Origin : Dominican Republic
Wrapper : Connecticut Shade
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Source : self bought with my wife’s money
Pre-Light
Welcome to this review of the Gurkha Grand Reserve in the robusto size. This cigar is available in three sizes, robusto (6×50), torpedo (6.5×53), and a churchill (7.5×52). This is the single infused version as opposed to the Platinum being triple infused and then they have others that I think one is 5 times infused and then the big dog, His Majesty’s Reserve being just drowned in the cognac.
Starting out I get a huge whiff of Louis XIII cognac from the wrapper, foot and even the empty tube. If you like a sweet smelling and tasting alcohol, this is just bliss.
This cigar is nicely packed and has the regular Gurkha band on it that looks nice on this shade of a cigar.
Lighting up I get mostly the cognac taste with a bit of a natural tobacco in the background.
First Third
Onward into the first third of my Gurkha Grand Reserve and the majority of the taste is the cognac. I got a bit of woodiness and some natural tobacco in the background but the major flavor was the sweet cognac taste.
If you do not like the taste of a cognac, I will venture to say, you will of course not like this cigar.
That is really all that is going on. Burn is doing wonderful and has needed no touch ups or relights.
Second Third
Hitting stride in the second third and we still have the predominate taste of cognac but now there is more of a dry woody taste creeping in that seems determined to undermine the cognac’s authority. We shall see how this little game plays out.
Burn is still doing great on this mild stick.
Final Third
Down the home stretch of my Gurkha Grand Reserve and it is starting to get more of a dry woodsy note with a cauliflower taste here and there. Most of the wonderful cognac taste is gone and it just is becoming a bit harsh.
Wrap-Up
Let me finalize this for you. I really like the Gurkha Grand Reserve in the churchill size but the robusto and torpedo are not my favorites. It is a very mild stick that has almost nothing but a sweet cognac taste to it, but that is the reason for buying them when they are infused.
I have to say the price is high. If you buy them by the mazzo of 30 you can get them for $6-$7 a piece and that makes this cigar a really nice buy but buying the singles or $12 or $13 is just too much in my book.
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I used to smoke these every now and then when I was starting out. I re-visited it again awhile back. The cognac flavor was interesting, but I didn’t like when it went away. It was like I was left with your run of the mill mild cigar.
Anyhoo, thanks for the review, good times!
I tried the Maker’s Mark infused cigar before, so I am confident I have a feeling what this cigar was like. I’ll pass! Just not my cup o’ tea.
One of the first cigars I ever smoked, I remember enjoying them quite a bit.