PCA 2022: Villiger Cigars North America

It’s been four years since Villiger Cigars North America was last at a PCA Convention & Trade Show, which was known as the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show. A lot has changed in that time for both Villiger and this trade show, but Villiger is back with a booth that I like quite a bit. It’s a fraction of the size of the older Villiger booths, but I think it’s a lot better looking and a lot more functional.

Rene Castaneda of Villiger told me he wasn’t sure what to do with the back of the booth, so he decided to turn it into a map of the Swiss company and its various operations around the world. Few companies make cigars in as many different countries as Villiger, so I thought this was a really good use of what is oftentimes wasted space. There are also some pieces of artwork that help to show off the company’s history on the side of the booth.

It seemed like every booth I visited during the morning of Day 2 had a Nespresso machine—or machines—and Villiger was no different. That said, I was also invited to stop by the booth for drinks in the afternoon. If it’s anything like what Villiger did at TPE, there might be some Jack Daniels I can tolerate, which is a pretty high bar to clear.

Villiger Miami 2022

When Castaneda emailed me about this cigar, he made it clear that the cigar was made in the Dominican Republic and not Miami, as the name might imply. The reason why it’s called Villiger Miami is that it’s a blend that Castaneda has been giving out to people who visit the company’s Miami offices. Almost on cue, Erik and Jaimelet Calviño of Cigar Snob magazine stopped by the booth. I looked at Erik, who lives in Miami, and was like, “oh, you’ve probably smoked a few of these.”

It’s offered in two different sizes and limited to 500 boxes per vitola due to some of the older tobaccos used inside the cigar. Castaneda said he thinks it’s the best cigar he’s released during his time at Villiger, particularly the lancero. I think Villiger’s packaging has been getting a lot better and this might be the best look yet. I am particularly a fan of the deep blue colors used, though they are a bit drowned out by the overhead lights in this photograph.

One extra thing I saw in the booth: Villiger made these glass ashtrays which are being given to retailers who place orders of at least five boxes of the cigar.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut Desflorado)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic

• Villiger Miami 2022 Laguito No.1 (7 1/2 x 38) — $15 (Box of 10, $150)
• Villiger Miami 2022 Robusto (5 x 50) — $15 (Box of 10, $150)

Production: 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars Per Size)

Release Date: August 2022