PCA 2022: Topper Cigar Co.

There are a lot of cigar companies that celebrate anniversaries, but few will ever get to the century-mark and even fewer will make it to the century-and-a-quarter mark. This year, Topper Cigar Co.—still owned by the Topper family—made it to the century-and-a-quarter plus one-year mark, an impressive accomplishment.

Many years, Topper has nothing new at this trade show. It’s business is a bit different than most, Topper is known more for its value-priced cigars than the larger cigars that dominate the PCA Convention & Trade Show, but I enjoy my conversations with Chris Topper, however brief they might be. This year, I was excited to talk to Chris because he finally had packaging for his newest release, one that was supposed to come out last year but was delayed and delayed.

Topper is located in the De Los Reyes booth. As I’ve mentioned before, this will be the last year for this booth, which is getting replaced for 2023.

Topper 125th Anniversary

Since the end of last year’s trade show, when this cigar was announced as a planned September release, I contacted Chris Topper on Aug. 31, Sept. 22, Oct. 25, Dec. 14, March 7, April 13, April 22, May 31—and probably some other times when I didn’t make note of it. Topper should get a lot of credit for being extremely responsive, even if he didn’t have much of an update. The update about the cigar ended up coming right before the trade show opened, when Topper announced that it finally had the packaging.

As the name implies, this is a 125th anniversary cigar for Topper. It was supposed to be out last year, but the packaging was delayed for a long time. That packaging is based on some of the packaging the company used in the 1930s, recreated for modern times.

The packaging is now here and the cigar is expected to ship next month, first to about 40 stores that were the stores that carried the company’s 120th anniversary cigar and then to other accounts.

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua (Habano) & U.S.A. (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)

• Topper 125th Anniversary Grande (6 x 52) — $12.50 (Box of 20, $250)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: August 2022

Marsh Wheeling Five-Packs

The Marsh Wheeling cigars can now be had in five-packs. Topper acquired this brand, which is one of the oldest American cigar names, a few years ago. These are machine-made cigars that come in a tapered panatela shape. Marsh Wheeling cigars are also sold—for the same price per cigar—in boxes of 50. For retailers, the five-packs are sold in sleeves of 10

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Broadleaf)
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Dominican Republic

• Marsh Wheeling Deluxe (7 x 34) — $1.70 (Pack of 5, $8.50)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: July 2022