Steeped in legend and history, the Gurkha Cigar created more than a century ago, was reborn in The company has continuously rolled out meticulously handcrafted cigars, epitomizing all that is luxury. In , Hansotia decided to resurrect a cigar brand rich in tradition and steeped in legend and history.
Gurkha Cigars were created more than a century ago and were known for their meticulously and artisanally handcrafted cigars but when Hansotia revived the brand, there was no way he could have known that the cigar industry was about to experience a boom and he would have the perfect product to attract the new cigar consumer.
In realizing that there were no super premium cigars, he created the association with elegance that cigars have become known for. In reviving Gurkha, Hansotia created cigars that were not a necessity, but rather a luxury and an indulgence. Today, Gurkha makes cigars for all price points and all palettes but when it began Gurkha cigars were unlike other cigars in the market and that they came in highly ornate packaging and with a steep price tag.
I wanted something that really stood out. So the cigar itself went from rags to riches. What was once a nondescript stogie sold on a beach was now a glittering prize accessible only to international air travelers. The cigar donned an ornate band full of gold scrollwork, but what really stood out was the main image. It was an idealized portrait of a mustachioed Gurkha—the legendary Nepalese soldiers known for ferocity.
Produced in the Dominican Republic, Gurkha cigars made their duty-free debut in The first run of 50, cigars sold out very quickly. That year, Hansotia sold , Gurkhas all through duty-free outlet stores. I wanted to make an opulent cigar that would have fit right into one of those officer's clubs.
While most cigars on duty-free shelves were only sold by the box, Gurkhas were available by the individual stick. The Gurkhas were infused with Cognac by a process that Hansotia claims he not only invented, but uses to this day. He also had a non-infused line that sold for a bit cheaper. He distributed our regular brands to retail cigar stores but the infused product was left to duty-free.
We just didn't have enough of the infused product for both. He introduced me to a lot of people and a lot of retailers. I am grateful to him for that. For about a year, Gurkha cigars existed simultaneously in duty-free and cigar retail outlets until Hansotia made the complete transition to traditional retail tobacconists. All I had to do was provide these distributors cigars until they reordered. They were the ones bringing the cigars to the shops. Once I switched to retail, I had to travel across the United States and meet each and every retailer.
It was very hard work. But Hansotia missed the mythic cigar boom of the s. Gurkhas entered retail after the boom had already smoldered and stores were stuck with excess inventory they couldn't move.
As Hansotia made inroads throughout the retail landscape, he took back distribution, confident that he could handle it himself. Hansotia rises restlessly and walks past a pile of bayonets that look as though they've been through the Crusades.
He continues down the dark, quiet halls, passes a few statues and walks into an elevator. It's tea time. The elevator door opens to the second floor of his office building.
This is Hansotia's lair and it has a distinctly more colonial feel than the offices downstairs. The Florida sun struggles to penetrate the large wooden slats covering the window, and the room is even darker than the first floor. By decorating in dark woods and leather furniture, he may have perfectly reproduced one of those Officer's Clubs he was referring to. A steaming cup of tea awaits him on a table near more leather chairs.
Celebrities sometimes. They ask to use the space to conduct meetings. It's totally private. The art on the walls and on the shelves is an amalgamation of gifts, auctions and Hansotia's world travels. The father, Carlos, was an expert on leaves. Plus, the family had pedigree in the industry. We were trying to create small-batch cigars. I didn't care about prices, I just wanted A-Grade wrapper and I wanted unusual tobacco.
Lots of factories can roll a good cigar. Very few know how to buy tobacco properly and process it correctly. It featured an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper and the cigars came wrapped in a canvas strap. We had an old box of Cuban Bolivars from Compare that with the price of a Gurkha His Majesty's Reserve.
They wanted something elite and unusual, so we came up with His Majesty's Reserve. As word got around of this inaccessibly expensive duty-free cigar, a few retailers approached Hansotia and wanted to carry it. They buy it because they like it. By Hansotia's timeline, his company got its first major recognition with a curious brand called Gurkha Pre Embargo.
He says he acquired several boxes of preembargo Cuban cigars. Some were inexpensive brands, others were high profile brands like Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta. To him, it didn't matter. He says he acquired the stocks of vintage Cuban cigars from an associate in the industry. In two years, they were gone. By Chetia. By Hardy. Home Cigars Brands Gurkha. The story of the Gurkha Cigar Company plays out like a Hollywood love story, one of love at first sight, and it takes place in an Indian Market back in Kaizad Hansotia, a man raised in Hong-Kong and London as a child, was on vacation in his ancestral homeland of India.
Wandering through the marketplace he stumbled upon a Portuguese cigar artisan rolling cigars in his humble stall. One of the first boxes of cigars that Kaizad gave out, was to a friend of the family that owned a Duty-Free shop. The cigars sold out so quickly, that Kaizad was quickly over inundated with demand for more cigars, he quickly realized that he had stumbled upon a goldmine, and began to lay the groundwork for a proper cigar production and distribution company.
India, being the crown jewel of the British conquest, was no different than the rest of the English colonies in this respect, and the term Gurkha traveled from Nepal to India. Kaizad decided to keep the name to honor the Nepalese warriors and their historical contributions to Great Britain.
In fact, he decided to adopt the image of a Gurkha warrior holding their legendary Khukuri sword as the official logo for his new company. Met with critical acclaim, the release drove Kaizad further into the world of Premium, igniting his passion into a raging fire.
Kaizad became obsessed with creating the perfect cigar, launching him into the world of super-premium cigars. After this momentous occasion in the history of Gurkha cigars, a brand was born so wonderful that it even made its way to the White House in the s, which will forever be part of Oral Oval Office history. With a new mission in mind, a bevy of savvy tobacconists to partner with, and his savvy marketing in hand, Kaizad went on to become one of the biggest names in premium cigars, a name that would find its way into the headlines!
It was during the Clinton administration, when the Lewinsky scandal broke, that sources reported a Gurkha cigar being the one used in the Oval Office scandal.
However, Gurkha, and other cigar manufacturers, made it clear that they did not want to be associated with the scandal, and managed to quash the hype, removing their names from the headlines. But one thing is clear, President Clinton is just one of many world leaders that have preferred the Gurkha premium cigar.
Since the very beginning, Kaizad has followed a formula to create his cigars; use only the rarest and finest aged tobacco leaves, source them from around the world, take time to perfect each blend, and ensure that they present with a multitude of luxurious and unique flavors. Known as the 'Rolls Royce' of cigars, Gurkha cigars have become a leader in the world of premium cigars.
Read More. Reviews It's a bold cigar, with hints of coffee and chocolate. This one is for the pros. Gurkha Prize Fighter Toro. The cigar is not very pretty. Most likely from cut tobacco.
A lot of tobacco comes out of the cut. The cigar is soft, smoky, but I cannot describe it better. Just a cigar. But you can give it to your distant friends to smoke put 2 stars out of respect for the factory. Very interesting flavor but in a good way.
Burns a little fast but is good til the last puff. Mild light cigar for any occasion. Gurkha Grand Reserve Cognac Churchill. I will say that the mix of really good tobacco with a really good cognac makes a really good cigar. It stayed lit and had an easy draw. I enjoyed the smell and the taste and will buy more.
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