What separates a $15 cigar from one that commands seven figures? We examine every element that contributes to the Gurkha Royal Courtesan's legendary price.
When the Gurkha Royal Courtesan debuted in 2006, the cigar world held its breath. No one had ever attempted to make a cigar this expensive — not because the tobacco warranted it, but because every surrounding element was elevated to an art form.
The filler is a masterful blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan aged tobacco. The binder is Connecticut Broadleaf. But it is the wrapper — draped in genuine 24-karat gold leaf — that announces this cigar's ambitions. The cognac infusion, drawn from Remy Martin Louis XIII reserves, seeps into every cell of the tobacco during a months-long process.
The box is rosewood. The bands are engraved by hand. Fewer than 100 sets are produced annually. This is not a cigar you smoke on a Tuesday. It is a cigar you inherit.