Year of the Snake (by Oscar Valladares) Cigar (6 x 52)

The term Gurkha stems from the Anglo-Nepalese war, when British soldiers began referring to Nepali fighters as Gurkhas. The military prowess of these soldiers impressed the British so much that the Gurkhas became an official military regiment within the British Indian Army, their skill in battle and steely resolve having become legend. In the late 19th century, British soldiers began rolling their own cigars from local tobacco and named these cigars after the legendary regiment, cigars whose production continued in various ways for over a century. In 1989, Kaizad Hansotia founded Gurkha cigars in its modern iteration, expanding its reach and focusing on offering super-premium cigars that would come to be associated with an upper-echelon experience and the utmost quality.

A celebration of the Chinese New Year and the Chinese zodiac, Gurkha's Year of the Snake is a limited-edition release comprising a trio of blends, all made by some of the most well-respected names in the industry, including: E.P. Carillo, Oliva, and Oscar Valladarez. This particular blend is Oscar Valladarez's contribution to the series, and it's a 6" x 52 Toro that boasts a largely undisclosed blend, with a Honduran binder and filler tobacco, and a Habano wrapper whose origins remain undisclosed as well. Each iteration of the Year of the Snake numbers 7,500 total cigars and features an elegant, stylish design across the box and bands, with each blend denoted by a specific color: red in this case.