History
Tabacalera Palma’s emergence predates to the mid-19th century, when a Spaniard named José Manuel Blanco Lozada moves to the Dominican Republic and pursues the trade of tropical fruits and tobacco. His son José Arnaldo Blanco I, took the initiative to grow tobacco.
Jose Arnaldo I went on to have a son baptized as José Arnaldo II, who married Irene Dominguez, a hardworking woman that became active with him in the business. They both devoted all their efforts to the trade of cocoa beans, fruits, meats, and of course, tobacco. José Arnaldo Blanco II established Tabacalera Palma in 1925 and filed for industrial registration in 1936, becoming one of the first cigar manufacturers in the Dominican Republic. By 1960, ‘La Palma’ had grown to have around 200 full time rollers creating cigars for the local market.
Mr. Blanco II and Irene’s eighth child, José Arnaldo III, a member of the 3rd generation to bare that name, became part of the 4th generation in the family business. José Arnaldo Blanco III, affectionately known to all as “Jochy”, is the current owner
