For centuries, cigars have oscillated back and forth between being a symbol of luxury and indulgence or an accessory of the common man. I’m reminded of the 5c cigars of the 1800s that U.S. Vice President Thomas R. Marshall once wished for again with his famous quote, “What America really needs is a good 5-cent cigar.” Even as recent as the 1990s, Cigar Aficionado stated that their first magazine issue had an average price of $2.93 per cigar reviewed.
To put it in perspective, in 1895 there were 42,000 cigar factories registered in the United States. We’ve seen plenty of trends come and go since then, but I have to believe that we have more variety now than we ever have. We are growing in more varied soils, fermenting with techniques that blend tradition with innovation, and blending cigars using tobaccos from all over the world.
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With more unique experiences available than ever before, it’s no surprise that the cost of a cigar also varies greatly. I’ve seen them priced as low as $1 and as high as $600 in modern times, which begs the question: how much does a good cigar truly cost?
Cigar Price Ranges
Cigars can range from a few dollars at a gas station to hundreds of dollars for rare, limited-edition blends. Let’s assign a range, but keep in mind that there are many cigars in the value category that are exceptional just like there are many cigars in the luxury category that may not suit your palate.
- Value Cigars (Under $8): There are several cigars under $8 that punch way above their weight class, and finding these blends is a treat! I hesitate to call cigars in this range cheap because of my fondness for many of them, but I will say that the winners in this crowded category are harder to find. Here are just a few of my favorites:
- The Sweet Spot ($8 - $15): I remember podcasting on the Sultans of Smoke a few years ago talking about the sweet spot for cigars. I’m pretty sure we all agreed that $8-$12 was the range that you could find Venn diagram overlap between value and quality. Above this range, you can expect diminishing returns and are paying for something rare, limited, unique, or hard to find. Here are a few of my daily favorites in this category:
- Upping the Ante ($15 - $25): There are more cigars in this category than ever before, and I hesitate to deem this range as luxury. Because of supply chain issues and the ever-increasing costs of tobacco, you’ll find that this range usually showcases a company’s Flagship portfolio (especially around $16-$18.) Keep in mind that there is often a significant difference in the overall experience between a $20 cigar and a $10 cigar, but it isn’t likely to be twice as good. In fact, most of the cigars listed above in the Sweet Spot could easily sell in this category based on flavor and construction. Here are a few of my favorites in this category:
- Luxury Cigars ($25 and Up): Years ago, anything approaching $20 was breathing rare air in the industry and reserved for just a few high-end cigars like God of Fire, Ashton ESG, and the usual Davidoff and Padron suspects. Nowadays, this category has been seeing a lot more action with brands like Davidoff, Padron, Meerapfel, El Septimo, Alfonso, and Casdagli leading the charge. That’s not to say that these brands haven’t always been on the leading edge of price point, nor that other brands didn’t have standouts like Dunbarton’s $100 Muestra de Saka Unicorn. Even at this range, we could probably create another tier at $50 for an elite level of luxury cigars, but I’ll just list a few of my favorites above $25 instead:
- Davidoff Oro Blanco
- Padron 50th Anniversary and Family Reserve 50th
- Atabey and Byron
- Meerapfel Richard
- My Father Garcia y Garcia 2021
- Casdagli Cypher 3311
- Caldwell Anastasia Vintage
Finding the Right Cigar for Your Budget
The good news is you don't need to break the bank to enjoy a good cigar. One of the best tools at your disposal is to ask your Tobacconist about cigars in a certain range that fit the style you’re looking for. If you have a favorite, let us know and we can base our suggestions off your preferences. We’re also more than happy to use an example of a particular experience and show you similar cigars that are more or less expensive.
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Samplers are another great way to try cigars! Sometimes a box or pack is prohibitive – especially if you aren’t sure you’ll like it or not – and a sampler can be the easiest way to try cigars without as much commitment.
Lastly, even though this article is about price, I encourage you to keep your focus on quality cigars rather than the MSRP. One of my favorite things about our Blind Reviews is seeing cigars evaluated on taste and performance alone, without the packaging or bias of cost. It never gets old finding an inexpensive cigar that fires on all cylinders!
Do you have thoughts on how much a good cigar should cost? Please drop a comment below to share, even if it’s just your favorite cigars in a certain range.
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