Inventories (Schedule of Inventories) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Inventory [Line Items]
Leaf tobacco	$ 45,564	$ 49,856
Other raw materials	4,150	3,578
Work-in-process	422	789
Inventories at current cost	115,402	115,796
LIFO adjustments	(27,780)	(29,280)
Inventory, net	87,622	86,516
Cigarettes
Inventory [Line Items]
Finished goods	65,200	61,493
E-Cigarettes
Inventory [Line Items]
Finished goods	66	80
LIFO adjustments	$ (5)	$ (5)

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of completed merchandise or goods expected to be sold within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoods
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Gross amount, as of the balance sheet date, of merchandise, goods, commodities, or supplies held for future sale or to be used in manufacturing, servicing or production process.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

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

Amount after valuation and LIFO reserves of inventory expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or 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 210.5-02.6(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 330
-SubTopic 10
-Section 35
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68049868&loc=d3e3927-108312

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6676-107765

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of raw materials expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterials
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of merchandise or goods in the production process expected to be completed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcess
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of other supplies used within the manufacturing or production process expected to be consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Inventory
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516093

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(a)(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherInventorySupplies
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Details

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