Cigars for the Recession: Gurkha Class Regent Nepalese Warrior

Toro, 6" x 52 ring gauge, approx. $3.50/stick
Gurkha is commonly known for making very expensive cigars whose value is questioned by many cigar smokers. The Class Regent series, though, breaks this tradition with style. The Regents are made in conjunction with the Torano company and can often be found for bargain prices on Cigar Bid. The filler is Dominican and Nicaraguan, the binder is Indonesian, and the Nepalese Warrior uses a Cameroon wrapper.

For a cheap smoke, this cigar exudes class right from the beginning--the visible elements of the construction are very nicely done, the wrapper has a velvety feel and the aromas are rich with chicken coop and cocoa. One word of caution: the Cameroon wrapper tends to be fairly fragile; I've had several split at the head while cutting and the one I smoked for this review was one of them. It ultimately did not affect the performance this time, but it has in the past.

The cigar started with a characteristic Cameroon sweetness and a chocolate undertone. The smoke was smooth but somewhat thin at first. The draw was good but not great. Both of these problems cleared up by the end of the first third and I was easily able to blow smoke rings with the increased volume.

Throughout the second third, the Nepalese Warrior stayed flavorful and produced plenty of smoke. The draw remained very good and the flavor had notes of black coffee and roasted nuts.

Overall, this Gurkha was a very pleasant, middle-of-the-road cigar. It does not fall into the category of "special occasion" smoke that many Gurkhas do, but neither is it a cigar that you would ignore while concentrating on something else. It is medium-bodied with a good flavor and decent amount of complexity for the bargain pricetag.

Grade - A