Villiger TAA 2023 Begins Shipping Next Week

Each year, Villiger Cigars North America turns to a different factory to produce its annual exclusive cigar for retailers that are members of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA). For 2023, the company chose AGANORSA’s Agricola Ganadera Norteña S.A. factory in Estelí. On Monday, June 26, that cigar will begin shipping.

The Villiger TAA Exclusive 2023 is a 6 1/4 x 52 box-pressed toro made entirely of Nicaraguan tobacco, topped off with a habano-seed wrapper. It has an MSRP of $15 per cigar and is limited to 500 boxes of 20 cigars.

This is the fourth different factory that Villiger has used for its TAA release in as many years:

• Villiger TAA Exclusive 2020 (6 x 54) — Tabacalera La Alianza S.A.
• Villiger TAA Exclusive 2021 (6 x 54) — Tabacalera Palma
• Villiger TAA Exclusive 2022 (6 x 52) — La Zona Cigar Factory
• Villiger TAA Exclusive 2023 (6 1/4 x 52) — Agricola Ganadera Norteña S.A.

The TAA is a membership group, which also includes 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 took place March 26-30 at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic—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.

TAA 2023 exclusive cigars from CLE, Espinosa Premium Cigars, Ferio Tego, Forged Cigar Co., General Cigar Co., Joya de Nicaragua, Kristoff, Miami Cigar & Co., My Father, Plasencia and Quesada have already begun shipping. In addition, Crowned Heads, E.P. Carrillo, Gurkha, J.C. Newman, La Palina, Rocky Patel, Quality Importers Trading Co. and Tatuaje have announced their TAA 2023 releases.