Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic vs Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro
How do Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic and Gurkha Royal Challenge Torostack up? Here's the head-to-head — strength, wrapper, flavor, size, and critic ratings — plus which one to reach for.
The short answer
The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic is the fuller, stronger smoke (Medium); the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro is the milder of the two (Mild-Medium).
- Strength
- Body
- Medium
- Mild-Medium
- Origin
- Dominican Republic
- Dominican Republic
- Wrapper
- Cameroon
- Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
- Binder
- Dominican
- Honduran Habano
- Filler
- Dominican
- Nicaraguan and Dominican
- Vitola
- Perfecto (Double Corona)
- Toro
- Size
- 7 in × 48
- 6 in × 50
- Rating
- 92/100 · 2009
- —
- Flavor
- CedarRoasted nutsCoffeeLeatherSweet spice
- CedarSweet teaVanillaCitrusLight spice
The verdict
- Strength
- Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic is the bolder smoke (Medium vs Mild-Medium). New to cigars? Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro is the friendlier place to start.
- Critic scores
- Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic carries the published pedigree (92 points from the critics).
Both are worth knowing — the "better" cigar is the one that fits your taste and the moment.
Choose Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic if
you want a bolder, fuller-bodied cigar, or earthy notes appeal to you.
See Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic →Choose Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro if
you want the milder, more beginner-friendly smoke, or earthy notes appeal to you.
See Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro →Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic vs Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro — FAQ
- Is the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic or the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro better for beginners?
- The Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro is the gentler of the two (Mild-Medium-bodied), which usually makes it the friendlier pick for a newer smoker.
- Is the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic or the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro stronger?
- The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic is stronger — it's Medium-bodied, versus Mild-Medium for the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro.
- What's the difference between the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic and the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro?
- The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic is a medium Dominican Republic cigar with a Cameroon wrapper; the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro is a mild-medium Dominican Republic cigar with a Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper.
- Which is rated higher, the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic or the Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro?
- Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic: Cigar Aficionado 92/100. Gurkha Royal Challenge Toro: no published critic score yet.