Villiger to Release Updated La Libertad at TPE 2022
In August, Villiger announced that it was giving its La Libertad line a new look and moving production to its new factory in Nicaragua, but what wasn’t firmed up was when the cigars would be available for the U.S. market. While the target had been November, the company has confirmed that it will be releasing them at the 2022 Tobacco Plus Expo, which runs from Jan. 26-28 in Las Vegas, Nev.
As had been previously announced, the blend features a a Nicaragua criollo wrapper, while the binder comes from the Cibao Valley in the Dominican Republic, and the Nicaraguan fillers include seco from Jalapa along with viso and ligero grown in Estelí. The company describes it as a medium-plus profile.
The line has also been pared down to three vitolas, the pricing of which had previously not been announced:
- Villiger La Libertad Corona (5 3/4 x 43) — $7.50 (Box of 20, $150)
- Villiger La Libertad Robusto (5 x 52) — $8 (Box of 20, $160)
- Villiger La Libertad Gran Toro (6 x 54) — $8.50 (Box of 20, $170)
Fans of the brand will notice that the packaging has been updated while staying true to its color scheme of red, black and white. The company has given both the boxes and bands with what it calls a modern and bold design that is designed to capture the attention of people in a humidor, while adding foot bands to the cigar. The company is also keeping the “Viva La Libertad” slogan as part of it branding, which translates as “long live freedom.”
La Libertad had previously been made in both Honduras by Plasencia and in the Dominican Republic at the ABAM Factory in Santo Domingo, and the line offered different blends for different markets under the same La Libertad line. The most recent update for the U.S. version was done in 2019, though it did not change the blend, which used a Brazilian wrapper and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers.
The new La Libertad is scheduled to begin shipping during TPE 2022.
Images courtesy of Villiger Cigars North America.
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.
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