that they like to make the vast majority of their sticks in *big* vitolas, which doesnt suit me much. Only true test is to smoke up, brother!

[DrBob]

The status maduro, and European selection habano are good online ghurkas. I also enjoy the Ghosts only available in BM's. My main issue with ghurkas is construction. The wrappers practically fly off.

[Cardinal]

The Park Ave are fine.

[Cool Breeze]

I've seen the Ghost mentioned a few times here. I've heard it was good.
I know many here don't like him, but Bryan Glenn gave it praise in his review of it as well. I say that because I have seen him be pretty honest with Gurkhas before. I remember him looking at the camera in disgust with one and saying sarcastically, "Good job Gurkha." So he's not just a shill for them.

[projectsunfire]

I fell for the CI Gurhka Mega samplers when I first got into cigars. $30 Beautys and Titans for a few bucks...WOW! Then I experienced the horrible construction issues & poor burns with the majority of them. I know some of them are not bad but I had so many that were unsmokeable that I don't think I would ever take the chance again. I do recall liking the Warlord many years ago and I think I had a Beast that was ok. But it just turns me off so much that they try to make it seem these are ultra premium sticks

[droy1958]

Class Regent Robusto and Shaggy Lancero are the two that were smokeable with at least three months rest. Six is better...

[frodo]

Oooh I remember the Shaggy. Really decent smoke...

[BrianWilliams]

Black ops maduro is decent with proper rest. Like 1+'years.

I had the same experience as bluenoser with the viper. Worst smoke ever.

Heck I heard you need to age Cubans for 5 years before they're ready to go. If you only have to age a Gurkha for 1+ years for it to hit it's prime that's another point for Gurkha baby!

[rodwha]

DogRockets sent me a Black Ops. I suppose I'll find out soon. It sounds promising enough.

I don't care much for oddball brand names and have generally passed on those. Ghurka is one of those that sounds far away from a quality cigar. I prefer a name that reminds me to roll my R's.

*EDIT*

AlanS sent me the Black Ops, which I liked. I thought it seemed odd saying DogRockets had sent it and so I went and looked. Sure enough I misspoke. DogRockets did send me a Ghurka though, which is a moduro Titan.

And so it seems as though I like Ghurka so far.

[Hardheaded]

So it sounds like going down the Gurkha path will have quite a few ok options, and almost as many bad sticks.

Should be interesting. I might just stick to picking a few up here and there to fill out cbid orders then.

[Cool Breeze]

Should be interesting. I might just stick to picking a few up here and there to fill out cbid orders then.

That's basically what I do.
I was on C-Bid picking up a few 5ers the other day and saw the Status maduros. The time was almost up and I snagged a couple for $2 a stick. Hell for 2 bucks I'll give the a try.

[rodwha]

Smoking a Ghurka Titan that DogRockets sent me to try. Though a bit for my small frame (I feel like his avatar!) it's a nice smoke. I'm certainly enjoying it!

*EDIT*

I used my larger punch from Montecristo on this one being a large ring cigar, and I must say this thing is pretty smoky.

[Hardheaded]

That's basically what I do.
I was on C-Bid picking up a few 5ers the other day and saw the Status maduros. The time was almost up and I snagged a couple for $2 a stick. Hell for 2 bucks I'll give the a try.

For two bucks I'd try just about any cigar. I've blown more on worse decisions.

[cheaphumidors]

Cellar Reserve got me... I adore that stick... that and the Factum

[droy1958]

Smoking a Ghurka Titan that DogRockets sent me to try. Though a bit for my small frame (I feel like his avatar!) it's a nice smoke. I'm certainly enjoying it!

*EDIT*

I used my larger punch from Montecristo on this one being a large ring cigar, and I must say this thing is pretty smoky.

If you want to see a smokey Gurkha, light up one of those Shaggy Foot lanceros. It's the only cigar I've ever seen produce smoke like a Liga #9. Every time I've smoked one, the damn fire department shows up because somebody called them thinking the back deck was on fire....

[Ropey]

Beauty... Would not light!
Crest... Forgettable
Titan... Ton of smoke off foot, overall ok
Trident... Good honest $3 cigar

As I always say, Gurkhas are (usually) solid $3-$4 smokes. And if they billed themselves as such, I'd have no problem with them. It's all the excessive hype that renders the brand laughable.