Gurkha Sherpa

I bought a bundle of these on a whim since the price was right, and the blend sounded like something on the medium side that I would enjoy. From previous experiences I've enjoyed the lower priced offerings from Gurkha, but haven't been blown away by their higher ended lines. This fits in as one of their lower priced cigars, but has the recipe to stack up against some premium blends.

The cigar in this review is of Toro form (6x50)
 
Appearance/Construction : 3/5
Some small lumps and cracks, but nothing to fret about. No major flaws found with any that I've smoked from the bundle. The one cut for this review had some issues with the wrapper separating near the head, but this was due to a bad cut on my part (and needing to clean my cutter), the others that I've smoked have not had any issues. It is packed to about the average density, allowing for a good draw without burning too fast. The bright orange band stands out against the dark brown wrapper, giving it a striking visual appeal. Cold nose is leathery.


The Smoke :  3.5/5
Starts with a light leather flavor with a hint of sweet. Earthy tones start to come through about halfway through, with a hint of some spice. Towards the end some hints coffee started to come through. Aroma while lit is toasty overall. Generous amounts of smoke throughout, with an easy draw with no blockages. Burns fairly uniform. Overall a well balanced smoke, with some complexity to it. Did not end up burning too hot or too cold. Meets all expectations that I had for the cigar, with no real variation from the descriptions Ive read. While I tend to prefer full body cigars, this provides a nice lighter everyday medium bodied cigar.
 

Value : 4/5
These sell online for around $2.50 a stick ($50 per bundle of 20), while I paid just over $1.50 per stick. At the going rate these are a great deal, offering a great smoke for the price, and being affordable for an everyday cigar. At the price I paid, I would have given it a 4.5/5


Overall : 3.5/5
Combining a smooth, mildly complex smoke with medium body flavor gives the Sherpa a great overall balance. The price point is definitely this cigar's strong point, but don't let the low price for a Gurkha give you the idea that you're getting a low quality cigar. I will see if these improve at all after some aging, or if the majority of the profile changes. If you are looking for a medium body cigar or are a mild lover and want to try something more, give Sherpa a try!