Gurkha Yakuza

The Gurkha legend comes from when colonial soldiers, at the height of British rule in India, started making their own cigars from local tobacco, some of which was produced in the Portuguese territory of Goa. Expatriates from Britain who were still living in India continued smoking the cigars, but eventually the cigars began to wane into history and legend, as did the rajas’ rule. Today the Gurkha brand stays true to the original essence of those first cigars made so long ago, so the legend will live on.

The Yakuza in Japan is a ruthless and feared international organized crime syndicate that are famed for their missing pinky fingers and very intricate tattoos. The Gurkha Yakuza, like its namesake, is just as menacing. Handmade in Nicaragua, this bold and feisty blend comes dressed in a chocolaty-brown Ecuador Habano ligero wrapper that is almost dripping with oily goodness. Underneath is a zesty Nicaraguan binder that secures a bevy of ultra-refined ligero-laced Honduran and Nicaraguan long-fillers with a small of amount of La Entradas long-filler. Very full bodied, this firecracker has notes of oak, toast, pepper, espresso, and nuts. Complex and bold just like its namesake, enjoy a it with a sake.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.