Red Witch Double Fuerte by Gurkha



Red Witch Double Fuerte by Gurkha

• Box pressed
• Minimal veins
• Even coloration
• Firm build, no soft spots
• Hint of spices in dry draw
• Extra ligero included in Double Fuerte version
• Nicaraguan long-fillers from region of Jalapa
• Dominican binder
• Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper

Background: "Red Witch is the newest everyday premium cigar from K. Hansotia of Gurkha, and boy does it look good. Named after the famous East India Trading Company ship, this lovely handmade is gorgeous from head to toe. Medium to full in body and exceptionally well-balanced, this handmade takes you on one memorable voyage. Plus, they’re reasonably priced too. All courtesy of K. Hansotia (Cigarinternational.com)."

First Third: When I first lit this cigar I was hit by a complexity of flavors that were previously not well known to me. It was truly difficult, at first, to separate one flavor from another. My pallet was pleasantly overwhelmed. At first explanation I can only say that the notes I am receiving are those of earth and spices. Although that comment is vague I can tell you that it is a very unique combination. I am slightly surprised because this smoking experience is very different from my other Gurkha experiences. The burn on this cigar is excellent and has a nice thick smoke. I really believe, in this case, the box pressed shape is really adding to the experience. It has a perfect draw and the flavors are exploding with the slower burn allowed by the shape.

Second Third: After enjoying and savoring the flavors for an entire third of this cigar I can now begin to pick apart the flavors that I am tasting. The rich earth flavor I am tasting pairs well with the following spices: pepper, bay leaf, and nutmeg. Nutmeg for its nutty, warm, and spicy characteristics. bay leaf for its woodsy strong notes, and white pepper for its more mild biting characteristic. Moreover, I do notice slight hints of sweetness constantly on my exhale not to mention maybe a little coffee bean. However, this coffee bean hint I notice is not always present or as noticeable. So....as you can tell by my description, this cigar truly is a complex flavor blast. The cigar continues to burn very even with a ton of creamy smoke billowing from both ends of the stick.

Final Third: The flavor profile remains just as complex , however, it has become more seamless and smooth. In other words, it has mellowed some. The tingle of coffee has returned. One that is more dark and bold. I also begin to notice this on my exhale or when i press my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Everything remains pleasant and consistent. Ash is very strong only falling because i flicked it at the beginning of this portion of smoke.

Final Thoughts: It is no secret to many who know me that I am not the biggest fan of Gurkha cigars. By no means does this imply that their cigars are bad, I just usually prefer the taste of cigars under the name of AJ Fernandez, Alec Bradley, and Arturo Fuente just to name a few. However, this smoke was very different to the other Gurkhas I have smoked. It was not only unique to their cigar resume but unique to my personal taste buds. The complexity was excellent and each flavor worked in concert with each other.  Moreover, the beautiful artwork on the cigar band was truly an eye catcher. To me this cigar was a 6.9/10. This was very close to being an exceptional cigar in my book and really a exceptional cigar within the plethora of different Gurkha cigars.