IPCPR 2016: La Galera/Indianhead

For many recent trade shows, José “Jochy” Blanco’s presence at the annual IPCPR Convention & Trade Show has been felt by way of the brands he produces cigars for by way of Tabacalera Palma, a list that includes Boutique Blends and Las Cumbres Tabaco. Since acquiring Indianhead Tobacco last fall, however, Blanco has moved into the world of brand owner as well as producer, reviving a number of Indianhead brands while launching La Galera, his own line that pays tribute to the rolling rooms of a factory and where he says the true magic of a cigar happens.

The booth is split into three distinct display areas, a featured area with a display case that showed off the headlining new La Galera lines, a second area for La Galera that showed off a new line as well as several new sizes, and a third area for Indianhead that showed off a new look for many of the heritage brands Blanco acquired in the sale.

La Galera 80th Anniversary Box Pressed Limited Edition

The headlining cigar of the La Galera portion of the booth and one of two cigars celebrating the company’s anniversary, the La Galera 80th Anniversary Box Pressed is the limited edition, with just 4,000 boxes being produced. Each box is shaped like a cigar mold, one of the staple items found in any rolling room. Inside are 14 cigars, seven of each of the two vitolas being released, as well as a certificate signed by the people who created the cigars. The wrapper is said to come from Blanco’s most treasured reserve of tobacco, while the piloto cubano and criollo come from the Potrero farm. Only four individuals were entrusted with the creation of these cigars, each capable of bunching and rolling both vitolas.

• Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
• Binder: Dominican Republic Corojo
• Filler: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano, Criollo 98 and Olor

• La Galera 80th Anniversary Box Pressed Limited Edition Cortador (6 1/8 x 52) — $11.50
• La Galera 80th Anniversary Box Pressed Limited Edition El Lector (5 x 54) — $11.50
• La Galera 80th Anniversary Box Pressed Limited Edition Box — $161 (contains 7 Cortador and 7 El Lector vitolas)

Launch Date: Immediately following the trade show

Production: 4,000 Boxes of 14 Cigars

La Galera 1936 Box Pressed

The second of two cigars celebrating Tabacalera Palma’s 80th anniversary, this is the regular production addition and is said to be a blend that Blanco envisioned many years ago. The tobacco used for the binder and filler come from the company’s La Canela farms.

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
• Binder: Dominican Republic Criollo 98
• Filler: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98

• La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Cabeza Caracol (7 1/4 x 50) — $8.50 (Box of 21, $178.50)
• La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Chaveta (5 x 50) — $7.20 (Box of 21, $151.20)
• La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Cortador (6 1/4 x 52) — $8 (Box of 21, $168)
• La Galera 1936 Box Pressed El Lector (6 x 54) — $8 (Box of 21, $168)
• La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Pegador (6 x 46) — $6.30 (Box of 21, $132.30)
• La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Pilones (6 1/4 x 60) — $9.20 (Box of 21, $193.20)

Launch Date: Immediately following the trade show

Production: Regular production

La Galera Maduro

A new core line addition to the La Galera portfolio, this cigar uses a Mexican San Andrés wrapper with Dominican pIloto cubano and criollo 98 from Tabacalera Palma’s Jacagua and Gurabo farms underneath. It’s being released in six sizes and will be a complement to the company’s existing La Galera Connecticut and La Galera Habano lines.

• Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Maduro
• Binder: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano
• Filler: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98

• La Galera Maduro Cabeza Caracol (7 1/4 x 50) — $6.75 (Box of 20, $135)
• La Galera Maduro Chaveta (5 x 50) — $5.75 (Box of 20, $115)
• La Galera Maduro Cortador (6 1/4 x 52) — $6.50 (Box of 20, $130)
• La Galera Maduro El Lector (6 x 54) — $6.50 (Box of 20, $130)
• La Galera Maduro Pegador (6 x 46) — $5.50 (Box of 20, $110)
• La Galera Maduro Vitola No. 1 (3 1/2 x 50) — $4 (Box of 20, $80)

Launch Date: Immediately after the trade show

Production: Regular production

La Galera Tins

The La Galera Connecticut and Habano lines are both getting a new 3 1/2 x 46 size that will be available in five-pack tins/five tin blocks. A version for the Maduro line is also said to be on the way.

• La Galera Connecticut Tins (3 1/2 x 46) —  $5 per cigar, $25 per tin
• La Galera Habano Tins (3 1/2 x 46) — $5.50 per cigar, $27.50 per tin
• La Galera Maduro Tins (3 1/2 x 46) — Pricing TBA

La Galera Tubos

Another new size for both La Galera Connecticut and La Galera Habano, the El Lector No. 2 will come in tubos. These are slated to get a full release later in the year with pricing still being finalized.

