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Was just reading this excellent Cigar Inspector review of the Gurkha Assassin and it got me thinking back to the first time I tried one of these killer sticks. Which got me thinking, hey, we ought to do some more cigar reviews on the blog.
I got this cigar in our excellent All Treats No Tricks Sampler — we added it to make this Halloween-themed special even scarier.
I was at a rooftop barbecue with another BCP employee who warned me well this would be a full-bodied smoke. At the time I was getting into more super-premium “full-bodied” sticks like Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve and Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas. Those two in particular were blowing me away with their smoothness, their balanced complexity and the complete absence of harshness. Yeah, they had a heartier flavor but I was getting a little cocky about being able to handle whatever full-bodied blend of tobacco they could throw at me.
Back on the rooftop, the Assassin lit easily despite the windy environment, and I was puffing away in no time. “Blast of pepper, no problem,” I’m thinking to myself, “thing thing is going to mellow out like the rest.”
The complexity built incredibly fast and the pepper was joined by an almost fruity sweetness and a rich cocoa-dusted leather flavor. I was loving this cigar at first puff but this thing was far from done increasing its intensity. It kind of crept up on me at first, but I hadn’t even finished the first third before I was hit by a strong buzz, each puff on the cigar producing head-enveloping clouds aromatic smoke. People were starting to look at me like I was possessed, so I put it down to rest for a while.
Due to the wind I had to touch it up a bit once I resumed, but the ash was holding strong and the flavor wasn’t stopping. Once again I was amazed at the draw on this tightly rolled, rock-solid stick but I was starting to feel my cocky attitude toward full-bodied sticks wafting away with the breeze. This cigar was kicking my ass.
Then it happened. I was a little over halfway through and enjoying the variety of flavors, having paced myself a bit better by taking longer breaks between puffs. Engaged deeply in conversation, I paused to take the cigar to my lips and drew so deeply I inhaled a whole mouthful of the Gurkha Assassin’s wrath. It hit my lungs like a freight train though I managed to exhale without a coughing fit. This cigar was actually so delicious it took me a few seconds to realize what I had done, and then I felt the burn.
I had to finally bow down to the sheer smoking power of the Assassin after my full inhale, but I look forward to trying it again once I’ve refortified my full-bodied prowess. For now I’m sticking to the Rockies, and I know all you retrohaling 6-a-day aficionados will mock me for giving up after one inhale, but all I have to say is I’d like to see you inhale this monster.
So learn from me and use caution: this is a stick of Dominican dynamite. Violent, yes, but the explosion is beautiful.