Brand: Gurkha
Name: Red Witch
Size: 6 x 54
Wrapper Type: Rosado
Shape: Box pressed Toro
First impression: Box pressed cigars have always been a draw for me. I like the look and feel. It's a firm cigar that sits well in the hand. The crown has some slight distortion from the pressing (not unusual for a box press). The band is decorative but not overly ornate. The foot is tight in some spots and lose in others but if this was a round cigar I believe it would be a loose filler. The foot gives a nice almost sweet grassy earthy aroma.
Cut: Standard straight cut at the cap.
First draw: the first draw (pre light) is easy and spicy with a slight chem after effect. On a long draw I taste pepper, earth, dark wood with a nice lingering after effect.
First 3rd: The draw is very easy and smoke is abundant on the draw. At rest the smoke trails linger as does a glowing red ring of fire. There is a dryness to this smoke that requires the occasional sip of beverage or the feeling of cough is strong. I get this with cigars on occasion and it may not be the cigar at all but it is worth mentioning.
Flavor are deep. I get a peppery beef jerky like favor with occasional fields of grass and an after funkiness that I want to describe as barnyard esq but not manure.
The burn is average and the ash seems to be a darker grey that fools you into thinking its stable but it's not. A slight twitch brought about a half inch of ash down into my lap.
The funkiness has stabilized as the dominant aroma and the smoke is not offensive but also not pleasant. The favors are steering more toward the peppery barnyard esq as mentioned before.
I'm noticing that as the gar eats up the box pressing is giving way to a roundness.
In the end of the first third I started to pick up hints of a chemically flavor on the lips. I believe some describe it as ammonia but I believe that's too harsh a description.
Second 3rd: The burn has become uneven but not to an extreme. The smoke levels are still abundant and the flavors are a little more peppery again. The aroma is still holding that earthy barnyard esq and the smoke is making my throat dry. This is certainly a drinking and cigar and has required more lubrication than normal for me.
I stood smoking this just before the halfway point.
Final 3rd: Never made it this far.
How long did it take to smoke: 9:10 - 9:47 (37 minutes before I let it go)
Did you have to re-light and how often: 0
What were you drinking with it: Hoegarrden
Recommend: No but with condition. If you are a fan of Gurkhas then you may enjoy this cigar. I am not a fan and this stick falls in line with prior Gurkha smoking experience. This cigar did not appeal to me but It was not a rat, just not my kind of smoke.
Name: Red Witch
Size: 6 x 54
Wrapper Type: Rosado
Shape: Box pressed Toro
First impression: Box pressed cigars have always been a draw for me. I like the look and feel. It's a firm cigar that sits well in the hand. The crown has some slight distortion from the pressing (not unusual for a box press). The band is decorative but not overly ornate. The foot is tight in some spots and lose in others but if this was a round cigar I believe it would be a loose filler. The foot gives a nice almost sweet grassy earthy aroma.
Cut: Standard straight cut at the cap.
First draw: the first draw (pre light) is easy and spicy with a slight chem after effect. On a long draw I taste pepper, earth, dark wood with a nice lingering after effect.
First 3rd: The draw is very easy and smoke is abundant on the draw. At rest the smoke trails linger as does a glowing red ring of fire. There is a dryness to this smoke that requires the occasional sip of beverage or the feeling of cough is strong. I get this with cigars on occasion and it may not be the cigar at all but it is worth mentioning.
Flavor are deep. I get a peppery beef jerky like favor with occasional fields of grass and an after funkiness that I want to describe as barnyard esq but not manure.
The burn is average and the ash seems to be a darker grey that fools you into thinking its stable but it's not. A slight twitch brought about a half inch of ash down into my lap.
The funkiness has stabilized as the dominant aroma and the smoke is not offensive but also not pleasant. The favors are steering more toward the peppery barnyard esq as mentioned before.
I'm noticing that as the gar eats up the box pressing is giving way to a roundness.
In the end of the first third I started to pick up hints of a chemically flavor on the lips. I believe some describe it as ammonia but I believe that's too harsh a description.
Second 3rd: The burn has become uneven but not to an extreme. The smoke levels are still abundant and the flavors are a little more peppery again. The aroma is still holding that earthy barnyard esq and the smoke is making my throat dry. This is certainly a drinking and cigar and has required more lubrication than normal for me.
I stood smoking this just before the halfway point.
Final 3rd: Never made it this far.
How long did it take to smoke: 9:10 - 9:47 (37 minutes before I let it go)
Did you have to re-light and how often: 0
What were you drinking with it: Hoegarrden
Recommend: No but with condition. If you are a fan of Gurkhas then you may enjoy this cigar. I am not a fan and this stick falls in line with prior Gurkha smoking experience. This cigar did not appeal to me but It was not a rat, just not my kind of smoke.
