La Galera
A Dominican signature line built from the Blanco family's tobacco reserves
- Family
- The Blanco family, through Tabacalera Palma; José Arnaldo “Jochy” Blanco is owner and blender
- Made in
- Dominican Republic
- Lines here
- 5
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The house
The story of La Galera
La Galera is the signature cigar line of José Arnaldo “Jochy” Blanco, a tobacco grower and cigar maker whose family business, Tabacalera Palma, was established in 1936. The family has grown tobacco and accumulated reserves for decades.
Before La Galera entered the United States, much of Jochy Blanco’s production was sold in Europe. His Dominican tobacco has also been used by other cigar brands, including La Flor Dominicana and Aging Room.
The line draws heavily on tobacco grown at the family’s Dominican farms while also allowing Blanco to select leaf from other countries. La Galera Maduro, for example, combines a Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper with Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98 from the Jacagua and Gurabo farms.
Imperial Jade reflects the house’s willingness to work with demanding materials. It uses an African Cameroon wrapper, a Criollo binder from Jacagua, and fillers of Piloto Cubano from Jacagua and Criollo 98 from La Canela.
Milestones
Moments that made the house
- 1936
Tabacalera Palma established
The Blanco family business behind La Galera was established in 1936.
Craft
How they make them
La Galera cigars are hand rolled with long filler in the Dominican Republic. Jochy Blanco blends from extensive tobacco reserves, including leaf grown on his family’s farms. The Maduro uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over Dominican binder and filler, including Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98. Imperial Jade uses an African Cameroon wrapper, a Jacagua Criollo binder, and Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98 fillers from the Jacagua and La Canela farms.
Details
Things most people don't know
- Family foundation
- The Blanco family business, Tabacalera Palma, was established in 1936.
- Earlier market
- Much of Jochy Blanco’s production was sold in Europe before La Galera entered the U.S. market.
- Industry supplier
- Tobacco grown on Jochy Blanco’s Dominican farms has been used by La Flor Dominicana and Aging Room.
- Farm-specific blend
- Imperial Jade combines tobacco from the Jacagua and La Canela farms.
- Cameroon wrapper
- Imperial Jade uses a genuine African Cameroon wrapper despite the leaf’s difficult processing requirements.
In the humidor
La Galera up close
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