Gurkha Black Dragon Fury Torpedo – Cigar
Review
From Humidor @ 69%, settling for 2-3 months
Size: 7x56 Torpedo
Blend:
Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, two binders, Nicaraguan Habano and
a Cameroon. Inside is a blend of
Nicaraguan and Peruvian long-fillers.
Construction: The appearance of the cigar is
excellent, the chocolate brown wrapper was wafer thin and opaque which made the
veins very obvious even though they were insignificant. No significant blemishes in the cigar along
its considerable length. This stick felt inconsistently packed, the head was
hard as a rock and the foot slightly soft with hard and soft spots along its
length, nothing serious by any stretch but noticeable during a critical
inspection.
Smell: On the wrapper the scent consisted
of Sweet coffee, clove, mint, dry grass and very subtle chocolate. Foot: wet
hay and coffee.
Cold draw: Flavours on the cold draw
consisted only of dry hay with barely noticeable hints of coffee. Draw resistance with a small cut was firm but
manageable, I was gambled on it opening up once got warm.
First Light: Flavours on the first light
consisted primarily of cloves, bitter chocolate with subtle hints of licorice
and sweet tobacco. Body overall would have had to have been a medium with good
thick smoke output.
Aroma: Tobacco and cloves
First 3rd
16min
A few minutes in
the draw really opened up to a prefect level of resistance which gave rise to
an increase in smoke production, the cigar was now producing plumes of thick
rich full flavoured smoke. 25mm down the smoke the character of this stick
started to change, body went from medium to notch shy of full. The flavours in
the first light were starting to meld together in a very pleasant fashion which
made for an extremely full meaty body. At this stage the cigar was starting to show
its true colours; a dragon within? Maybe not, unless it wears a suit. Some burn
issues were present. 30mm down I suspected the cigar was starting to tunnel,
removing the ash confirmed this, quick touchup and back in action. Up until the
tunnel the burn was quite acceptable with only minimal variance. Throughout the first third the body &
strength kept increasing to a solid full without becoming in any way harsh.
Second 3rd
– 50 min
The second third
saw no new introductions to the flavor profile, the bitter chocolate was
starting to get a little sweeter, other than that no change. The burn started
to get undesirably wild with 10 mm of variance from side to side, it didn’t
look to need a touchup, it was just ugly.
As the third
progressed the burn continued to degrade and I cut and relight the stick with
25mm of variance I think I let it run past the touchup stage. At that stage I
was sitting in what I could only describe as a bushfire as I had a pile of
tobacco in the ashtray billowing smoke as well as a newly lit stick which
seemed to want to compete with it. Lucky me, it was a good stick so I was not
overly upset.
Transitioning into the third 3rd
the stick started to develop a nutty flavor into the mix in addition to the
slightest inklings of heat. As time went by the nut disappeared as quickly as
it arrived. The burn continued to offend; lesson learned 15 minutes prior, I
elected to reign the burn in with the lighter.
Third 3rd 1hour 10 min
During the third 3rd there were
still no significant changes in flavor or body. The heat experienced was slowly
but surely starting to increase but fortunately managed to remain subtle and in
the background.
Burn issues continued to be a problem
throughout requiring attention every 5-10 minutes, fortunately quick touchups
were not degrading the flavour or introducing any additional menacing heat.
Toward the end of the third 3rd
the heat started to ramp up and overwhelm the flavours of the stick. I elected
to put the stick down at 1 hour 45 with approx. 50mm remaining.
Overall this stick would have to have been
one of the most consistent flavoured sticks I have ever smoked. No significant
additions, subtractions or transitions throughout the considerable length of
this behemoth of a torpedo
The burn of this stick required constant
attention which I found unfortunate. Burn issues aside this stick was a
pleasure to smoke, solid full body and strength is enough to keep anyone interested
and abuzz with nicotine. If you intend on picking any of these up make sure you
have at least 2 hours spare to smoke one, socially smoking one of these would
see 3 hours easily.
I have smoked 8 of these Dragons to date
and this is the only stick of the 8 to present burn issues, as for flavour they
have all been consistent. I would happily pickup another bundle of 20 to share
and enjoy over time.
Suggested pairing; this is a hard one, If I
were to pair with this full strength stick it would have to be a robust Barossa
shiraz or a cask strength whisky like Aberlour A'bunadh or Glenfarclas 105.
Thanks for reading.
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