Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Churchill
Size : 7 x 54
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Binder : Dominican Republic
Hand-Made
Price : ~$11.00 each
In 1989 Kaizad Hansotia purchased a small cigar company called Gurkha, named after Nepalese warriors whose bravery impressed the British soldiers, for a paltry sum of $143. He intended the cigars to be unique gifts given to customers of his family’s watch business. Twenty-three years later, this growing boutique brand produces over two dozen distinct blends and recently released a new line called the Cellar Reserve.
The name and packaging of the Cellar Reserve Churchill elicits vivid imagery of rolling green hillsides marked with crisp rows of grape vines bursting through the earth and perhaps even gracefully shimmering in a gentle summer breeze. Despite outward appearances the contents of this box did not originate from the gravelly soil of a renowned French chateau. In fact, it is an obscure pairing of tobacco from disparate farms isolated geographically by miles of ocean that gave birth to the Gurkha Cellar Reserve Prisoner Churchill. The oily Criollo wrapper is mottled with a few medium sized veins but rolled nicely with tight seams. A grandiose band holds an overwhelming amount of unnecessary text but is easy to remove.
The cigar begins softly with a mild vegetal note accompanied by an underlying sweetness. As the cigar warms the texture becomes creamy with smooth medium bodied flavors of earth, nuts, and wood overtaking the initial mild flavors. The nutty finish gives a lingering effect but is moderate in length. A slightly firm draw toward the beginning relaxes a few inches in.
The Cellar Reserve is a relaxing cigar that won’t smother the palate in dense flavors but still leaves the smoker satisfied. Lasting for slightly over an hour and a half, the cigar retains balance throughout almost the entire duration and does not become warm until the last inch. I would like to thank Gurkha for supplying the cigar for review.
Appearance/Structure – 12/15
Smoking Characteristics – 23/25
Flavor – 21/25
Overall Impression – 32/35
Total – 88
