Gurkha Avenger G5
Friday, August 10th, 2012Since Ed had a Gurkha smoker event recently, like a good customer, I picked a few up. In my sampler pack was the Avenger G5. In Gurkha fashion, the wacky box mimics the front end of a car. The thought that came to my mind was, “That’s different.” The only thing I care about is, how does the cigar deliver? Let’s find out…
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder & Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Toro 6 x 50
Price: $10.50
Pre-smoke & Construction:
The dark wrapper had small veins, and no construction flaws to speak of. The most picky smoker may have noticed a wrinkle or two from being box pressed. I picked up a pungent barnyard odor from the wrapper, while the foot reminded me of a mild pipe tobacco and earthiness. There was only a slight resistance on the draw, just the way I like it. The pre-light flavor was sweet earthiness, and maybe a touch of cedar.
The burn required three corrections, and the ash held for an inch or so.
Flavor:
An even mixture of earthiness and Coffee dominated the first third. Retrohaling revealed a fairly easy black pepper. Unlike traditional black pepper, this had just a touch of that familiar Nicaraguan zing.
In the second third, that maduro sweetness I was expecting finally showed up. I can only compare it to a dry, somewhat bitter cocoa. The earthy flavor I mentioned before now seemed leathery, and the pepper became sweet and tingly. Coffee got pushed into the background. The smoke feel became thick and creamy, and lingered on the palate for a minute or so.
The last third kept the same core flavors, and nothing stood out over the other. The only change I could pick up was the smoke feel. There was a cooling effect on the tongue and lips. It reminded me of menthol, but only in terms of feel, not flavor.
Conclusion:
This was a good medium to full bodied cigar. Gimmicky presentation aside, it delivered solid flavors and complexities. Honestly, I can’t think of anything bad to say about the cigar itself. As for the fancy box, I can’t help but wonder how it effects the price. The bottom line is, this was a good smoke!
