Gurkha cigars
Encyclopedia
Gurkha is a brand of hand-rolled cigars
, known for the manufacture of premium products using unique and artistically-oriented packaging. The company is known as the maker of the His Majesty's Reserve cigar, a limited-production cigar infused with rare cognac, whose price of $15,000 per box makes it the most expensive cigar in the world.
and raised in Hong Kong
and London
. His family was well established in the field of custom watch design, specializing in the production of luxury timepieces. Late in the 1980s, Hansotia dropped out of Miami Dade College
to enter the family business.
While on vacation in Goa, India in 1989, Hansotia met a Portuguese man making and selling cigars. Hansotia decided to buy the man's entire stock and brand name — Gurkha — on the spot so as to have a unique gift to hand out to his customers of the watch company. The price of the entire purchase of the Gurkha name and inventory was just $149.
One box of these early Gurkha cigars was sent to a friend who owned a duty-free shop
who was so impressed that he decided that he wanted to obtain more. Hansotia spotted a new business opportunity and was introduced to cigarmaker Charlie Toraño by a mutual friend.
Hansotia later recalled:
As a newcomer to cigarmaking, Hansotia sought to challenge the staid norms of product packaging which had dominated the cigar industry for generations. "All the manufacturers packaged their product the same way their grandfathers did," Hansotia remembered:
Hansotia consciously attempted to create a luxury product, a so-called "boutique brand":
In this vein, Hansotia introduced the Grand Reserve, a cigar infused with vintage cognac
, a product which sold for $12 each, a virtually unheard of price at the time. This infusion process was taken to the next level in 1996, when Hansotia paired 18-year-old tobacco
with an entire bottle of Louis XIII de Rémy Martin
for each box of 20 cigars, naming the new creation His Majesty's Reserve. This extremely limited product retails for $15,000 per box, making it the most expensive cigar ever made.
, ground coffee bean
s, and espresso
beans.
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
, known for the manufacture of premium products using unique and artistically-oriented packaging. The company is known as the maker of the His Majesty's Reserve cigar, a limited-production cigar infused with rare cognac, whose price of $15,000 per box makes it the most expensive cigar in the world.
Company history
The Gurkha Cigar Company was founded by Kaizad Hansotia, a man born in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and raised in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His family was well established in the field of custom watch design, specializing in the production of luxury timepieces. Late in the 1980s, Hansotia dropped out of Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College, or simply Miami Dade or MDC, is a state college with eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers located throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida in the United States. It is part of the Florida College System. Miami Dade College is the largest school in the Florida College...
to enter the family business.
While on vacation in Goa, India in 1989, Hansotia met a Portuguese man making and selling cigars. Hansotia decided to buy the man's entire stock and brand name — Gurkha — on the spot so as to have a unique gift to hand out to his customers of the watch company. The price of the entire purchase of the Gurkha name and inventory was just $149.
One box of these early Gurkha cigars was sent to a friend who owned a duty-free shop
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
who was so impressed that he decided that he wanted to obtain more. Hansotia spotted a new business opportunity and was introduced to cigarmaker Charlie Toraño by a mutual friend.
Hansotia later recalled:
"I was looking for a good company to roll my product, a family that not only knew how to grow tobacco but also had an extensive knowledge in the art of manufacturing cigars. The Toraños were the best, and I still consider them the best."
As a newcomer to cigarmaking, Hansotia sought to challenge the staid norms of product packaging which had dominated the cigar industry for generations. "All the manufacturers packaged their product the same way their grandfathers did," Hansotia remembered:
"I wanted my packaging to practically jump off the shelves! You have to hit all the senses; every detail is noticed. I wanted to create a piece of furniture with cigars in it."
Hansotia consciously attempted to create a luxury product, a so-called "boutique brand":
"You have your Ford, Toyota, and GMGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, who make very good cars that are mass-marketedMass marketingMass marketing is a market coverage strategy in which a firm decides to ignore market segment differences and go after the whole market with one offer. It is type of marketing of a product to a wide audience. The idea is to broadcast a message that will reach the largest number of people possible...
and sold to the public. You're not going to fight with them — they are too powerful and too big. And then you have a company like ours, which is like FerrariFerrariFerrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
or BentleyBentleyBentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
. They only make a small amount to assure the utmost in quality and construction. The person who smokes our cigars wants a luxurious cigar they can smoke on a Friday or Saturday night, or during a very special occasion."
In this vein, Hansotia introduced the Grand Reserve, a cigar infused with vintage cognac
Cognac
Cognac is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Cognac is situated on the river Charente between the towns of Angoulême and Saintes. The majority of the town has been built on the river's left bank, with the smaller right...
, a product which sold for $12 each, a virtually unheard of price at the time. This infusion process was taken to the next level in 1996, when Hansotia paired 18-year-old tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
with an entire bottle of Louis XIII de Rémy Martin
Louis XIII de Rémy Martin
Louis XIII de Rémy Martin is a cognac produced by Rémy Martin.-Production:The cognac is manufactured using grapes from the Grande Champagne territory of Cognac, France. It is blended from 1200 eaux de vie, some more than a century in age...
for each box of 20 cigars, naming the new creation His Majesty's Reserve. This extremely limited product retails for $15,000 per box, making it the most expensive cigar ever made.
Cigars
Gurkha's cigars:- Ancient Reserve
- Ancient Warrior
- Assassin
- Avenger
- The Beast
- Beauty
- Black Dragon
- Blend 101
- Centurian
- Crest
- Crest L'Grand
- Dragon Fire
- Dragon Fury
- Elegance
- Empire Series
- Evil
- G3
- G-Series
- Genghis Khan
- Grand Age
- Grand Reserve
- His Majesty's Reserve
- Legend
- Regent
- Marqueza
- Master Select
- Royal Reserve
- Signature Black 1887
- Signature Red 1887
- Status
- Symphony
- Titan
- Triple Ligero
- Vintage Shaggy
- Viper
- Warlord
Other Gurkha products
Gurkha has recently expanded into fine pipe tobaccoTobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, ground coffee bean
Coffee bean
A coffee bean is a seed of a coffee plant. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Even though they are seeds, they are referred to as 'beans' because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits - coffee cherries or coffee berries - most commonly contain two...
s, and espresso
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world....
beans.
External links
- Gurkha Cigars official website, gurkhacigars.com/ Retrieved January 16, 2011.