Definition and Notable Examples of Boutique Cigar Brands?

[Connoisseur Kim]

For those who are also familiar with NCs, what are the definition and notable examples of boutique cigar brands? Someone wrote boutique cigar brands are family business brands with a small production number and their own farms; listed Arturo Fuente, Padron, and Padilla as boutique cigar brands on Korean Cigar Wiki. AFAIK, these brands usually have a wide variety of products and brands like Illusione and Padilla are considered boutique brands.

[yossie]

I have no idea.  In the point, Cigar producers which have good brand value, I first think out Davidoff especially in Asia market.

Fuentes still doesn't reach at the condition. You can easily purchase Opus X here in Japan.(yes, pricey)

[Connoisseur Kim]

1 hour ago, yossie said:

I have no idea.  In the point, Cigar producers which have good brand value, I first think out Davidoff especially in Asia market.

Fuentes still doesn't reach at the condition. You can easily purchase Opus X here in Japan.(yes, pricey)

Thanks, @yossie! I also agree that Fuente still doesn't reach the same height as Davidoff in the Asia market (they're pricey in Korea too). I believe Fuente and Padron are one of the largest NC brands but not boutique cigar brands, unlike Illusione or Tatuaje. For boutique cigar brands in Korea, Tatuaje is the only one being sold in Korea since the demand for cigars in Korea is still not big.

I found an interesting article about what are boutique cigar brands on Nickel City Cigars website. I guess it would be an answer which I searched for 🙂

[Arabian]

Does Casdagli pass?

[Connoisseur Kim]

14 minutes ago, Arabian said:

Does Casdagli pass?

For Casdagli, it seems it also considered as boutique cigar brands just like Tatuaje according to various cigar websites including its official IG.

[Lamboinee]

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4 hours ago, Connoisseur Kim said:

Thanks, @yossie! I also agree that Fuente still doesn't reach the same height as Davidoff in the Asia market (they're pricey in Korea too). I believe Fuente and Padron are one of the largest NC brands but not boutique cigar brands, unlike Illusione or Tatuaje. For boutique cigar brands in Korea, Tatuaje is the only one being sold in Korea since the demand for cigars in Korea is still not big.

I found an interesting article about what are boutique cigar brands on Nickel City Cigars website. I guess it would be an answer which I searched for 🙂

That's probably as good a definition as you'll get. I smoke a lot of "boutique" NCs, and I still can't give you a true definition. I think a lot of it is marketing. A lot of it often seems to be new brands or independent companies that are operating with some relationship to a larger conglomerate and want the benefits of that relationship while still differentiating themselves from the Altidis type of companies. 

I would consider a true boutique to be a company that is not owned by a massive conglomerate, has all or substantially all of the control over their own brands, and has a limited production runs due to the scarcity of rare tobaccos or the limited availability of high level production methods. 

 

It is even harder to tell them apart since many "boutique" companies still use tobacco and/or rolling facilities from what I consider to be "non boutique" brands. Illusione, Tatujue, El Titan de Bronze, Warped, Cavalier, Dunbarton, all come to mind as being boutique. Arguably some of those have progressed into non boutique brands.  I would say that Arturo Fuente is decidedly not a boutique brand (although it's one of my favorite brands overall.)

In reality, I'd say the best definition of boutique is "an extra $2-3 per cigar." 

[Connoisseur Kim]

15 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

That's probably as good a definition as you'll get. I smoke a lot of "boutique" NCs, and I still can't give you a true definition. I think a lot of it is marketing. A lot of it often seems to be new brands or independent companies that are operating with some relationship to a larger conglomerate and want the benefits of that relationship while still differentiating themselves from the Altidis type of companies. 

I would consider a true boutique to be a company that is not owned by a massive conglomerate, has all or substantially all of the control over their own brands, and has a limited production runs due to the scarcity of rare tobaccos or the limited availability of high level production methods. 

