VILLIGER Ambassador Tour 23: Customers determine the next cigar

VILLIGER Ambassador Tour 23 Since the beginning of April, VILLIGER brand ambassador Felix Wallenhorst has been touring Germany with his Brand Ambassador Tour - now it's time for the summer break. Time to take a look at what it was like and what's still to come. And: visitors to the events can help decide which cigar VILLIGER should launch on the market next! GENIUS!!!

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

VILLIGER Ambassador Tour 23: Experience the values of VILLIGER directly

The VILLIGER Brand Ambassador Tour is the company's biggest series of events in recent years. 16 events in 16 weeks and apart from an idea, nothing existed at the beginning.

The vision: Felix Wallenhorst wanted to communicate the company's values in a fresher way. „On-site events with consumers and retailers are invaluable. Nowhere else do we see, hear and talk to each other as unfiltered as on an evening together. It was also important for me to introduce myself personally to everyone as the new brand ambassador.“

Wallenhorst presented his rough idea for a tour to Managing Director Mirko Lorenzi, who is responsible for marketing and sales, at the end of 2022. „The concept was still quite small at the time because I couldn't estimate the scale myself,“ says Wallenhorst. Lorenzi immediately recognised the potential of the idea and encouraged Wallenhorst to think bigger. 

One step at a time

It quickly became clear that organising such a tour alone was impossible and unnecessary - and why should it be? The company covers all areas, from graphic design and product management to logistics, excellently within its own ranks. 

„With growing enthusiasm, a team of colleagues formed, without whom, in retrospect, it would never have been possible to realise such a concept,“ reports Wallenhorst.

Here is a brief look back at how the team worked together to create the tour:

While Product Manager Désirée Leers pulled out all the stops to get all the cigars for the tour to Germany in time, Media Designer Svenja Tschorn designed the unmistakable tour logo with the bow tie. At the same time, Trade Marketing Manager Maximilian Steffen looked at dozens of colour samples of ashtrays and jet-flame lighters in order to order them for the 400 or so expected guests.

At the same time, VILLIGER handmade specialists Andreas Hartwig, Sead Fröschle, Daniel Beu and Olav Berding were promoting the event to their customers and making the preliminary arrangements. This preview has been heavily abridged and does not show the further work steps in the VILLIGER factories or in-house. Nevertheless, all colleagues and departments deserve to be mentioned by name. 

It's finally starting: controversial and exciting at the VILLIGER Ambassador Tour 23

The tour kicked off on 17 April 2023 at the sold-out Zigarrenhaus Friedrich in Karlsruhe. The tour then travelled via Essen, Hildesheim, Delmenhorst and other cities to the tour finale at Zigarrenhaus Klenk in Bad Wimpfen. 

Controversial and exciting - these words best describe the evening programme of the tour. Two cigars with different ring gauges from the VILLIGER 1888 Nicaragua smoked - that is unusual. However, this is about much more than a blunt comparison: it's about tasting, experiencing and understanding.

Guests also have the opportunity to learn about the blending process of a cigar. They can also experience tobacco up close, smell it and touch it. 

Wallenhorst tells exciting stories from the new VILLIGER de Nicaragua plant, which he visited himself in August 2022. At the same time, the first sample boxes of the VILLIGER 1888 Nicaragua including ring gauge cigars at the factory in Nicaragua. This is also where Wallenhorst took the first press photos of the new series, which were published.

Tour partner Bötzinger Brennerei Faude

As an official tour partner, Bötzinger Brennerei Faude will be presenting three of its spirits during the events. Guests can choose from beetroot spirit, apple brandy from wooden barrels or pomace brandy from Pinot Noir. With his brandies, Florian Faude shows a great flair for reinterpreting tradition. His spirits have a clear structure, full flavour and exciting basic ingredients. Faude is even represented at some events by sales manager Chris Weber.

Another highlight follows at the end, when the guests receive their „Ambassador Goodybag“. This is filled with four cigars, two of which are ringed anonymously. Each tour guest now has the unique opportunity to help determine the cigar of the future for the VILLIGER company. 

Visitors have a say in the cigar of the future!

How does it work? - Quite simply! 

The company uses a tasting sheet, which can be filled out digitally, to gather feedback from guests about the cigars. VILLIGER uses the results to decide whether and which cigar to launch next. The other cigars in the goody bag are only available in the USA and are distributed there by VILLIGER North America. These were imported to Germany especially for the tour: The VILLIGER Cuéllar Black Forest and the VILLIGER Exclusivo U.S.A. 2022 can also be evaluated online.

After the tour is before the tour

On 5 July 2023, Wallenhorst will be back at the start, this time beginning his tour at Zigarrenhaus Riegler in Höchstadt an der Aisch. 

The cigars will be slightly different on the upcoming tour. Apart from the two US imports, the tour will feature other cigars. The focus will remain on the factory in Nicaragua and the cigars produced there.

During this tour, the participating dealers range from Gronau to Cologne and Berlin. The tour dates can be viewed on the company website and it pays to book early. 

Numerous events were already fully booked during the first tour, and demand is expected to be similarly high.  

I hope you enjoyed my latest article and found the information it contained interesting. I am very excited to hear your views and look forward to reading your comments 🤗

Resources on the topic

Experience Villiger: The Ambassador Tour in Germany. All dates!