What the heck. I'll jump into the fire just for fun...
I enjoyed the RP 1992 for a while, but either my taste has evolved or they're having consistency issues - they just don't do it for me the last couple I had. I think the Nording (either size) are a great everyday smoke (to date - time will tell). The 1961 torpedo is great - med/full with a ton of flavor. 5-6 other RPs I tried (OWR, Edge, 1990, etc) don't do much for me...
I avoided Gurkha for a long time until I smoked an aged Beast blind. It was exceptional! I must admit I went overboard buying cheap Gurks online and have now acquired enough to keep me busy. Big problem is that all I've tried were either fantastic or so terrible I immediately moved others like them into quarantine and ran to brush my teeth.
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For me, I have a similar problem with both brands. They are spread way too thin and you don't know what to expect. I can put one from each line in my Top 20 list, but many others on my s*** list. To enjoy their stuff, I have to approach each new blend (or sadly each new box for RP) as a smoke I've never tried. I love some and hate some, but always start with the lowest expectations.
I've tried to be balanced in my feedback, but I think what seems like elitism when put in certain ways is just the same two cents from other BOTL who have had the same experience I've had with these two brands.
The bottom line is that life is too short to smoke crappy cigars and whether you are willing to drop $4 or $40 for a stick, there are a number of quality-focused brands that you *KNOW* will deliver every time.
I smoke enough cigars every week to risk some bad ones in search of a new experience or even a new favorite, but if I was only smoking a few sticks a week, there are dozens of brands I wouldn't touch.
As brothers in this fascinating passion for cigars, I think it's great to have a place to share our opinions. I hope we can all appreciate the opportunity and try not to be offended when a brother calls our favorite smoke a flaming turd. With rare exception, it's just an honest assessment. Is it really all that different than reading a glowing review and dropping $10 on a stick you think is terrible? Our tastes are simply different.
Thank God there are 1000 different sticks so we can all enjoy and share in our common quest for the ultimate smoke.
Just my two cents - no refunds.