• The vintage Cellar Reserve uses the finest quality 15-year-old aged tobacco, comprised of an oily Criollo 1998 wrapper, that combines an aged Dominican, olor binder with a 15-year old Dominican Filler. Housed in unique wooden boxes that aesthetically evoke a maturing wine barrel, the Cellar Reserve is a delicious medium to full-bodied cigar that is full of flavor and complexity.
• 6 x 60
• Kraken (Gordo)
• Dominican
• Box of 20 Cigars

Cellar Reserve 15 Year Kraken XO is a heavyweight in Kaizad Hansotia’ s Gurkha Cigar Group portfolio.

This vintage Kraken (gordo)  cigar contains 15 year aged Dominican tobacco bound by Dominican Olor binder and married to an oily Criollo 1998 wrapper. Perfect as a gift, the handsome cigars are carefully packaged in wooden boxes that promote further aging, similar to oak wine barrels.

The Criollo 1998 wrapper on the Gurkha Cellar Reserve has a pleasing  woodsy, oaky aroma. The cold draw produces flavors of pepper, oak wood, sweet tobacco and a touch of spice. The complex flavors increase in intensity as you smoke the cigar.  If you are a Gurkha fan and want a medium to full bodied smoking experience, the super-aged Cellar Reserve is for you. The oakiness of the Cellar Reserve calls for a full bodied red wine with a similar profile.

Themed parties are common around my house. Whether it’s a Kentucky Derby-themed barbecue, an elegant soiree, or a football bash, I tend to overdo it with little gimmicky details. A few years ago I threw an American Horror Story viewing party. One of my favorite television programs, at this time the extremely spooky Freak Show was airing. I thought a main course of medium- rare garlic and rosemary grilled lamb chops with red wine sauce and mushroom risotto would be fitting. Now to find the perfect wine. I probably spend toomuch time and thought on what wine to purchase, but on this particular day I was thrown a softball. Needless to say, there is a red wine called Freak Show Red. Yes. It was my lucky day. Freak Show is a Syrah blend from the Lodi region of California. Very robust, the bold body carries velvety smooth aromas of campfire smoke, ripe plum  and blackberry infused with maple syrup. The meal pairing was fantastic and the after dinner cigar being the Gurkha Kraken, with a second bottle of Freak Show Red, completed the creepy evening.