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Stogie Reviews: Gurkha G3 Toro

17 Oct 2007

I know many of you are going to disagree with this statement, but I see Gurkha as sort of a hit or miss brand. Sometimes I’m blown away by incredible value, and other times I’m left utterly frustrated by poor construction. Consider, for example, the vast differences between our reviews of the Class Regent and Connecticut Reserve lines.

Gurkha G3 ToroSo I dove into a Gurkha G3 not knowing what to expect. I’ve smoked three recently, and now I can say this line has a lot to offer – especially for enthusiasts who place high value on multifaceted flavors.

Marketed as full-bodied, toasty, and sweet, the G3 received a respectable 88 in the December 2006 issue of Cigar Aficionado and has been called “the most complex cigar to bear the Gurkha name to date.” Only 500 boxes (10,000 stogies) were made in a one-time production.

Due to a shortage of Nicaraguan wrapper leaves, G3 only comes in one vitola: a six inch by 50 ring gauge Toro. It retails for $7 to $8.50 per stick and has a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Special care is taken by Gurkha to make a good first impression. The dark wrapper is half covered with a smooth cedar sleeve that sports a shiny black ribbon across the foot – similar in appearance to a CAO Black.

The “hip,” modern band is unlike traditional Gurkhas. This may seem silly but, looking at it, I can’t help but feel the manufacturer intends me to smoke this after an urban night on the town.

Soft to the touch, the initial taste is quite similar to what I expected based on pre-light aromas: licorice with heavy notes of chocolate. A toasty earth flavor is also present, but I can’t put my finger on exactly what that is. In any event, what strikes me most about the G3 is how full the flavors are despite its light and mild body.

Avoiding the pitfalls of other Gurkha lines, this cigar has a fairly even burn, a very strong white ash, and a draw that’s not too cumbersome.

The G3 is a fine smoke with a big, interesting taste. I think the price, however, is a bit higher than it should be, particularly when you consider the Rocky Patel Vintage ’90s and ’92s cost about the same.

Maybe that isn’t a fair comparison because this cigar can hold its own. If you find it for $7 or less, I can easily recommend buying it. The Gurkha G3 Toro earns three and ½ out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

Patrick A

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5 Responses to “Stogie Reviews: Gurkha G3 Toro”

  1. Cigar Jack Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 6:24 am #

    I have yet to try this Gurkha, but I agree on the hit or miss comment. I have a couple that I really enjoy and some of the others just taste like dirt to me.

  2. D Falk Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 9:45 am #

    This review got me thinking. How did the name of the company come about? It sounds so unusual for a cigar manufacturer.

    Gurkha's website has a nice little <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gurkhacigars.com/legend.htm&quot; rel="nofollow">write-up, and Wiki even has a cool <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorkha&quot; rel="nofollow">article on Gurkha warriors. I'm probably the only person who will find this interesting, but I thought I'd share.

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