Abrignac is right.

Ratings are trash. Use the review as a guideline, information about the blend, tasting notes. CA is ad driven scores. Unfortunately they're the one everyone knows and the one from which retailers advertise the ratings.

Halfwheel, blindmans puff, katman, cbid forum whatchu smoking thread, other forums daily smoke threads, those are the places I like to read but don't always agree with their assessment. Take note of when the review was written too. Like Anthony said what was good 10 years ago can often be a completely different cigar, made in a different factory, even owned by different parent companies. For example I bought a box of buenavista cigars. Back in 2012-14ish I had a 5 pack and enjoyed them. So I saw it, same branding logos etc and bought a box. But the original company is no more. Now it's owned by a cigar retailer and a super cheap flavorless junk cigar. Or other things still owned by the original company like the CH Calaveras. They got some really good leaf to roll the original release and when it was gone, it's gone. But the name remains, and it's an entirely different cigar. At least with those they do notate the year.

Gurkha is a packaging and advertising company that makes cigars. Or rather has cigars made. Maybe just buys leftovers like caldwell does with their lost n found. Another big offender doing that is Ezra Zion. Don't fall for advertising and pretty labels. And "super limited 500pc runs" no factory is taking a contract for a 500pc run.

Abrignac, I appreciate all the good info. Also appreciate the info from everyone else. Looks like I have enough to go buy a few different things and see what I like. I've bought and tried enough garbage, been getting a little frustrated with smoking tasteless junk... as danmdevries said. All good, look forward to coming back to a thread and jumping in after trying some from the info above!
Thanks

I guess that settles it…nothing but Graycliff from now on

Max some of the best advice I can give is to educate yourself about cigar construction. Once you know more about the process you’ll find it much easier to find cigars that fit your wheelhouse. Because at the end of the day we all have different tastes.

Learn about the difference between viatolas. For example the corona is typically 5.5” long by 40-44 ring gauge. A toro on the other hand is traditionally 5 5/8” by 46 ring gauge. The reason this is significant is a corona will generally have proportionally more wrapper tobacco in the cigars than will a toro. As such the corona will generally have a stronger taste of the wrapper leaf all thing being equal. But, the toro being thicker will burn slightly cooler leading to less tar buildup.

Also learn about the difference between the taste of a first priming vs a second priming on an individual plant. Tobacco harvested from the top of a plant tastes different than that harvested in the middle and from below.

There are also taste differences from different microclimates within a single country.

You’ll also want to learn about the different strains of tobacco like, criollo, corojo, broadleaf etc.

Anyway that’s enough to get you started.

Halfwheel is great for info.

Reviews? Way more mixed than they used to be. Not CA type reviews mind you. But I take them with a grain of salt.

Didn’t he get run out of his own company a few years ago? Since I no longer buy their products I haven’t paid attention, is he still running things there?

No fuggin idea…
I just remember, reading somewhere, that Hansotia bought a “factory” and some acreage.
I really can’t pin point how long ago that was, mainly because my life has become a time warp ever since the grandkids were born. Probably a couple years ago?
Sometimes time flies, other times it stands still………….fuggin weird.

Perfect example….
Granddaughter who has lived with wife and I since she was born, is gonna be 6 in April.
Babysitting her these last 6 years can make time stand still sometimes.
Other times, I’m wondering where da fuq did the time go???

Anyways……
It appears as though Hansotia is still the man at Gurkha….
#-o

https://halfwheel.com/davidoff-asks-court-to-dismiss-gurkhas-dragon-lawsuit/434775/ 

The days get longer and the years get shorter.

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine
Staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long
And there is time to kill today
And then one day you find
Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun
But it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way
But you're older
Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter
Never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught
Or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation
Is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over
Thought I'd something more to say
Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away, across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells


PF

Tiver:
Thoughtful rhyme on Father Time!!!!
Loved it.
Keep them coming.

No credit to me Pink Floyd ( PF )

I remember hearing he stepped down after getting caught making racist comments

I was going to ask which “racist comments” but I found this:

“In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, Hansotia went to Facebook and posted “why do black lives only matter when killed by whites. Shouldn’t their lives matter when killed by other black people too.”

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/gurkha-cigars-founder-resigns-in-wake-of-social-media-controversy 

Racist bassturd!!!

My problem with him has always been, he doesn’t like cigars.

No problem with him owning the business, but I prefer the owners that have passion for it.

Don't worry none about Cheno. If he's smoking Gurkhas, he's hoarding them for himself...

Personally, going by the quality of his recent gift, I am positive he was just joshing us...yanking our yo-yos with that Gurkha post.

My contribution to the world of quotes is this: you never get the right answer if you don't ask the right question.

So the question is: What characteristics make a great cigar? For me it varies: somedays I am intrigued by ratings, but more often by wrappers and ring gauge. My rotation always has a Connecticut Shade, a Connecticut Broadleaf, a Cameroon, a Corojo and occasionally a Cuban. I prefer ring gauges 44-49, they accentuate the wrapper. I prefer old cigars over new ones and manufacturers that make great cigars every year over one hit wonders. Focus on the characteristics, not the label. But in the end, you decide: what makes a great cigar that I will buy and enjoy over and over until they are extinct? Happy collecting!

Room 101 Miami Snow or Farce
Mi Quirida Papa Saka
Any Padron
Perdomo makes wonderful cigars
Freud Agape is a personal favorite but $30 a pop

Smoke what you like not what you think you should like. Buy a Gurkha sampler and decide for yourself.

https://www.cigarbid.com/Forum/c/posts/m/4744415/TAG-Redux#post4744415 

A great cigar is all about the flavor of the smoke...size, shape, construction, age, price don't really matter if the smoke tastes great...

I like figurado / perfecto if they burn straight

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