Gurkha 125th Anniversary Rothchild
This Gurkha, unlike a number of others I’ve had, begins with a sweet note that on the cold draw, first stirs up the memory of wet mud. No, that’s not a bad thing. It’s just a rather unique taste that can’t be described as anything else. And yes, whether you like it or not, we’ve all tasted wet mud at some point so there’s no use denying it.
There’s raw honey and white flowers with a distinct vanilla note. That develops as the cigar goes past the first inch to more earthy tones. Young white wood, freshly ploughed fields in the cool of a spring evening, and the slight bitterness of burnt chicory at the bottom of a mug. The sweetness stays down the length, with the chicory moving aside to a more rounded bitter chocolate, the 90 percent cocoa kind, and then finally settling down to a more mellow 70 percent dark chocolate with a hint of clove and cinnamon.
Despite the sweet note staying down the draw, this is a complex cigar, moving from earthy and woody notes to a deep chocolaty taste profile.
I paired this first with an Irish whiskey, and then a bourbon, both of which stood up well to the Gurkha. I’d also comfortably pair it with a Speyside single malt, and some of the Sauternes and Sherry Wood finishes from other regions.
Length: 6 inches
Ring gauge: 54
Origin: Dominican
Appearance
Wrapper: Colorado, lightly veined, slightly waxy to the touch
Rolling: Very good
Cut employed: bullet punch
Tasting/Flavour
Aroma
Unlit: plywood, damp earth tones
Cold draw: honey, floral, vanilla
Taste
First draw: vanilla, edible flowers
1/3: balsa wood, turned soil, chicory
2/3: bitter chocolate
3/3: dark chocolate, sweet spices
Overall
Burn: Consistent throughout
Ash: Light gray, even and firm, no flaking
Strength: Medium bodied
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