The Villiger 1888 is the newest offering from the Swiss company of Villiger and Sons.  Villiger is known mainly for their small, machine-made cigars.  Their Export series are known by most cigar smokers, although opinions are divided on whether or not that is a good thing.

For their 120th anniversary, the company wanted to introduce something new to their offerings.  The 1888 marks their first entry into premium, long-filler, handmade cigars.  Introduced in most of Europe in 2008, they debuted in Mexico at the Tobacconists Association of America Expo in March; however the name started to get out more in the US after their showing at the IPCPR convention in New Orleans.

The sample that I was able to smoke came to me courtesy of a Twitter trade with ChiefHava (Thanks, Chief!); please check out some of his insightful articles on his blog, Smoke Signals.

Mine was a smaller size of 4″ x 40, I just found out from Labman that this size is a new one released at IPCPR called the Perla, thanks for the info!  Shops that carry these can offer 5 sizes – the perla (4″‘ x 40), a corona (6″ x 43), a short robusto (4″ x 50), a robusto (4 3/4″ x 50) and a torpedo (6″ x 52).

The affordable, yet unique Gurkha Vintage Estate Shaggy , is offered in chests of 100, five packs, as well as boxes of twenty five. These gems have an unparalleled look, as the foot of the cigar has the shaggy filler tobacco leaves protruding from it. The Gurkha Vintage Estate Shaggy is only offered in larger ring gauges, which allows for the cigar to deliver an abundance of smoke. These cigars have an eight year old Dominican wrapper, as well as a five year old aged Dominican filler and binder.

For the experienced smoker only, comes the Gurkha G3 Toro. A blend that is older than the new G5 Avenger, this cigar received an 88 rating in the December, 2006 issue of Cigar Aficionado. The Gurkha G3 Toro is often referred to as the most complex cigar that Gurkha offers, and it is quite affordable. This cigar is a Super Fuerte Triple Ligero, with a Nicaraguan wrapper and filler, as well as a complex Cameroon binder. The Gurkha G3 Toro should not be missed for the aficionado that enjoys a complex smoke full of flavor. BestCigarPrices.com also offers the Gurkha G3 Toro in tins of five, at a cigarillo size. Pick up a box or a few tins today!

The flagship of the Gurkha cigar line, the Gurkha Grand Reserve cigar is infused with only the finest cognac in the world. Each Gurkha Grand Reserve cigar is carefully placed in individual glass tubes as well. Using either a premium Connecticut shade wrapper, or an aged Maduro wrapper, the Gurkha Grand Reserve cigar is creamy, with a hint of spice. The perfect cigar for winding down after a long day. The Gurkha Grand Reserve also uses quality Dominican tobacco for it’s binder and filler. BestCigarPrices.com sells the Gurkha Grand Reserve cigar in sampler packs of five, or bundles of thirty.

Gurkha Regent cigars are limited edition, having a special Havana 2000 Wrapper, a Indonesian binder as well as Nicaraguan and Dominican Ligero filler. An incredibly flavorful medium bodied cigar, the Gurkha Regent sure is a treat for the palate. The first thing you’ll notice after smoking a Gurkha Regent is the plumes of smoke that come out of this cigar. After that, the layers and layers of flavors will overload you and in no time at all, you’ll realize why it’s one of our in-house aficionado’s favorite cigars. Try a box today, before they’re all gone!

Handrolled from only the finest tobacco in the Cibao Valley in the Dominican Republic, the Gurkha Master Select Series is a quality full bodied cigar. Offered in boxes of twenty five in a variety of sizes, the Gurkha Master Select cigar uses the same quality Havana 2000 Wrapper that the Gurkha Regent utilizes. Along with this, the cigar has a Dominican binder, as well as Honduran, Dominican and Nicaraguan Ligero filler. Packaged inside a beautiful mahogany chest, these cigars are not worth missing.

Gurkha cigarillos are offered in a variety of flavors, as there is the Special Edition line, as well as the Series G. BestCigarPrices.com offers both these lines, with their delicious flavors, perfect for the quick smoke. For any fan of flavored cigars, the Special Edition line is absolutely delicious and should not be passed up, offering such quality flavors as Chocolate and Tiramisu. The Series G line are more for the regular smoker who doesn’t have time to smoke a Robusto, but wants a quick puff. Pick up tins of either of these today, we know you won’t be disappointed.

