Theme Week 27 = Gurkha
IMHO, Gurkha cigars are significantly under-rated by the cigar smoking community. I have found MANY of their products to be amazing... and a sheer delight to enjoy! So my Gurkha selection is fairly extensive, with many of my cigars being more than 10 years old (some more than 15!).

I do have a full 125th anniversary specialty box (been sitting in the bottom of my six-foot humidor for 6 years) which looks like a small version of a centuries-old sailing ship treasure chest. I will finally light up my first one of these during this 'theme' week.

History
The history of Gurkha cigars can be traced back to the 1880s when British colonial soldiers started calling their cigars "Gurkha" in honor of the Nepalese warriors who fought for the British.

In 1989, Kaizad Hansotia, an Indian businessman, bought the Gurkha brand for $149. Gurkha is one of the world's most popular cigar brands, known for their complex flavors, long burn times, and distinctive packaging. The Gurkha Royal Courtesan Cigar is the world's most expensive cigar, literally costing $1.36 million per stick and is made with Himalayan tobacco that's been watered with Fiji water, wrapped in gold leaf and has a diamond-studded band worth five carats, infused with Remy Martin's Black Pearl Louis XIII (which costs $224,000 a bottle), and whose torcedores who craft these cigars are made to work blindfolded to avoid distraction.

Even outside of the outrageously priced Royal, Gurkha cigars are known as the "Rolls Royce" of cigars and are enjoyed by members of royalty, military, government officials, and celebrities. Gurkha cigars are made with rare and fine aged tobacco leaves from around the world and are known for their artistic packaging.

Gurkha cigars are produced in the Dominican Republic and south Florida and are available in a wide range of prices, from value-oriented five-packs to more expensive boxes.