Today, we look at the Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada 2022. Villiger de Nicaragua is a limited edition brand launched by Villiger Cigars. The series is named for Villiger’s new factory that opened in 2022 in Estelí, Nicaragua. It was the first new project to be christened from the Villiger de Nicaragua factory. Since then, there have been two installments of the Villiger de Nicaragua: Edicíon 2022 and Edición 2023. The Edición Limitada 2022 shipped in early 2023, and the 2023 Edición Limitada shipped in 2024, so these are recent additions. Today’s focus will be on the Edición Limitada 2022, a box-pressed torpedo.

Villiger is a global brand in the cigar business. It’s known for its presence in the machine-made and cigarillo segment of the market. At the same time, the company has been working hard on its premium handmade segment of the business. For many years, Villiger has partnered with other factories to produce its handmade cigars and has subcontracted ABAM Cigars S.R.L. for much of its production out of the Dominican. We’ve recently seen Villiger also move to establish its own handmade production facilities, most recently with Villiger do Brazil and Villiger de Nicaragua. When Villiger de Nicaragua opened its doors, the company moved some of its production from other Nicaragua factories to the factory such as San’Doro, La Vencadora, and La Libertad. It also has recently launched a new regular production line with the Villiger 1888 Nicaragua.

Without further ado, let’s turn our attention to the Edición Limitada 2022 and see what this cigar offers.

Closed box of the Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada 2022

Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada 2022 – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

The Edición Limitada blend consists of tobaccos from four countries: a Sumatra wrapper from Ecuador, a Mexican binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Mexican
Fillers: Nicaraguan, Pennsylvania
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Villiger de Nicaragua

Vitolas Offered

The Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada series has two sizes. The two sizes are each presented in 20-count boxes.

Edición Limitada 2022: 6 x 52 (Box Pressed Torpedo)
Edición Limitada 2023: 6 x 58 (Perfecto)

Appearance (*)

The Ecuadorian wrapper of the Edición Limitada 2022 was chocolate bar-brown with a Colorado tint. Upon closer examination, there was some slight mottling on the surface and a light amount of oils. There were some thin visible veins with very few visible wrapper seams. The cigar is a sharp box press (as opposed to a Cuban-style box press, which has a slight rounding to it). The torpedo had a moderate taper near the head of the cigar that converged to a pointed tip.

Close up of the Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada 2022

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to remove a portion of the tip of the Edición Limtiada 2022. About 1/2 inch of the tip was cut, allowing me to take advantage of the tapering effect on this cigar. Once the tip was removed, it was time for the pre-light draw experience. The pre-light draw delivered earth, coffee, and sweet cedar notes. Overall, this pre-light draw did enough for me to consider it satisfactory. At this point, it was time to toast up the footer of the Edición Limtiada 2022 and move on to the smoking phase.

Tasting Notes

The start of the Edición Limitada 2022 featured notes of coffee, chocolate, cedar, and earth. When I review a cigar, I sometimes note a “mocha” fusion where the coffee and chocolate notes are fused together. In this case, these notes were entirely separate and distinct. During the early phases the chocolate and cedar moved into the forefront. The coffee and earth notes settled in the background. As the cigar experience progressed, the cedar remained grounded in the forefront, and the chocolate floated between the background and the forefront. Meanwhile, a layer of cedar and black pepper was on the retro-hale.

The cedar notes remained prominent during the second third of the Edición Limitada. As the cigar progressed through this phase, the number of times chocolate appeared in the forefront decreased. By the midway point, chocolate was relegated to a secondary note. By this point, black pepper was also present on the tongue.

The final third saw the cedar remain primary. The pepper notes increased in intensity. Meanwhile, the chocolate, earth, and coffee notes rounded out the flavor profile. As the cigar experience ended, the cigar finished with a soft-cool nub.

Burn

While the burn of the Edición Limitada 2022 started out low maintenance, it did not stay that way. By the second third, the cigar needed frequent touch-ups to keep the burn path on track and the burn line straight.

Burn of the Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limtiada 2022

Draw

On the other hand, the Edición Limitada draw performed flawlessly. It had a touch of resistance, which I like. At the same time, this was a low-maintenance cigar from which to derive flavor.

Strength and Body

Regarding strength and body, the Edición Limitada 2022 started out at medium. There wasn’t much variance in the intensity levels. Both the strength and body balanced each other nicely.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

Over the past few years, Villiger has upped its packaging game. The Edición Limitada series is the best packaging I’ve seen by Villiger to date. The blue box and bands, and the volcano image all work. Villiger has been doing a lot of blue-banded cigars, and they seem to have the Midas touch with packaging cigars with this color. It’s the kind of packaging worthy of a limited edition.

Open box of the Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada 2022

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

While the packaging was outstanding, unfortunately, that didn’t factor into our final score or value rating. When it came to the cigar, the flavors started out quite promising. By the second half, the flavors seemed to lack a “wow” factor. The good news is the cigar performed much better than the Villiger 1988 Nicaragua did, but I never found it performed like a $15.00 anniversary cigar should perform. It scored a respectable 88, but it’s also one I’d recommend trying first and seeing if it is in your wheelhouse.