The Gurkha Warlord is a cigar that is sure to please any medium to full bodied smoker. Packaged in an amazing chest that will defiantly be envied by all of your smoking buddies. Coming in a chest of 30, the Gurkha Warlord is a strong cigar that has a Nicaraguan wrapper and filler, but a Dominican Binder. With subtle hints of coffee, this cigar is another example of how high Gurkha sets the bar for cigar standards.

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Now you can smoke all-vintage all the time. These mostly box-pressed, medium-bodied cigars have everything you want in a luscious, full-flavored smoke: Gorgeous wrappers, perfect balance, complex flavor, and an inviting aroma. Blended with smooth-smoking, 7-year-aged Dominican & Nicaraguan tobaccos, the ’90’s have Honduran Maduro Broadleaf, while the ’92’s have Ecuadorian Sumatra wrappers. Both offer a rich, creamy, and naturally sweet smoke. Whatever your preference, you can’t miss!

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“Discover what a cigar should be…” is the idea behind Cusano’s extremely successful line of cigars. Founder Michael Chiusano took a risk by investing in the cigar business in 1995, during the early cigar boom. Chiusano had his own investment company and was a casual smoker, until he went on a business trip to the Dominican Republic to help finance sugar cane production. While he was there, Chiusano was given a cigar rolled with local tobacco, and after being floored by it’s quality he had 100 cigars made with this blend. After selling these cigars at some local shops, Chiusano received rave reviews and decided that the cigar industry was his true calling. The name Cusano came from an alteration of Chiusano’s last name, as it was easier to spell and pronounce. Cusano cigars started out as something not so serious, as their first batches were intended to be a “thank you” to everyone who supported his initial endeavor. Soon orders poured in by the tens of thousands and Chisuano realized that he had a product worth holding onto.

Cusano came along at a good time in the cigar industry, because many cigar shops couldn’t get some of the bigger names in the industry, so settling for a Cusano seemed like the perfect idea. Hendrik Kelner of Davidoff fame joined up with Cusano in 1997 to take the blend that Chisuano had already made, and perfect it. Although Cusano started at a time when many little companies tried to break out, they remain one of the few that actually still remains pertinent in the cigar industry.

The Cusano Corojo ‘97 was rated #1 Newcomer by Cigar Aficionado in 2005, and received a 91 rating by the magazine. These cigars have a real Corojo leaf, which have color variations that allow it to have lots of lights and darks. The Cusano Corojo ‘97 is comprised of two Cuban seeds that were grown in Ecuador, in a valley that receives only 500 hours of sunlight every year. The Mexican Sumatra binder allows for the cigar to compliment the wrapper and maintain it’s spicy qualities. The Cusano Corojo ‘97 also received the highest rating ever given by Smoke magazine, an overall rating of 9.6, which is almost unheard of. With steady flavors of wood and leather, leading up to a cedary finish, the Cusano Corojo ‘97 is a quality medium-full bodied cigar. See what all the hype is about behind this Cusano line and pick up a box of 20 today.

The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut is another quality cigar from the Cusano family. A medium-bodied cigar that comes in boxes of 18, the Cusano 18 has also been received by the cigar industry very well. It received a 91 in the January, 2004 issue of Cigar Insider. The filler is from one of the first Dominican crops, harvested in 1985. It was a crop that Kelner had worked with, but he was having problems creating the exact cigar that he wanted. Cusano took this 18 year old tobacco, put in the filler, and added a Connecticut shade wrapper, as well as a Connecticut shade binder. In Chisuano’s own words, “…you get double the rich creaminess of the wrapper plus you got the sweetness of this 18-year-old filler.”

The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro lies right alongside it’s Connecticut counterpart in quality and consistence. The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro also received a 89 by Cigar Insider. Cusano paired together a Brazilian Mata Fina with a Connecticut broadleaf, as well as a rare Dominican Oro wrapper , to create a unique, exotic flavor. This Dominican medium-full bodied maduro is not an overpowering cigar, but it certainly does pack a bit of a punch. Michael Chisuano has come out of nowhere to create award winning cigars that consumers can enjoy at a price that anyone can afford. Keep your eye out for more Cusano, as future lines have the promise of being as successful as the 18, and Corojo lines. BestCigarPrices.com carries Cusano in most sizes and shapes at the most affordable price around.

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