Tyson 2.0

Undisputed

There are celebrity endorsed and inspired cigar projects and then there is a quintessential pairing of premium tobacco brand and iconic figure. The latter is very much the case with the Gurkha Tyson 2.0 Undisputed. For the uninitiated, Mike Tyson is one of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport. Alongside Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson, George Foreman, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard and Robinson, Tyson is one of the most revered names in combat sports after compiling an astonishing 50-6 record with 44 knockouts. He is widely consider...ed to be the hardest hitter among all boxers. With that in mind, the folks at Gurkha could not make a cigar bearing his name that didn’t pack a punch. Jim Colucci, the Gurkha Cigar group president said of the project: “Our collaboration with Mike Tyson and his teams at LGNDS and Carma HoldCo is a very unique one. We believe we’ve chosen the perfect blends together to represent the Tyson 2.0 brand.” The Undisputed line covers two different blends, one with a Maduro wrapper and the other bearing a Habano wrapper. The Maduro blend features a Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper, Cameroon binder and a filler of T13, Corojo and broadleaf tobaccos, though typical to many Gurkha releases, the origin countries of the tobaccos were kept under lock and key. The Habano blend boasts an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Indonesian binder and filler with Criollo ‘98 and Nicaraguan tobacco. Both cigars are on the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, making them perfect for a not-too-overpowering morning smoke, or the ideal way to end the evening with a cocktail or favorite beer. Crafted by El Artista in the Dominican Republic, the presentation of both blends is astonishing. Tyson’s face adorns either a shimmering golden box or a black box, making this the perfect collector’s item for those who love both cigars and boxing history. Given that both are so intertwined, there’s a chance the boxing fan in your life is a cigar aficionado, or vice-versa. Gurkha has become an expert in the art of smaller-batch, collector’s style cigars. The Tyson Undisputed will have fewer than 3,000 boxes on the market and while the delectable sticks could become a full-time part of the brand’s lineup, there is absolutely a sense of urgency given the high quality of the tobacco being utilized and the artisan style creation process, which is difficult to replicate for larger releases. Gurkha was the brand behind the Year of the Dragon, Ghost, Heritage, Treinta and Colorado among many other successful blends. The Year of the Dragon collection ended up being a smash hit, with different pairings overseen by some of the biggest names in the cigarmaking world. The initial Year of the Dragon release unleashed just 1,500 boxes onto the market and was sold out almost instantaneously thanks to the renowned ingredients and beautiful packaging. Trying to decide which blend is for you? The Habano is a more earthy cigar, with notes of pepper, toast and spice. This wrapper style and blend works well with coffee lovers and also beer drinkers who prefer pale ales or amber style lagers. The earth and spice in particular work well with the caramel type notes that are often drawn from these particular beers. The Maduro on the other hand has tasting notes of dark chocolate and peppery spice. This combination pairs specifically well with cognacs, espressos and dark stout beers. Given the incredible price point for these boxes and cigars individually—each cigar blend is available in two different sizes, a 6x54 Toro Gordo and a 7x60 Gordo Extra—it makes sense to own them as a pair, especially if you plan on displaying the boxes within your collection. There is a reason the Gurkha company has been able to pull off an incredible feat like this. Since 1989 when the brand was resurrected and taken over by Kaizad Hansotia, the company drove all of its efforts into reestablishing the centuries old ethos of the company,