Inventories (Narrartive) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Inventory [Line Items]
LIFO adjustments	$ 25,237	$ 25,837
Capitalized MSA cost in finished goods inventory	17,689	17,364
Inventories
Inventory [Line Items]
Federal excise tax in inventory	28,949	25,888
Liggett \| Inventories
Inventory [Line Items]
Purchase commitments	21,463
Leaf tobacco
Inventory [Line Items]
LIFO adjustments	17,633	17,632
Other raw materials
Inventory [Line Items]
LIFO adjustments	213	214
Work-in-process
Inventory [Line Items]
LIFO adjustments	29	29
Finished goods
Inventory [Line Items]
LIFO adjustments	$ 7,362	$ 7,962

Amount by which inventory stated at last-in first-out (LIFO) is less than (in excess of) inventory stated at other inventory cost methods.

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReserve
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The minimum amount the entity agreed to spend under the long-term purchase commitment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred through that date and payable for statutory sales and use taxes, including value added tax. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6935-107765

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesAndExciseTaxPayableCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Inventory, Finished Goods, Capitalized Costs

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vgr_InventoryFinishedGoodsCapitalizedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	vgr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_InventoriesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=vgr_LiggettMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=us-gaap_InventoriesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis=vgr_LeafTobaccoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis=vgr_OtherRawMaterialsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis=vgr_WorkinProcessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInventoryAxis=vgr_FinishedGoodsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: