Villiger Cigars has announced plans to release a limited edition cigar called the Villiger 1888 Especiales at the 2014 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas later this month.

The 6 1/2 x 50 toro uses an Ecuadorian Desflorado wrapper, Mexican San Andrés Negro binder and a filler blend of Santo Domingo seco, Nicaraguan viso and what the company is calling a “special doble ligero.”

The Villiger 1888 Especiales will be released in 20-count boxes with a retail price of $9.00 per cigar and $180.00 per box. It is being made at the ABAM factory in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Fabian Barrantes, director of marketing for Villiger, says that the initial run of the 1888 Especiales will be 10,000 cigars and is expected to start shipping right after the show, meaning it could be arriving at retail as early as the end of July.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.