Rough Rider Chapter One

These cigars are the brainchild of Jochi Blanco, owner of Tabacalera La Palma, located in Tamboril in the Dominican Republic. At first glance, the name suggests something rough and wild, but the cigars are neither—despite what the branding might imply. I’m not entirely sure how the name is supposed to boost sales, but brand names are probably as endlessly debatable as taste itself. After a successful collaboration with Rafael Nodal (“Aging Room”, “SWAG”), Blanco launched his first own cigar brand, La Galera, as a tribute to the place where cigars are born—the “galera” room. That’s where skilled torcedores put their craftsmanship on display, creating cigars that impress with balance and depth.

La Galera by Jochi Blanco: Cigar Craftsmanship from Tamboril

Jochi Blanco is one of the major producers in the Dominican Republic. In the past, he primarily worked as a contract manufacturer for other brands, earning an excellent reputation in the industry. Since the mid-2010s, he has also been represented in the German market with his own brand La Galera and an extensive portfolio, distributed through VCF (Vandermarliere Cigar Family). Perhaps at some point he realized that a single-brand strategy might be too risky in the long run and that his “regular” La Galera cigars weren’t reaching the “tough” and “wild” cigar aficionados. And so, a new brand was launched, introducing its first line as Chapter One. In English, “chapter” refers to parts of a book—but it also denotes local or regional divisions of motorcycle clubs. That closes the loop back to the intended “tough” target audience.

Rough Rider Cigars: Mild Dominicans with Connecticut Shade Wrapper

Interestingly, the Rough Rider cigars are entirely different products internationally compared to those in Germany. Here, they are mild, straightforward cigars with a Connecticut Shade wrapper from Ecuador, rolled with a Dominican binder and an all-Dominican filler. In the U.S., cigars and cigarillos sold under the same name are surprisingly sweetened and machine-made. So don’t be surprised on your next trip to the States!