Oliva Serie V TAA Exclusive Shipping Next Month

For the first time in the company’s history, Oliva is making a TAA exclusive cigar.

The Oliva Serie V TAA Exclusive is a 7 x 54 torpedo that uses the regular Serie V blend: an Ecuadorian wrapper over a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos, including ligero from the Jalapa Valley.

Each cigar has an MSRP of $14.33 per cigar or $172 per box. Production is limited to 2,000 boxes of 12 cigars. Those boxes will begin shipping to stores that are members of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) next month.

The TAA is a membership group made up of approximately 80 retailers and roughly 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 is taking place Oct. 20-24 in Aruba—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 (ESP) banner. Those manufacturers agree to give a portion of the proceeds to the organization, a minimum of $1 per cigar, previously 50 cents.

Historically, the TAA Meeting & Convention has taken place in the spring, usually in late March or April. However, due to a change in dates for the 2024 PCA Convention & Trade Show—which took place in March instead of its normal summertime spot on the calendar—the TAA changed its date for 2024.

So far, CLE, Crowned Heads, E.P. Carrillo, Espinosa, Ferio Tego, Joya de Nicaragua, Kristoff, Miami Cigar & Co., Oliva, Plasencia, Quesada, STG and Villiger Cigars North America have announced new TAA ESP releases for 2024.

Update — An earlier version of this story listed the incorrect MSRP.