Gurkha’s Elevated Tribute to an Industry Legend

Founded in 1989 by Kaizad Hansotia, Gurkha has built its reputation on an expansive portfolio of premium cigars, with production spanning the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras.

For the past 30 years, Gurkha has owed a great deal of its success to the dedicated efforts of Juan Lopez. The long-tenured cigar industry professional is best known for his leadership on the sales side and his hands-on influence in product development.

To mark his 30 years with the company, Gurkha has introduced Tres Décadas, a 1,000-box limited release recently unveiled at the 2026 PCA Expo in New Orleans. As a Nicaraguan Puro, Tres Décadas are housed in a very regal 10-count blue box. They are dressed in a dark, oily Habano wrapper and are offered in three sizes: 6 x 50, 6 x 52 and 6 1/2 x 56.

In a surprising twist, Lopez recently announced via Instagram that he will be stepping away from the cigar business, trading boardrooms for the cockpit, with plans to begin work as a co-pilot for a small airline based in Greece in just three weeks time following PCA.

It’s an unexpected departure, but also a fitting one. After all, he’s been someone who has spent 30 years helping the ‘uber-luxury’ brand reach new heights.