Gurkha’s East India Classic Havana Blend Is Quite Good

East India has 6 separate blends in the market and the Classic Havana Blend is one of the best. The Havana Blend is offered in 4 shapes (robusto, toro, XO and figurado) and sports San Andres tobacco wrapped around proprietary binder and filler. The Havana is box pressed and made in Nicaragua. Gurkha provided me with a Havana toro at the IPCPR in New Orleans.
The toro was attractive with an earthy aroma. The feel was moderately soft without being squishy. The initial flavor was pepper and spice, followed 10 minutes later by cocoa and earth. The pepper flavor moderated but was throughout the cigar. The San Andres wrapper delivered on intermittent sweetness and went well with the cocoa. The smoke volume was excellent, as was the draw. The ash was well formed and firm and the burn remained even, suggesting good construction. There is little to criticize about the Havana Blend.
I spent an hour smoking/enjoying this medium bodied cigar. It retails for $9 but buying by the box can save 10-20%. I rate the Havana toro a 4 out of 5.