The Gurkha legend kicks off with British colonial soldiers in India who, inspired by the fearless Gurkha warriors of Nepal, started rolling cigars using local tobacco—some of it even grown in the Portuguese colony of Goa. These smokes became a favorite among expats, but as the empire faded, so did the cigars… slipping into myth. Fast-forward to today, and the Gurkha brand keeps that mystique alive in full force. The Gurkha Centurian in your shipment is no ordinary stick—it’s a limited-release gem handmade in the Dominican Republic, originally crafted for the Sultan of Brunei. Yeah, royalty-level stuff. Dressed in a silky Connecticut wrapper, this perfecto-shaped beauty features a Cameroon binder and aged Cuban-seed Dominican fillers that bring serious depth. Light it up and you’ll get waves of creamy smoke, layered with warm spice, cedar, and a touch of espresso. It’s smooth, medium-bodied, and all class. Pro tip: pair this legend with a pour of Chairman’s Reserve 1931 Rum and you’re in for a seriously regal smoke session.
Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.
The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.
Outstanding Values On Top-Rated Cigars
Our purchasing power allows us to offer exceptional reorder values on highly rated
cigars such as
Rocky Patel's Decade Torpedo, rated 95 in Cigar Aficionado.