While imports and sales of cigars have begun to taper off after the wild 20-plus percentage increases of Covid’s tobacco boom, they haven’t fallen back to their 2019 levels. And for people who make and sell cigars, that’s welcome news.
“I think this means that many who discovered this great hobby during Covid are continuing to enjoy it,” says Scott Pearce, president of the Cigar Association of America. “However, as consumers become more versed, there does seem to be a tendency toward the more exclusive types or limited releases.”
Which suggests, like whiskey and wine drinkers before them, that cigar smokers are smoking less, but smoking better. The plentiful evidence for this is both quantitative and anecdotal. Zaya Younan, chairman and CEO of El Septimo, for example, says he has seen sales of his company’s high-end sticks increase on average by more than 52 percent per year over the past three years.
“Today, the global supply of high-quality tobacco is struggling to keep up with that demand, causing raw-material costs to rise,” Younan says.
However, prices were already on the climb before the Trump administration’s tariffs. Meerapfel Cigar, the world’s largest supplier of expensive African Cameroon tobaccos, ages its leaf as long as 40 years, uses handmade French silk for some of its bands, and fashions its boxes out of precious, sustainable woods. As a result, Meerapfel cigars typically range from $45 to $100 apiece. It’s a far cry from the $14 line that once demarcated the luxury territory—and one that seekers of luxury seem perfectly willing to pay.
“Price is generally not a determining factor for our guests,” says Paula Kim, curator of the Cigar Cart program for the Aria Resort & Casino’s 17 SkyVillas in Las Vegas. “They’re generally more focused on brand exclusivity, craftsmanship, and rarity rather than price,” she adds.
Not only is cost a nonissue, in some cases it is nonexistent. Last year, Don Néstor Plasencia Sr. of Plasencia Cigars celebrated his 75th birthday by issuing 750 boxes of 10 Churchill-size cigars. Hand-rolled with his personal blend, they were given to friends, colleagues, and associates who had contributed to the company’s long-term success.
“At Plasencia, we prioritize the highest quality and meticulous processes to provide smokers with the best cigars nature can offer,” says chief marketing officer Victor Lilue. Pressed for more, he adds, “Luxury and lifestyle brands don’t need to explain their prices.” Especially, it seems, when there isn’t one.
