Gurkha

The roots of the brand go back to 1887, when British colonial soldiers, at the height of British rule, rolled their own cigars from local tobacco and called them "Gurkhas" in tribute to the legendary Nepalese fighters. The Gurkha Cigars brand as known today formally began in 1989. Kaizad Hansotia came across a Portuguese man rolling and selling cigars under that catchy name; intrigued, he bought his entire stock and offered the cigars to clients of his family's watch business. Encouraged by the surprising success and feedback, he resolved to produce high-end cigars and enlisted Charlie Torano's help to launch the venture.