First Thoughts: La Galera Habano

• Vitola: Robusto
• 5” x 50 ring gauge
• MSRP $6.20
• Received from local rep

Background

Yesterday, I took a short look at the La Galera Connecticut, a new cigar from the Indian Head Cigar company. It is an excellent milder smoke with a Dominican-based blend. Today, I continue my “cigar auditions” by taking a look at the Habano version of La Galera.

To recap, I got sick…I got better…but very slowly. I’m definitely feeling much better at this point, but still not so much that I feel I should be giving any cigars a scored review. I got a few stogies thrown my way recently for “audition” purposes so we could consider bringing them into Burns Tobacconist, the shop where I work, and I thought I would take you along on the testing process…at least let you know my thoughts on the cigars.

La Galera Connecticut was a great first exposure to this new brand, with both me and the shop owner enjoying it. Mike enjoys milder cigars more, so he often defers to me for opinions on the fuller-bodied smokes, so my opinion does actually matter on this Habano version…there a first for everything, I guess!

This blend uses Ecuadorian Habano leaf for the wrapper, along with a Dominican Corojo binder, and Dominican Piloto Cubano, Criollo 98, and Pelo de Oro leaves for the filler. Wait…Pelo de Oro? Yes, they are apparently using that rare leaf varietal in a relatively inexpensive cigar. That automatically got my attention.

La Galera Habano is available in 4 sizes for the U.S. market, a Robusto (what I’m smoking today), a 6 x 54 Toro, a 6.25 x 52 Torpedo, and a 6.25 x 60 Gordo. There are an additional 3 sizes being made for the European market (7 x 47 Churchill, 5.5 x 42 “Bonchero No. 4” and a 7.25 x 38 Lancero); they will also be available for retailers who carry all the Habano and Connecticut vitolas. The prices are all a tick higher than what they offer the Connecticut blend for.

Notes

The banding on this is notably different and more elaborate than the Connecticut line. The logo remains the same, but pretty much everything else on the band is different. That’s a step further than most companies are going these days in terms of basic marketing materials…it’s not uncommon to see the exact same bands on two or three lines, with just secondary bands to distinguish them. Or to see the same exact design with small alterations in colors used to distinguish them. It does take more time…and shows more thought…to have two completely different bands that nonetheless look like they belong to the same family.

The dark chocolate-colored wrapper leaf had plenty of oiliness under my fingertips and an aroma of earth and leather. The foot had a bit of chocolate mixed with earthy and bready notes. The cold draw had a deep chocolate sweetness right up front.

La Galera Habano opened up with notes of cedar, earth, black coffee and cocoa powder upon light-up. There was a touch of red pepper on the tongue, but a significantly higher amount on the nose.

After 15 minutes or so, the predominant flavors I got were leather, earth and coffee. The cocoa powder and cedar receded significantly along with the sweeter notes, but the flavor profile was overall still very pleasing.

About halfway through the cigar I picked up on a pleasant sweet mustiness that I figured to be the Pelo de Oro coming up in the flavor profile. The notes of leather and coffee rode along prominently still, too.

I ended up enjoying this blend quite a bit and it does fall more into my wheelhouse than does the Connecticut, although I would say that the Conny exceeded my expectations while this La Galera Habano really just met them. Not a bad thing at all…I expect the shop will do well with these.