Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Income taxes										$ 50,509	$ 56,732	$ 54,430
Restructuring and impairment costs										0	4,359	2,389
Stock Repurchased And Retired During Period Value Retained Earnings										0	(74,353)	0
Net income attributable to Universal Corporation	$ 30,518	$ 45,400	$ 26,167	$ 3,577	$ 32,869	$ 53,647	$ 25,264	$ (5,476)		$ 105,662	$ 106,304	$ 109,016
Diluted earnings per share	$ 1.20	$ 1.78	$ 1.02	$ 0.14	$ (1.64)	$ 1.92	$ 0.90	$ (0.40)		$ 4.14	$ 0.88	$ 3.92
Series B 6.75% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock [Member]
Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Stock Repurchased And Retired During Period Value Retained Earnings											$ 74,353
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares	107,418
Diluted earnings per share	$ (2.90)
HUNGARY
Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Restructuring and impairment costs			$ 3,700								$ 4,400
Net income attributable to Universal Corporation			$ (2,400)
Diluted earnings per share			$ (0.09)
Subsequent to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [Member]
Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Income taxes	$ (6,000)	$ 10,500							$ 10,500	$ 4,500
Diluted earnings per share	$ (0.24)	$ 0.41