Gurkha Beast and Louis M. Martini 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon: Review

The Wine

Louis M. Martini 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

13.9% abv

Louis M. Martini Winery

Healdburg, Sonoma County, California, USA

$20.49 on sale for $14.49 a bottle

Wine Advocate Rating:

My Strength Rating: 6.5

Appearance: garnet in color with a lighter ruby edge around the glass.

Aroma: Nice little peppery spice, hint of earth and dark berries on the nose.

Flavors: To me I like the spice-box profile.  I’ll call it a pepper mill mix because, it is like having pink peppercorn, green and a little black peppercorn on the taste.  To me there is this little hint of tea or an herbal tea like taste.  I think it happens when it first hits my tongue.

The berries are lush in style.  No bitter or bite from the berry notes.  More like a boysenberry, bing cherry, and plum.  There is a mild earthy style with a little oaky presence on the finish. 

Overall mouthfeel is soft, flavorful, and pleasing to the palate.   

I have to say that I like this bottle of Loui better than their Napa Valley bottle that I reviewed yesterday.  The Sonoma County bottle is about $7.00 a bottle cheaper to boot. 

The Cigar

Gurkha Beast

Wrapper: Costa Rican Maduro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Fillers: Colombian, Dominican, and Honduran

Size: 6.5x56

My Strength Rating: 5.5

I have never understood the packaging on this cigar.  For a ‘top shelf’ cigar why in the world is the main ring band gold in color and the extra (use less) band, with the name on it, silver? It is like it was an afterthought.  “Hey, we need to use these labels with the word Beast on them.  Do we have a cigar that we can use them on?” … “Let’s call this cigar the Beast!” … “Great idea.” … “But, they don’t match.” … “Who cares.”

Off the light: to me it has a nice mild earthy flavor with a mild-medium roast coffee.

As the smoking experience continues, thru the first third, I think the earthy notes remind me of mushroom, mossy earth and a little soil.  There is tasty wheat and rye bread toasted flavor.  The mouthfeel is smooth in its delivery.   

Mid-point: Smooth delivery of some tasty roasted tobacco, nice hardwood, and a toasted rye bread like quality. 

Down the Stretch: This cigar is consistent in its smooth delivery and seems to change in its flavor profile.  It has a very pleasing mouthfeel and aftertaste.  It is never bitter, strong, or overwhelming.  I would say the toasted notes are gone but, the smoke has a good roasted like quality and a dry soil earthiness. 

The overall taste on this cigar is very pleasing to my palate.

As for the price point: Taste plus Cost equals Value; I’ll say it is an excellent value at $4.00 to $12.00.  Going 12 bucks to $16.00 it is a good value.  Above 16 bucks this cigar would be losing value.

The Pairing

These two complement each other well.  The nice toasted and earthy flavors of the cigar mix well with the berry flavors and spice profile of the wine.  I would defiantly recommend this pairing.  To me there is nothing better than a good red wine and a fine cigar.