First Sancho Panza TAA Exclusive Shipping in June

For the first time in the brand’s history, there will be a Sancho Panza made exclusively for retailers that are members of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA).

The Sancho Panza TAA Exclusive is a 5 x 50 robusto that uses a wrapper from the Jamastran Valley in Honduras over a binder from Jalapa, Nicaragua and fillers from three regions in Nicaragua: Condega, Estelí and Jalapa.

In addition to being the first Sancho Panza made for TAA retailers, this is also the first Sancho Panza to be made in Nicaragua. It is being made at STG Estelí with the company crediting Justin Andrews and Matt Booth for the creation of this cigar.

The MSRP is set at $8.99 per cigar and the cigar comes in boxes of 10 cigars. Production is limited to 750 boxes of 10 cigars. Forged Cigar Co., which distributes the non-Cuban Sancho Panza brand in the U.S., is expected to ship the cigars in June. For reference, Habanos S.A. sells the Cuban Sancho Panza in markets outside of the U.S.

The TAA is a membership group, which also includes approximately 40 manufacturers, that 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 takes place this week, March 26-30, at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic—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, CLE, Crowned Heads, Ferio Tego, Forged Cigar Co., General Cigar Co., Gurkha, J.C. Newman, Joya de Nicaragua, Kristoff, Miami Cigar & Co., My Father, Rocky Patel, Quality Importers Trading Co., Quesada, Tatuaje and Villiger Cigars North America have announced their TAA 2023 releases.