Gurkha TAA 2026 Coming in November

Gurkha is the latest company to announce its upcoming exclusive for retailers that are members of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA).

The Gurkha TAA 2026 is a 6 1/2 x 54 toro extra that uses a dark habano wrapper from an undisclosed country. The binder and filler are both from Nicaragua, which is also where the cigars were rolled, though the company isn’t disclosing which factory produced them. Gurkha says the cigar is medium-bodied but full-flavored.

Each cigar has an MSRP of $13 and they come in 10-count boxes that are designed to double as humidors. Each box has a humidifier. Gurkha says it is expected to ship the release in early November.

The TAA is a membership group, around 80 retailers and 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 annual event—the 2026 version takes place Oct. 25-29 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 (ESP) banner. Those manufacturers agree to give a portion of the proceeds to the organization, a minimum of 50 cents per cigar.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. Previously, I started TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors blogs of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry since 2010, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. Beyond writing, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff from weighing cigars to coordinating the tech. Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.