It is even harder to tell them apart since many "boutique" companies still use tobacco and/or rolling facilities from what I consider to be "non boutique" brands. Illusione, Tatujue, El Titan de Bronze, Warped, Cavalier, Dunbarton, all come to mind as being boutique. Arguably some of those have progressed into non boutique brands.  I would say that Arturo Fuente is decidedly not a boutique brand (although it's one of my favorite brands overall.)

In reality, I'd say the best definition of boutique is "an extra $2-3 per cigar." 

Thanks @Lamboinee! I also agree that the term boutique cigar brands is a marketing thing and the definition of boutique cigar brands varies greatly.

I too think Illusione and Tatuaje are true boutique NC brands while Padron and Fuente are definitly non boutique brands due to their massive production volume.

[Justins123]

I’m not aware of any “official” definition of a boutique cigar brand, say, for example, how a trade group in the US attempts to define microbreweries. But in my mind all boutique cigars brands share sole or all of the following characteristics:

1. Founded or came to prominence during a cigar boom.  Think Bahia back in the 90s, Tatuaje and illusione in the mid 2000s, and so on. 
2. Marketed as a “personal” or “passion” project of the founder.  Often the founder was previously involved in the industry.
3. Do not grow their own tobacco and/or roll their own cigars. Rather it’s contracted out to bigger players.
4. This one goes without saying, but primarily if not exclusively sold to Americans.
5. Limited production to some extent.

[Paladin865]

There are two I can consider boutique, Battleground out of Connecticut and Liberty put of Georgia. Both are cigars with a US historical themes. They are both very good and highly regarded 

[Cigar Surgeon]

Something that's been debated back and forth as long as I've been doing cigar media.

My personally criteria is based on the number of cigars they make a year. So RoMa is to me just about the upper limit of what I would consider a boutique to be. Tatuaje, Illusione would still be boutique. Pradon and Fuente are far too large for me to call them boutique anymore. 

Regarding some of the comments on pricing; the difference between an NC company that has their own factory and one who doesn't. If you don't have your own factory you're paying a factory markup. So you're paying $12 - $14 for a cigar that's $8-$10 or $10-$12.

 

[Tstew75]

'Boutique' has about the same ambiguous meaning as the word 'Reserve' on a wine label IMO

[Shocker077]

1 hour ago, Tstew75 said:

'Boutique' has about the same ambiguous meaning as the word 'Reserve' on a wine label IMO

same with "Small Batch" on Whiskey. Without an actual definition the determination is up to each individual to decipher what it means to them.

[Connoisseur Kim]

7 hours ago, Justins123 said:

I’m not aware of any “official” definition of a boutique cigar brand, say, for example, how a trade group in the US attempts to define microbreweries. But in my mind all boutique cigars brands share sole or all of the following characteristics:

1. Founded or came to prominence during a cigar boom.  Think Bahia back in the 90s, Tatuaje and illusione in the mid 2000s, and so on. 
2. Marketed as a “personal” or “passion” project of the founder.  Often the founder was previously involved in the industry.
3. Do not grow their own tobacco and/or roll their own cigars. Rather it’s contracted out to bigger players.
4. This one goes without saying, but primarily if not exclusively sold to Americans.
5. Limited production to some extent.

 

7 hours ago, Paladin865 said:

There are two I can consider boutique, Battleground out of Connecticut and Liberty put of Georgia. Both are cigars with a US historical themes. They are both very good and highly regarded 

 

7 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

Something that's been debated back and forth as long as I've been doing cigar media.

My personally criteria is based on the number of cigars they make a year. So RoMa is to me just about the upper limit of what I would consider a boutique to be. Tatuaje, Illusione would still be boutique. Pradon and Fuente are far too large for me to call them boutique anymore. 

Regarding some of the comments on pricing; the difference between an NC company that has their own factory and one who doesn't. If you don't have your own factory you're paying a factory markup. So you're paying $12 - $14 for a cigar that's $8-$10 or $10-$12.

