Cigar Review: Gurkha Ghost

Originally published at Tiki Bar Online

Shadow (Robusto), 5” x 52 ring gauge / $6.85, Silo Cigars

The Ghost was unveiled at the IPCPR show last August and first started shipping in late October. Halfwheel.com states that the cigar is made for Gurkha in the PDR Cigars factory in the Dominican Republic and, for me, that bodes well because I am a fan of much of what Abe Flores’ factory produces. Just from what I’ve observed in the past couple years, it seems like Gurkha is trying to change their reputation. They spent much of the past decade split between two paths. On the one hand, their B&M lines were ostentatiously packaged and usually very expensive, starting around the $10 mark (yes, I will acknowledge that there were always a couple lines less than that price tag) and going up to $100 a stick for cigars like the Triad Maduro. On the other hand, many of their brands could be found selling for $2 or $3 a stick via online catalogs…actually some of those catalog brands were found nowhere else and others shared names with B&M brands, but were a 1/10th of the price, making one wonder if they were really the same cigars at all. To my eyes things started changing a couple years back when the company unveiled the Ninja and Viper…two cigars selling for $5 to $7 a stick, with simple, classic packaging, and flavor that was better than virtually anything else in their line at any price point. They haven’t totally eschewed the extravagant packaging on all lines, but they have toned it down. This new Ghost has nice boxes and banding without making you feel like you are paying extra for it. This cigar has Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, a Dominican Criollo 98 binder and a Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro wrapper leaf. This review is based on my first sampling of this blend.

I referenced the band before, so I’ll start there now. A lot has been said and written about how over-the-top Gurkha’s bands sometimes are. This has elegance and opulence, but is very classy at the same time. They stayed with a silver foil on black motif here with plenty of embossing to give depth. But as you look closer, you can see that’s not all the story. The silver foil used here is the holographic type that has little rainbows in it from certain angles and in certain lighting. Very cool. The wrapper leaf is indeed dark and somewhat oily to the touch. The color was of a dark chocolate with a few lighter patches showing through and a couple medium-to-large veins in evidence. Giving the wrapper a good sniff, I got notes of freshly-tilled earth and leather, while the foot had a sweet hay note. Clipping the end revealed a very nice draw…open, but not loose. It had sweet hay notes as well as a little earthiness.

I applied flame to tobacco and the Ghost sprang to life, chugging out smoke like a car leaking oil. I immediately got cedar and wet earth flavors as well as a bit of creamy coffee and cocoa powder on the palate. On the nose, I found it spicy, but not painfully so, with more cedar notes. Five minutes in, the smoke production was more prodigious, if anything, and I was enjoying the flavor quite a bit. I do have to say that both reminded me of certain aspects of other PDR Cigars. Again…that’s not a bad thing in my mind.

In the second third, the Ghost got more mellow, with a decrease in the pepper spice. The chocolate flavors came through more prominently with a nice sweetness. Construction was great; I had a very even burn line, a great draw, and a decently solid ash. Late in the second third I got some interesting dried fruit notes coming through.

In the last third, the Ghost got even more chocolately and sweet. It reminded me in some ways of the PDR 1878 Capa Madura…again, I say…not a bad thing. I really enjoyed this cigar. I had heard lots of good about it, as well as some “meh” comments, before I smoked it, but I am pleased to say this is a Gurkha I would buy again. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s the best thing I’ve ever had with the Gurkha label on it, but it’s definitely in the top 5. I found it to be on the high side of medium in body and just about medium in strength. Construction was great and the price was very reasonable. What’s not to like?

Body: 7/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10