Villiger Miami 2023

Last year, Villiger Cigars North America released a new two-vitola limited edition line named Villiger Miami, which was named that way not because it is made in Miami. According to Rene Castaneda, president of Villiger Cigars North America, it was “the cigar we give to our friends, customers and colleagues when they visit our Miami office.”

The line was blended by José Matias Maragoto at the ABAM Cigar Factory in the Dominican Republic and is made up of an Ecuadorian Connecticut desflorado wrapper over a Dominican binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic.

During the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, the company showed off the newest addition to the line carrying the appropriate name of Villiger Miami 2023. However, the 5 7/8 x 53 parejo vitola—which Villiger calls a cañonazo—features a different blend compared to the inaugural release. Specifically, this year’s incarnation is made with an Ecuadorian habano wrapper covering a mixture of tobaccos from mostly undisclosed origins, although the company did disclose that at least one of the filler tobaccos is from Peru.

As was the case with the first release, the Villiger Miami 2023 cigars were rolled at ABAM Cigars S.R.L. and the MSRP is set at $17 per cigar. Production is limited to 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars that began shipping to retailers in August.

Covered in a pale brown wrapper, the Villiger Miami 2023 is silky smooth to the touch and has an abundance of oil present. There are large, protruding veins running up and down the length of all three cigars, and each cigar is nicely firm when squeezed. After physical inspections, I find one small soft spot just under the main band on two of the three cigars, but the third is fine in that regard. Aromas from the wrappers include strong, sweet hay, creamy nuts, earthiness, leather tack and barnyard, with a slight milk chocolate sweetness underneath. Scents from the feet are very similar, but add white pepper, cedar and a nutmeg note. Finally, after straight cuts, the cold draws bring flavors of creamy cashews, white pepper, earth, dry straw, sweet cedar and slight cinnamon.

Just after I light the foot, the Villiger Miami 2023 features a combination of bitter espresso and baker’s spices, along with a touch of spice on my lips. Main flavors of creamy cedar and cashews take over the profile fairly quickly, followed by notes of leather, earth, nutmeg, cocoa nibs and brewed black coffee. In addition, I notice some mineral saltiness on my lips on all three cigars that continue to be a part of the profile during the entirety of the first third, while the retrohale features both white pepper and light caramel sweetness. Flavor ends the first third at a solid medium, while both the body and strength lag a bit behind at mild plus. There are no issues whatsoever with any aspect of the construction so far, as the burn lines, draws and smoke production all work in harmony together through the first third.

The profile of the cigar becomes noticeably harsher during the second third, as the main flavors shift from cedar and cashews to a combination of leather and a generic vegetal note. Secondary flavors of cedar, coffee beans, toasted bread, generic nuttiness and earth flit in and out at various points, while the retrohale retains the same combination of white pepper and slight caramel sweetness that I noted in the first third. Flavor does not budge from a solid medium, and while the body remains at mild-plus the strength increases enough to land a point just under the medium mark. In terms of construction, all three cigars continue to have no problems when it comes to the draw or smoke production, but two of the three cigars each need a single burn correction, and one needs two corrections to stay on track.

Thankfully, the harshness that plagued the second third of the Villiger Miami has all but disappeared by the time the final third begins, with the profile once again full of both creamy cedar and cashew flavors. Additional notes include cocoa nibs, espresso, gritty earth, leather tack and sourdough bread, while the retrohale features slightly more white pepper and caramel sweetness. The flavor and body bump up to medium-plus and a point just under medium, respectively, while the strength manages to hit medium-plus before stalling out. Finally, the construction also reverts back to how it performed in the first third, with excellent burn lines, draws and smoke production until I put the nubs down with less than an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• If the Cañonazo name that Villiger has given this vitola sounds familiar, it might be due to the fact that it is the same factory name Habanos S.A. uses for one of the most recognizable Cuban cigars on the planet: the Cohiba Siglo VI.
• Having said the above, the Cuban version of the Cañonazo is made with a 52 ring gauge, while the this Villiger version has a 53 ring gauge.
• While I understand the reason this line was given the name “Villiger Miami,” a part of me still finds it odd that a cigar with the name “Miami” in it was not actually produced in a Miami-based factory.
• The ash on these cigars is extremely flaky, to the point where I ended up with a small pile on the table for each one I smoked.
• The construction was very good overall, but all three cigars did need at least one minor burn correction at some point during the second third.

• On all three of my cigars, there was apparently too much glue used to attach the foot band, leading to large chunks of the wrapper coming off when I removed it.
• Villiger Cigars North America advertises on halfwheel.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time for all three cigars averaged one hour and 58 minutes.
• If you would like to purchase any of the Villiger Miami 2023 cigars, site sponsor Famous Smoke Shop has them for sale on its website.