Ferio Tego Timeless TAA 2022 Shipping This Spring

In one of the least surprising turns of events, Ferio Tego’s first TAA exclusive release looks very similar to Nat Sherman’s last TAA release.

That’s because Ferio Tego is in many ways the new Nat Sherman, especially when it comes to the products themselves. Ferio Tego launched last year, a new company from Michael Herklots and Brendon Scott, both former employees of Nat Sherman. In 2019, Altria—who purchased Nat Sherman in early 2017—announced plans to sell the non-cigarette parts of Nat Sherman, namely the premium cigar, pipe and accessory business units. After the COVID-19 pandemic derailed a deal with a different company, Herklots and Scott put together an offer to buy the assets, which included the brands, brand designs and blends, but not the Nat Sherman name itself.

Last year, Ferio Tego launched a portfolio that is almost exclusively the old Nat Sherman brands—the same blends made at the same factories—but now under the Ferio Tego name.

For its first TAA release, the company is releasing a cigar that it says was inspired by the (Nat Sherman) Timeless TAA 2020. It is a 6 x 50 toro made entirely of Nicaraguan tobaccos and rolled at Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The Ferio Tego Timeless TAA 2022 has an MSRP of $15 per cigar and is limited to 700 bundles of 10 cigars. Ferio Tego says it will begin shipping the cigars later this spring.

“The 2020 TAA Limited was launched just as the nation went into lock down,” said Herklots in a press release. “So much has happened over these last two years. This year’s Timeless TAA 2022 is largely inspired by the 2020 blend, utilizing very special tobaccos from Nicaragua, filler tobaccos and a binder from the Jalapa region and a wrapper from Esteli. We worked closely with the Plasencias to create complexity and nuance, but also vivaciousness. The result is a blend experience that is savory but also full of life… perfect for 2022 and looking towards a bright future.”

The TAA is a fairly small group of some of the country’s top tobacconists, about 80 retailers, as well as 40 or so manufacturers. The association gathers annually to discuss issues facing the industry and retailers, as well as to have its annual trade show, a unique event that works on a group buying format in order to secure exclusive deals for these generally high-volume merchants.

During the event—which began yesterday and runs until Thursday in Cabo San Lucas—the organization holds two selling events, one known as the Dream Machine where the retailers collectively order to secure larger discounts, while the other is a more traditional trade show. Typically, around a dozen manufacturers release new exclusive cigars for the retail members of the organization under the TAA Exclusive Series Program banner. Those manufacturers agree to give a portion of the proceeds to the organization, a minimum of 50 cents per cigar.

So far, Crowned Heads, Ferio Tego and Villiger have announced TAA 2022 releases.