Today we offer the Stogie Press Rough Cut cigar review notes on the MBombay Gaaja. I received samples of the Gaaja from Mel Shah, owner of Bombay Tobak/MBombay a little over a week ago so this review is based on fresh samples. In Sanskrit language “Gaja” (Pronounced: guj ), means elephant.
According to the Mbombay Press Release:
“We had been working on the blend of Gaaja for more than 4 years. The process involved in logistics and long fermentation of tobacco from countries like Peru and Paraguay, really tested our patience. We had to wait for 3 vintages of the Hybrid Connecticut wrapper leaf for the perfection we wanted. As the elders say, “patience pays off”; hence Gaaja.”
The MBombay Gaaja is available in one size; a 6 x 54 – Box press
The MBombay Gaaja blend is described as follows:
- Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut desflorado, Variety Hybrid Mejorado 2004
- Binder: Ecuador HVA Seca Mejorada
- Filler:
- Seco: Perú Hybrid Habano
- Viso: Ecuador criollo 98, Paraguay Hybrid Habano 2000, Dominican criollo 98.
- Ligero: Dominican HVA Mejorado
Cigar Review Notes
- Sweet tea aroma on the foot
- Ultra smooth and high sheen wrapper
- Fruit flavor on the tongue during cold draw
- Leather and pepper enter once fired up
- White pepper and tangy fruit appears
- Cocoa bean aroma filling the air
- Interesting band keeping with Indian heritage and applied perfectly with pride
- Pepper settles in background after half-inch
- Solid light grey ash on a thick char line
- Thick and creamy smoke
- Flavor further develops after inch of burn – getting a little meaty
- Sugary almost beer nut flavor finds its way in
- Good medium strength cigar to start
- Wrapper shows signs of oiling after first third
- Smoke smoothed out well with increased cocoa showing up in flavor and aroma
- Long tangy finish
- Decent burn cone as ash falls after two inches – Mel Makes a fine smoke!
- Strength starts to ratchet up
- Bitter sweet undertone develops like a 80% dark chocolate
- Spice increases as it enters last third
- Tangy finish
- Strength is just shy of full through almost 90 minutes of flavor complexity
- Terrific Cigar for sure – curious to see how it ages.
Overall, the MBombay Gaaja was an outstanding cigar that continued to deliver on the quality, flavors, and aromas that we have come to expect from Mel Shah. The Gaaja was an error free smoking experience. The blend was able to bring the standard Connection bitterness to the palate in a delicate and pleasing manner, highlighting dark chocolate over the bitterness.
MBombay Gaaja