• La Galera Connecticut El Lector No. 2 (5 7/8 x 52) — $7.90
• La Galera Habano El Lector No. 2 (5 7/8 x 52) — $9

American Stogies War Hunter

While the line is said to be designed for lovers of big ring gauges, each tray also contains a petit cigar called the Little Hunter which makes for a quick smoke or lunch break offering. It’s one of the heritage brands that has been part of Indianhead’s portfolio since 2001.

• Wrapper: Cuban-seed Corojo (Undisclosed country of origin)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic

• American Stogies War Hunter 6 x 60 — $5.25 (Bundle of 12, $63)
• American Stogies War Hunter 6 1/2 x 63 — $5.75 (Bundle of 12, $69)
• American Stogies War Hunter 7 x 70 — $6.50 (Bundle of 12, $78)
• American Stogies War Hunter Little Hunters (4 1/4 x 34) — $0.99 (Bundle of 36, $36)

Launch Date: July 2016

Production: Regular Production

Cuban Aristocrat

Another of the updated Indianhead products, Cuban Aristocrat debuted in 2007 and has been heralded as a hit for the Indianhead brand for the past decade. The entire line has received a refresh in terms of packaging, moving from bundles to boxes, with three wrapper options available and five sizes in each of the lines. A note on the pricing below, the Habano and Connecticut share the same pricing, while the Maduro version is slightly more expensive.

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano, Ecuadorian Connecticut or Mexican San Andrés Maduro
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic

• Cuban Aristocrat Churchill (7 x 50) — $4.29 (Box of 20, $85.80)
• Cuban Aristocrat Double Toro (6 1/4 x 54) — $4.07 (Box of 20, $81.40)
• Cuban Aristocrat Robusto (5 x 50) — $3.85 (Box of 20, $77)
• Cuban Aristocrat Toro (6 x 50) — $3.96 (Box of 20, $79.20)
• Cuban Aristocrat Torpedo (6 x 52) — $4.18 (Box of 20, $83.60)

• Cuban Aristocrat Maduro Churchill (7 x 50) — $4.40 (Box of 20, $88)
• Cuban Aristocrat Maduro Double Toro (6 1/4 x 54) — $4.29 (Box of 20, $85.80)
• Cuban Aristocrat Maduro Robusto (5 x 50) — $4.07 (Box of 20, $81.40)
• Cuban Aristocrat Maduro Toro (6 x 50) — $4.18 (Box of 20, $83.60)
• Cuban Aristocrat Maduro Torpedo (6 x 52) — $4.29 (Box of 20, $85.80)

Launch Date: Aug. 1, 2016

Production: Regular production

Cuban Twist

Indianhead’s bundle offering features a maduro wrapper with Honduran binder and fillers from Honduras and the Dominican Republic. It’s a Cuban sandwich style cigar, using medium filler to offer a value cigar.

• Wrapper: Maduro #400 (undisclosed country of origin)
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic

• Cuban Twist Churchill (7 x 50) — $2.31 (Bundle of 20, $46.34)
• Cuban Twist Double Toro (6 1/4 x 54) — $2.31 (Bundle of 20, $46.34)
• Cuban Twist Robusto (5 x 50) — $1.88 (Bundle of 20, $37.76)
• Cuban Twist Toro (6 x 50) — $2.11 (Bundle of 20, $42.32)
• Cuban Twist Torpedo (6 x 52) — $2.11 (Bundle of 20, $42.32)

Launch Date: Currently shipping

Production: Regular production

Rough Rider Sweets

Introduced in May, this long filler cigar was introduced as a mild offering with a touch of sweetness in the cap that offers notes of sugar cane, honey and wine. It comes in five sizes, all of which are made at Tabacalera Palma. It too has been on the market since 2001, but gets an updated look created by Fabian Barrantes, the company’s director of marketing and sales.

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano, Criollo 98

• Rough Rider Sweets Churchill (7 x 50) — $3.72 (Box of 25, $93)
• Rough Rider Sweets Gordo (6 x 60) — $3.88 (Box of 25, $97)
• Rough Rider Sweets Lonsdale (6 x 44) — $3.32 (Box of 25, $83)
• Rough Rider Sweets Robusto (5 x 50) — $3.32 (Box of 25, $83)
• Rough Rider Sweets Toro (6 x 52) — $3.56 (Box of 25, $89)

Launch Date: May 2016

Production: Regular production

Update (Aug. 4, 2016) — The company has updated pricing and information about the La Galera Tins and La Galera Tubos from what was made available at the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show and has been updated in this article.