CA Review Panel: La Galera 1936 Box Pressed
Video: La Galera 1936 Box Pressed—full Cigar Advisor panel review.
La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Backstory
Honoring the Blanco family’s establishment of their first Dominican factory in 1936, a special, box-pressed La Galera culminates a near century of premium tobacco excellence.
The blend was unveiled in 2017 to commemorate the company’s 80th anniversary (which happened the year prior); tobaccos include binder and long fillers grown on Jochy Blanco’s La Canela farm in the Dominican Republic.
We know what a big deal 80 years is. And that’s why we’re eager to burn these leaves and see what they’re all about. Continue below to find out our tasting notes, who we think cigar is for, video, and more!
Cigar Details:
Factory: Tabacalera Palma, Dominican Republic
Sizes Reviewed: 5” x 50 Chaveta (Robusto)
Strength: Medium Plus
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Dominican Republic Criollo ‘98
Filler: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano
Construction: Well-made, firm to the touch. An even pressing exhibits fairly sharp corners. The draw was good throughout.
Cold Draw: Cedar, hay, cocoa.
Base flavors: Earth, leather, sweet tobacco, red and black pepper.
Aroma: Sweet tobacco with hints of wood.
Burn & Ash: Even burn with solid ash.
Presented in boxes of 21.
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La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Cigar Reviews
John’s Tasting Notes…
Opening notes are pretty in-your-face smoky and earthy, which might be a “wow” moment for anyone who’s used to only mild Dominican cigars. There’s already a trail of pepper building in the finish.
The first third layers hints of earth, wood, citrus and cocoa. I repeat, hints – one doesn’t stand out as a dominant flavor. I’d call that pretty well-balanced. Saltiness on the lips and tongue arrives near the end of this section, and the La Galera 1936 sits at medium in body and strength.
Things pick up a bit in the middle third: the profile gets a dash of red pepper flakes that’s really drawn out through the finish. The base has coffee and earth, laced with the crisp taste of licorice. The last third is the most straightforward the La Galera 1936 has been – just “medium bodied cigar.” If you forced me to pin it down, I’d say coffee, earth, and red pepper. But they’re so evenly matched – balanced - that it’s hard to pick them out. Well, except for the pepper. The pepper is pretty obvious.
I’ll sum this up by asking out loud, “Why did it take 8 years to get around to smoking it?” No idea. If anything, this serves as a lesson to “try everything” even if it isn’t brand new in the humidor. Medium-plus, the smoke just drips off this Robusto. The Dominican traits are clear: hay, leather, salt. They balance nicely with the tangy, woody qualities of the Habano wrapper. Try to find a reason to smoke this La Galera 1936. And I don’t mean just to check the box to say you did, but because you might actually discover something really enjoyable that you didn’t even know you were looking for.
Gary’s Tasting Notes…
My Chaveta opened impressively offering sweet and smooth flavor with a hint of a peppery spice. However, the next couple of puffs proved even spicier, a la red-peppery, but fortunately, that didn’t last very long. A few minutes later the cigar recaptured some of that early sweetness accompanied by leather, earth, and a tangy lime-like note with a black pepper finish.
By the cigar’s midpoint, the body ticked up to medium-plus. This is also where the earthier elements began to dominate. From there, the leather, citrus, and sweeter notes faded slowly, while the black pepper finish never completely let go. That was pretty much the story for me.
From my experience, Jochy’s cigars have had an earthy-spicy flavor profile and are often medium-full to full in body. This La Galera 1936 Box Pressed Chaveta was no exception; yet even though it was more on the earthy-peppery side, patches of leather, sweetness, citrus, and cocoa occasionally found a narrow opening.
For the most part, I would say that if you’ve been smoking more medium-bodied Dominican cigars like the mainline Arturo Fuente or Montecristo cigars and want to know how far prime Dominican tobacco can be pushed, then Jochy’s your man, and this box-pressed Robusto will take you there.
Paul’s Tasting Notes…
Upon lighting, the La Galera 1936 opens with a pleasant citrus note, accompanied by a peppery undertone that informs that this isn’t a dime-a-dozen mellow Dominican cigar. As the smoke progresses, there’s an unmistakable earthiness adding depth to the profile. Starting at medium bodied, the La Galera gains steam heading into the second portion.
Around the midpoint a hint of sweetness, akin to caramel or molasses, bares its teeth and balances the spicy and earthy notes. The La Galera 1936 now sits comfortably between medium and full bodied, offering a fulfilling experience without overwhelming.
The final third maintains consistency, which is a testament to its quality construction. The spice and earth remain constant companions, now joined by a subtle leather note and some espresso adding a dose of complexity.
Throughout the smoke, the burn remains impressively even—a not-so-simple feat, considering the La Galera 1936 is box-pressed—requiring no touch-ups. Not to mention, the ash holds firm, further evidence of stellar construction.
Summing it up, the La Galera 1936 is well-balanced, meaty, and flavorful. Moreover, it’s a cigar that holds some appeal to both novice smokers and experienced vets with its restrained strength. Whether it’s in your lineup on a multi-cigar day or a treat on a cool, relaxing evening—La Galera 1936 Box Pressed won’t disappoint.