There was quite a bit going on at La Galera Cigars and its parent company, IndianHead Cigars at PCA 2025. La Galera Cigars is a premium cigar brand owned by Jochy Blanco. Based in the Dominican Republic, Blanco was best known for many years as a tobacco grower and owner of Tabacalera Palma. In 2015, Jochy decided to enter the market with his own brand. He would acquire IndianHead Cigars from Bill Bock (who had decided to retire). At the time, IndianHead Cigars was primarily focused on value-priced cigars. Blanco added a premium brand to the portfolio, which was La Galera. This year, we saw a new release from La Galera, as well as a couple of new releases under IndianHead’s Rough Rider brand. Finally, IndianHead introduced a new line of accessories.
While there were plenty of cigars and accessories on display at the La Galera / IndianHead booth, it’s important to remember that Jochy Blanco also owns a large farming operation in the Dominican Republic. We were reminded by some seedlings that were on display in the booth. Another fact is that the Tabacalera Palma factory has recently relocated to a new, larger, and modernized facility.
As we saw during our visit, while Jochy remains the face of his operations, his son Jose Manuel is assuming an increasingly important role, encompassing farming, production, and distribution.
La Galera
This year, the featured La Galera product was the Year of the Snake. This cigar has already been making its way through the Asian market and has now been launched in the U.S. market. The Year of the Snake cigar commemorates 2025, corresponding to the snake in the Chinese Zodiac. This cigar is a Churchill size, measuring 7 x 47, and features a blend highlighted by a Mexican San Andrés wrapper. The binder is Dominican Olor, while the filler consists of all-Dominican tobaccos, including Olor, Criollo ’98, Piloto, and the rare Pelo de Oro. Each cigar will come in 12-count boxes, which also include a two-finger leather cigar case that resembles snakeskin. This snakeskin texture is also on the outside of the box.
La Galera is adding new Half Corona Tin offerings to its 1936 Box Pressed, Imperial Jade, Maduro, and Anemoi lines. These join the current La Galera Connecticut and Habano offerings. Each of the tins contains five 3 1/2 x 46 Half Corona-sized cigars.
Rough Rider
The 2025 PCA Trade Show saw the introduction of the Rough Rider Sweets Candela. As the name indicates, Rough Rider Sweets Candela features a Candela wrapper. The remainder of the blend features a Mexican binder and a combination of Criollo ’98, Piloto Cubano, and Cameroon fillers. The Sweets Candela comes in three sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), and Gordo (6 x 60).. Each comes in 25-count boxes. Pricing ranges from $7.00 to $8.00.
Finally, the Rough Rider Señoritas is a 4 1/2 x 27 petite offering. These come in 20-count boxes and feature a Habano wrapper, Dominican binder, and a combination of Criollo ’98 and Dominican Piloto Cubano. Pricing comes in at $23.65.
SMKN Accessories
IndianHead Cigars is now distributing SMKN (pronounced Smokin’) accessories. This year, a trio of accessories was showcased. Jose Manuel Blanco and the Tabacalera Team worked on and own the designs for these accessories.
DoS Lighter
This lighter offers either a Jet Flame or a soft flame. Additionally, it provides the opportunity to use both flames simultaneously. It’s available in four finishes, with pricing coming in at $79.99
- Brown Wood and Copper
- Champagne and Chrome
- Olive Green and Black Chrome
- Black Camo and Black Chrome.
Ergo Cut
As the name indicates, it has an ergonomic design and is designed to be gripped by either left or right-handed individuals. It is available in four models, with pricing starting at $79.99.
- Silver and Chrome
- Copper and Silver Blade
- Olive Green and Black Blade
- Black Camo and Black Blade
Palm Cut
This is a single guillotine cutter designed to fit in the palm of your hand. It also features a removable “perfect cut” backplate. This allows you to use the perfect cut feature as needed. It is available in four finishes. Pricing comes in at $79.99
- Brown and Dark Wood
- Black on Black
- Champagne
- Cedar Wood
La Galera Branded SMKN Accessories
Each of the accessories above is available in a limited-edition La Galera-branded design. A total of 250 pieces of each of these are being made available worldwide. Pricing comes in at $89.99.
- DoS Galera Crest
- Ergo Cut La Galera Brand
- Palm Cut
Interview with Jose Manuel Blanco, La Galera / IndianHead Cigars