Thanks, @Justins123 @Paladin865 @Cigar Surgeon! I also think the essential criteria of boutique cigar brands are small cigar brands with low production volume; not being under the large companies; founded by a person who has been involved in the cigar industry; still having full control of their brands.

 

5 hours ago, Tstew75 said:

'Boutique' has about the same ambiguous meaning as the word 'Reserve' on a wine label IMO

 

4 hours ago, Shocker077 said:

same with "Small Batch" on Whiskey. Without an actual definition the determination is up to each individual to decipher what it means to them.

Much agreed @Tstew75 and @Shocker077! Although I never had any NCs before, boutique cigar brands sound like craft breweries but with multiple definitions to me. 

[El Presidente]

Boutique to me is where your blend targets a very specific niche.....who plenty may not enjoy...and you don't care.... and that may not always be available. Boutique is where you take risks with only one eye to the reward. Boutique is where you got into the game/blend to produce something that you and your mates enjoy. Boutique is where the numbers don't always make sense ....but you do it anyway.Boutique is majority  love, part commerce, part hubris, plenty luck. Boutique is where bean counters don't have an input......or at least you hide most of the numbers from them. Boutique is where it never really  made sense on paper but you did it anyway 

[Mr. Japan]

Boutique in Cigars  cannot be same as Boutique in fashion world or  You do not call Boutique  a microbrewery or a small winerey.

In cigar world  I would consider boutique a small company that has first of all passion for making the cigar ( not necessary he has to grow tobacco, has to have the knowledge to choose the tobacco and to have the right rollers.

A boutique cigar should not be available in all the world, numbers will be limited  and available only in specific shops/Countries. 

The difficulties of the Boutique Cigar will be constancy in producing same cigars every year( 3...5 vitolas ) and come out with Special batches time to time.

Not sure a boutique cigar can make  huge money.... but should be able to survive with a good marketing.

 

[Connoisseur Kim]

3 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Boutique to me is where your blend targets a very specific niche.....who plenty may not enjoy...and you don't care.... and that may not always be available. Boutique is where you take risks with only one eye to the reward. Boutique is where you got into the game/blend to produce something that you and your mates enjoy. Boutique is where the numbers don't always make sense ....but you do it anyway.Boutique is majority  love, part commerce, part hubris, plenty luck. Boutique is where bean counters don't have an input......or at least you hide most of the numbers from them. Boutique is where it never really  made sense on paper but you did it anyway 

 

1 hour ago, Mr. Japan said:

Boutique in Cigars  cannot be same as Boutique in fashion world or  You do not call Boutique  a microbrewery or a small winerey.

In cigar world  I would consider boutique a small company that has first of all passion for making the cigar ( not necessary he has to grow tobacco, has to have the knowledge to choose the tobacco and to have the right rollers.

A boutique cigar should not be available in all the world, numbers will be limited  and available only in specific shops/Countries. 

The difficulties of the Boutique Cigar will be constancy in producing same cigars every year( 3...5 vitolas ) and come out with Special batches time to time.

Not sure a boutique cigar can make  huge money.... but should be able to survive with a good marketing.

Thanks, @El Presidente @Mr. Japan! Looks like boutique cigar brands are quite similar to retroesque indie video games that are meant for gamers with 90s video games nostalgia (these games are considered niche games just like boutique cigar brands compared to mainstream games like COD).

[Edicion]

La Ley is a boutique brand that produces excellent NC cigars and also Nudies, one of the best discoveries in the NC world for me.

[Connoisseur Kim]

1 hour ago, Edicion said:

La Ley is a boutique brand that produces excellent NC cigars and also Nudies, one of the best discoveries in the NC world for me.

Thanks, @Edicion! I also agree Nudies is one of the legendary NCs I've ever seen in my life. Can't wait to puff my N1s in near future 🙂