Origin : Unknown
Wrapper : Costa Rican Maduro
Binder : Unknown
Filler : Long-leaf Dominican and Honduran
Source : Purchased from Cigars International with my own funds

Today I have for you the Gurkha Empire III. 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 next six reviews, we shall see if i get those same results.

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

Pre-Light

Starting off my Gurkha Empire III, it looks very nice. It has a nice oily sheen to it along with a barnyard smell on the wrapper and a bit of barnyard and chocolate on the foot.

Draw was a bit tight and I hope it will free up as I burn through it.

Cigar sparked up very nicely, even though I was running out of butane (duh on me). First flavor I got was dark bittersweet chocolate. Let’s see how this cigar progresses.

First Third

Starting off the Gurkha Empire III, I was greeted with some chocolate and some natural tobacco flavors. Smoke volume is very nice, but the draw is a bit tight for my liking.

dominant flavor for this third has been the bitter chocolate taste. I do not usually like that much of a bitterness, but the creamy texture of the smoke is keeping me going. I have also noticed a dryness to the smoke that seems to just suck the moisture out of my mouth. I am hoping that dryness goes away, but with smoking a few others before this review, I am not holding my breath.

Ash has held for about 1/2″ at the most. It actually fell off in my lap right after I turned the camera off for the first third segment.

Second Third

Starting off the second third of the Gurkha Empire III we are still getting that bitter chocolate taste with a creamy, but dry, texture to it.

I am getting a predominate dark chocolate taste throughout this second third with the creamy texture. I will say that the dryness has eased up a little bit and I don’t catch myself taking a drink nearly as often.

Towards the end of this third I noticed a leathery background taste coming into the picture but it is just in the background.

Draw is still tighter than I would like but I get a nice amount of smoke, just have to puff harder to get it.

Final Third

Starting the final third of this Gurkha Empire III, we have had a leathery background taste come into the picture that goes nicely with the dark chocolate taste that is the dominant flavor.

Into the final third and it seems the chocolate has totally gone away leaving behind a bit of a leathery taste along with a natural tobacco. I still get the bitter taste but without any chocolate being associated with it.

Getting a bit stronger as I near the finish also. I would say this is a high medium compared to the low to regular medium for the rest of the stick. i am also starting to get a bit of the charred taste. I will venture to say, what I call charred, most people refer to as toasty. I stole the charred thing from Brian at Nice Tight Ash I believe, but it fits very well with what I taste.

Wrap-Up

This Gurkha Empire III was a very nice smoke. I really enjoyed the chocolate flavor but wish it was not so dry in the beginning two thirds. I had a great burn line with no touch ups needed. Just like the other two, I did not have a very long ash till it just fell off in the ashtray or in my lap. I would say the body started medium and ended at the upper range of medium, for me.

I think this was a tasty smoke and if you enjoy a medium bodied maduro, you will probably enjoy this cigar.

Look for my reviews on the rest of the series in the coming weeks.

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Purchase this album – Queensryche – Empire

Quick links to the others – Gurkha Empire I – Gurkha Empire II