Indian Head boldly goes where no cigar has gone with the announcement of Anemoi (The name is pronounce a-nem-oy). The cigar is expected to debut at the 2019 IPCPR trade show and the company has sent over the following press release.
Despite not being thought of as essential, the winds play a vital role in the growing of tobacco. They instruct us, by way of their direction, of the best spaces in which to grow tobacco. The Greeks, geniuses in their own right, also understood the importance of wind.
The collective name of their wind gods is Anemoi. The northern wind was named Boreas. The southern wind was christened Notos. The eastern wind was baptized Eurus, and Zephyrus was reserved for the western wind. Each wind’s direction gave the Greeks an idea of whether to expect a good crop or to brace for a bad season. We considered paying our respects to these ubiquitous forces, appropriate.
The Dominican Republic is no exception to the influence of these winds. Indian Head researched the Boreas, Notos, Eurus, and Zephyrus in the natural habitat of our tobacco.
Boreas (North):
Northern winds usually occur during the winter and the fall, the wet season. The Cordillera Septentrional, a mountain range north of the Cibao Valley, keeps the heavy rain-packed clouds out. These water filled behemoths sink, allowing their lighter counterparts to make it through the mountains and water the crops in the Cibao valley with the perfect amount of water. As a result, farmers pay less attention to irrigating their crops and can focus on breeding and harvesting a better crop. Additionally, the perfect amount of rain from these lighter clouds comes in perfectly spaced intervals, practically removing the fear of flooding.
Notos (South):
The southern wind is the rarest out of the four and usually only occurs when a hurricane is making its way through the island. These winds are the strongest out of the four and bring the most rainfall but are never extensive. Our mountain ranges weaken the winds significantly, and the only observable consequence as a result of these brief but powerful outburst of Notos is tobacco plants that develop deeper roots, thicker leaves, and more prominent veins. All of these characteristics make for a stronger, bolder tobacco.
Eurus (East):
The eastern wind is the most common and practical airstream in our Cibao Valley and acts as a steady dehumidifier and cleanser. Eurus carries the excess humidity and disease to the eastern drier part of the island, which allows our tobacco to grow in an ideal humidity environment. The Steady winds force the plant to have sizeable and deep roots, allowing it to garner more nutrients and minerals; which in turn results in a more complex flavor and a sturdier crop.
Zephyrus (West):
The western wind is an indicator of rain. It brings heavy rain clouds from southern Cuba. Because the altitude of the valley gradually increases from west to east, these low hanging clouds are unable to leave the valley after they enter. They settle around Santiago, Tamboril, and Moca, places that host some of the best tobacco fields on the planet. Perhaps the most reliable wind, farmers in the Cibao valley have long known that a western wind meant impending rain.
La Galera Anemoi will come in four sizes, one for the god of each wind, plus fifth a key size representing their totality. The Boreas is a delectable 4.75 x 46 ($8.50 MSRP). The Eurus is an enticing 5.5 x 48 ($9.25). The Notos is an atypical 5 x 56 ($10.00). The Zephyrus is a stout 6 x 60 ($11.00), and the Anemoi, the main character in the series, is a timeless 6 3/8 x 52 ($12.00).
The distinguishing characteristic of La Galera Anemoi is its use of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper imported straight from the Connecticut River Valley.This wrapper’s gorgeous dark color is balanced with an aged selection of the richest tobacco from our legendary stockpiles. The cigar is rounded out by a Jacagua Corona binder (dubbed Anemoi Corojo) and fillers consisting of Criollo 98 and Piloto Cubana from La Canela. The goal was to balance a fascinating mix of flavors that melt on the palate. The end result? A fully satisfying experience worthy of carrying La Galera’s name forward.
In addition, La Galera Anemoi will only be carried by a carefully chosen list of retailers, as a reward for their support of our core line throughout our infancy as a brand.
La Galera Anemoi
