Tatiana Groovy Blue Belicoso TAA Exclusive Returning in 2025

Miami Cigar & Co.’s 2024 exclusive release for the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) retailers will not be arriving until next year.

The cigar is the Tatiana Groovy Blue Belicoso TAA Exclusive, which the company released as its 2023 TAA exclusive. Most of the details are the same as last year: a 6 1/4 x 52 belicoso that uses an Indonesian wrapper over a Dominican binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic. As with the other cigars in the Tatiana Groovy Blue line, it is flavored with the intent of having notes of “berries, cognac, honey and vanilla.” Tatiana cigars are produced by La Aurora in the Dominican Republic.

One thing that is changing is the price, which will increase from $13 per cigar to $14 per cigar. Production is limited to 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars. Miami Cigar & Co. expects to ship the cigar in February 2025.

The TAA is a membership group, around 80 retailers and 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 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 banner. Those manufacturers agree to give a portion of the proceeds to the organization, a minimum of 50 cents per cigar.

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. The date change has already impacted the TAA Exclusive Series Program cigars, most of which would have already gone on sale by mid-September. By contrast, Miami Cigar & Co. appears to be the first company to announce its 2024 TAA ESP release, even if it won’t ship until next year.