PCA 2025: Gurkha Cigars

Each year at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Gurkha introduces several new releases, and 2025 was no exception. A few years ago, Gurkha decided to emphasize its capabilities as a cigar maker, which led to a more simplified packaging approach. However, in the past couple of years, Gurkha has returned to its roots with more ornate and elaborate packaging while continuing to enhance its cigar-making skills. Additionally, the 2025 PCA Trade Show featured the unveiling of a new brand, Volition America, which was launched in late 2024 and presents an entirely different theme.

Gurkha Dragonfly

Dragonfly was a line that was initially exclusive to the European market, but this year it is being released for the U.S. market. It’s highlighted by sleek, contemporary packaging. Dragonfly consists of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and a Sumatra binder. The fillers are a combination of Dominican, Criollo ’98, and Nicaraguan Estelí tobacco. The cigar is a 6 1/4 x 52 Toro, and each comes in an individual glass tube. The tubes come in 20-count boxes. The packaging for the U.S. is new. It features a signature sticker that matches the cigar band and includes a barcode instead of the white tape found on the European version. Pricing comes in at $17.50, and the cigars have begun shipping.

Year of Snake

This is Gurkha’s second Chinese Zodiac release, and the wording is correct: “Year of Snake.” Last year, Gurkha worked with five different manufacturing partners for its Year of the Dragon series. This year, Gurkha cuts down to three, but all three that are manufacturing partners for the Snake did the Dragon releases last year. The packaging is also quite sleek and ornate.

The Oscar Valladares Year of Snake is a 6 x 52 Habano blend and comes in a red humidor. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s Year of Snake is a 6 1/2 x 52 Toro that uses an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper and is in a blue humidor. Finally, Oliva’s Year of Snake comes in a 6 5/8 x 52. The Oliva blend features a Mexican San Andres wrapper and comes in a black humidor. There are 750 boxes of each of the Year of Snake blends. All three blends come in at a $19.99 price point.

Gurkha is also releasing a dome-topped green humidor with the Year of Snake theme. A total of 500 numbered humidors will be entering the market. Pricing is $1,200.00 per unit.

Gurkha Fat Boy

Fat Boy is a new line of thick ring gauge cigars from Gurkha. The packaging is not ornate, but by no means simplistic. A Habano wrapper highlights Fat Boy. It comes in 20-count boxes in four thick sizes: 4 x 60 (SRP $8.95/cigar), 5 x 6 (SRP $9.50/cigar), and 6 x 66 (SRP $9.95/cigar). The remainder of the blend and production have not been disclosed, but Gurkha says they are produced in Nicaragua.

Volition America

As mentioned, Gurkha introduced this new brand in 2024, but it first appeared on the big stage at PCA 2025. The cigar pays homage to both America and those fighting for freedom. As part of this project, Gurkha will donate 13% of all proceeds for every cigar purchased to directly fund educational scholarships for the children and spouses of fallen and disabled military members and first responders through Folds of Honor. Produced in Nicaragua, Volition America will feature three blends, each with a different wrapper: Connecticut (Blue Box), Habano (White Box), and Maduro (Red Box). All three blends incorporate a Nicaraguan binder and a combination of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. The three blends come in one size, 6 x 54 Toro, presented in 13-count boxes.

Interestingly, since PCA, there has been a packaging change to what has been shown. Originally, Volition America was presented in elongated 13-count boxes. The cigars are now in cabinet-style boxes with two rows of cigars. The box colors and, more importantly, the blend stay the same. Pricing comes in at $13.00 SRP for each of the cigars in the line.

Meanwhile, Gurkha also showcased the Volition Freedom Humidor. The Freedom Humidor has a contemporary look and can hold up to 200 cigars, with an American flag framed inside the lid. The Freedom Humidor holds an MSRP of $1,500.00. This includes a gold ashtray and lighter branded for Volition America by Gurkha Cigars.

Colección Especial

In 2024, Gurkha was forced to put production of the Colección Especial line on hold because of the availability of the hybrid wrapper used on the line. This year, right before PCA, Gurkha announced the return of the Colección Especial. While it’s returning in all three sizes (Robusto, Lonsdale, and Toro), the big change is in factories. Production is shifting from PDR Cigars to Tabacalera Palma, the factory owned by Jochy Blanco. The elegant white boxes remain.

Ghost Baggies

The Ghost Baggie is a new sampler of cigars from the Gurkha Ghost brand. It replaces a yellow and red colored bag with a branded Ghost humidified fresh pack. There are six cigars in the Ghost Baggie: two each from the Ghost, Ghost Gold, and Ghost Connecticut lines.

Gurkha’s Ghost Baggie will replace the yellow-red bag that previously housed the Ghost family lineup. Six assorted Ghost Asura cigars will now be found in a branded Ghost fresh-pack baggie. The sampler holds two Ghost, two Ghost Gold, and two Ghost Connecticut cigars. Each cigar comes in the Asura (Toro) size. Pricing for the Ghost Baggie comes in at $43.00 SRP.