For some reason I just can’t seem to stay away from the Gurkha’s. When I first started enjoying cigars about 8 years ago, Romeo y Julieta was my starter brand. Over the years my curiosities swayed between different brands. But this past summer, Gurkha has held my constant attention. This is probably because there are many different kinds, each with their own creative names. Of course the cigars are really good too.

Today I will be taking an inside look at Gurkha Shaggy. When I first came across this cigar I thought, ‘What?… What the heck do they mean by shaggy?’ Once again Gurkha has scored in the creative department.

Shaggy at a first glance looks like many other Gurkha’s. When you go in for a closer look, you will notice that the bottom inch of the cigar is missing the binder wrapper. Strange…… but in Gurkha’s case, quite relevant. The train of thought, is to make the bottom of this cigar look like a shaggy tassel. Others may say it is supposed to resemble a shaggy footstool, but I stand by my opinion and say tassel.

The next question that enters my mind, is how will that un-bound portion of the cigar taste? Up until now I have never come across such a thing. I am very eager to try this. The tobacco used to fill and bind the cigar is Dominican. That tells me that this cigar will be on the medium flavour spectrum. To go with Shaggy, I have decided to have a large mug of coffee. My brew of choice: Starbucks Reserve- Preanger. The reserve Starbucks blends are fairly new on the market. The coffee beans are sourced from remote locations across the globe. In my case Preanger was found high in the hills of the Sudan, and means ‘abode of the gods’. This coffee has a smooth silk taste with hints of chocolate. I think it will go quite well with Shaggy.

I light my match and get Shaggy started. The first puffs have a smoky, floral taste. It’s quite pleasant, not too strong. As I ease into the middle of the “’shag,”’, the flavour palate picks up some chicory and coffee. Once I go into the bound part of the cigar, the flavour picks up some chocolate, leather, and cedar. My coffee sits very well with this flavour palate. The smooth texture balances well with the different flavours of Shaggy.

The last third of the cigar becomes a bit more bold, with tastes of coffee, spice and bitters. However, it is still enjoyable. The duration of this cigar is about an hour and a half – and- I enjoyed each minute. I would say this cigar is for those who enjoy a steady, medium bodied cigar.

I wish I could spend the rest of the year enjoying the many other stogies of Gurkha. It is a brand that will definitely turn you into a loyal customer. However, credit must be given to the original classics like Romeo y Julieta. A brand which has been around forever, and will be the focus of my next , Sips and Stogies. Stay tuned.

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