There’s two things we’ve learned about journalism over the last many years. But we’re not going to write about them here. Instead we’re going to write about delicious cigars and smoking other peoples mail (hey, David!).
Ever heard of Gurkhas? They’re the warriors from Nepal who have been putting down hurt for well over a century. They’re also the men for which Kaizad Hansotia fantastic cigar is named. Started in the 1990s, Mr. Hansotia’s Gurkha Cigar Group has made waves in the tobacco world, and the new Rogue cigars are no exception.
Part of their East India Trading Company series, the Rogue we smoked was the Armageddon — a 6×66-sized cigar. And the series is well-named — the Gurkha warriors first came to the attention of the British (under whose command they have attained international recognition) during an early 19th-century war between the East India Trading Company and the Nepalese. The winners were so impressed with the courage of their opponents, they worked recruiting the Gurkhas into the treaty that ended the war. (RELATED: Three terrifyingly badass WWII heroes you’ve never heard of)
With a beautiful, milk-chocolate colored Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, the Armageddon’s filler is three-year aged Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican tobacco.
We enjoyed this cigar with some friends, some blue cheese and a glass of Texas whiskey, which did us just fine. Great on the draw with a looser fill than we’re used to, at first light, the Gurkha is light-medium bodied with a little pepper on the early draw and some sweetness on the inhale. We argued over the citrus notes, but The Daily Caller is going to call light orange.
This is not a quick smoke: It’s a cigar for an evening by the fire or on the porch. Ours comfortably lasted an hour and 45 minutes, and around mid cigar, we found a spicy kind of pepper that went well with the sweeter bourbon we’d switched to. The draw grew spicier, like a milder Tabasco, and the smoke grows heavier, losing the citrus and gaining a touch pine wood.
Even after an hour and 30 minutes, this cigar maintained with just a few helpful hints from our torch. By the end, it’s still smooth, but the pepper flavors invade the whole smoke with a slight burn.
They sell for $200 a box, and are well worth it.
Follow Bedford on Twitter and Facebook