Cigars: at what price point to you really begin to give a rats arse?

[El Presidente]

CC or NC. .....ok mostly NC. 

I was listening to John CigarSurgeon note in his recent Developing Palate review that the cigar was (PARAPHRASING HERE) ".....ok and for $8 I would probably try it again" 

This is a little like a cigar "Perceived Value Matrix"

 

Q  At what pricepoint do you really REALLY care that the cigar delivers a high level of utility. 

high level of utility = Next level up +  from "OK". 

[loose_axle]

To be honest $150+ just cause I'm used to being bent over and taking it down in Aus. 

For the record this doesn't mean I pay this much but unless its over that price point I don't expect anything just hope and pray its a good cigar. If its not ah well at least I tried it. 

 

[LordAnubis]

I would share John's sentiment. Under 10 bucks a dud is acceptable. At the 15 -20 mark it better be good every time. Above 20 it better be absolutely amazing every time. 

[griller]

5 hours ago, LordAnubis said:

I would share John's sentiment. Under 10 bucks a dud is acceptable. At the 15 -20 mark it better be good every time. Above 20 it better be absolutely amazing every time. 

Preach on! Right there with you!

[Chibearsv]

NC or CC, I expect a $15 cigar to be very good, worthy of repeat purchases. 

[Goldeneye]

I have settled on cigars in the $15-20 for my everyday cigars and expect them to be good with no duds. Cigars >$20 i expect to be very good and a treat for me that are smoked sparingly. My inventory is pretty sparse compared to many folks on this forum, maybe only have 40-50 cigars over the $20 range so they are reserved for just the right time.

[Cigar Surgeon]

Yeah I would say we're reaching a point with average pricing in the NC world where brands are going to have to step up their game in flavor consistency and QC if they want a $15+ release. 

[Dlowil]

I would share John's sentiment. Under 10 bucks a dud is acceptable. At the 15 -20 mark it better be good every time. Above 20 it better be absolutely amazing every time. 

In agreement with this sentiment.

[PirelliCndms]

I only really smoke Maduro NCs and at anything over $15 better be reliable and great. However with CCs you just never know what you're going to get. $20+ is a requirement to be decent in the CC world.

[MTimbo]

I'd say around $11-$15 bucks is where I would start expecting a cigar to deliver an enjoyable experience almost every time. I'm in the States and can order a good variety of NC cigars in the 11-15 dollar price range that I would consider excellent. If I were to go to a local B&M I would expect those price ranges to be about double for the same cigar. I guess it depends if we're talking about boxes from internet retailers or buying singles with B&M overhead and state taxes, locally.

[SUP8333]

This poll almost doesn't apply to me for $25 we don't get anything in a B&M.

I only start looking really closely at about $80 each.

[wjs]

I don’t smoke too often and I didn’t really get into the game until after Cigarmageddon, so most everything I have is $17-25, with a small handful above. I expect everything I have to be a quality experience.

[Wookie]

For $17-20 there are world class NCs in the US at the 6X50 range that are just as good as the best Cuban robustos (all of which sell for $23usd per stick now). 

[BlueWS]

I can't vote. I got caught buying Cubans late in 2023 and the average price per stick after all was said and done was $33 (box of Coros and a lot of samplers pushed the price up). We all know the quality is wildly all over the place. I've been patient with the few full boxes I have, but plugged COROs, dud Connie 2s, underdeveloped sticks in between. I'm done above $550 a box for a lot of meh cigars. I'll be surprised if I ever get through 300 sticks. Every time I have two duds back to back I quit for a while. It's supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing for Christ sake! It's feels like Russian Roulette when grabbing an expensive stick. #ripoff

[bmac]

Prices are just right on Nudies!! Please keep them where they are!!☺️

[Çnote]

There's just too much at $12-13 to look above that on a regular basis, and there's more at $9-10 than you know if you know how to shop.

[Ruggerpgh99]

On 6/9/2025 at 8:28 PM, LordAnubis said:

I would share John's sentiment. Under 10 bucks a dud is acceptable. At the 15 -20 mark it better be good every time. Above 20 it better be absolutely amazing every time. 

Are you in my head? This is exactly how I put this together and was about to send. 

[usleepicreep]

Money is temporary.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GVan]

Great question!  I've bought a lot of cigars at < $10 per stick that my thought process was let's take a chance and see if these develop into good cigars.  After 6 years of this buying pattern, I'm batting > 75% combining CC and NC purchases.  Not a bad percentage and frankly, typical of just buying what I knew was likely a good box of CC's (given Cuba's quality control).  Looking at my spreadsheet, I actually received 2 boxes of BPC's (TUA-NOV-21) on 10/7/22 for $8.60 per stick.  I haven't even tried any of these yet as I'm still smoking MSU-19 BPC's that are awesome examples of the marca easily being 92+ point cigars.  A great example of this buying pattern was when I bought 10 boxes of RG Panetelas in 2020 based upon a FOH members recommendation and had never even tried one yet.  These have now aged to perfection at 8 years old and rival my 4 to 5 year-old JL2's.  Almost everyone is 89+ points and unfortunately I'm down to only 4 boxes left.  Of course the original PD Carlota's, NInfa's and Lancero's fall in here.  Per the above question - this is my "utility cigar" price point.

At $10 to $16 per stick I do a lot of research first through some trusted reviewers before making a purchase.  Again I'd say I'm at > 90% over the past 4 years at that price point.  In this category are: PSDP, early 21 Punch 48's & Punch Punch, Illusione, Ashton VSGs, and lately PD Amante IVs, PD Trinitys and Casdagli. Today, I can still find very good cigars at $10 to $16 per stick

Once you get past the $15 to $16 per stick point, I'm only buying cigars that I have previously smoked and believed there was real potential to be a great smoke (92+ points) with some time down.  Funny, as I was going through my spreadsheet most of these are still in long-term storage: (2020 / 21 Lusi's, 2020 BBF's, late 2021 Punch 48's, 2021 RAS LCDH, some LE Casdagli's.

But, back to the original question: I've never bought a cigar over $20 per stick.  I expect (and can find) good to very good cigars with the occasional 94+ point WOW at < $16 per stick.  Perhaps someday, as the CC inventory dwindles it'll happen.

[cigaraholic]

The Oliva’s that I’m smoking now on the golf course that I get on sale for 4-6 dollars are OK. The Mille Flures, Palmas Extra, Majestic and Regalias that I’m smoking far more of than I ever used to I expect to be quite enjoyable. One of my favorite morning cigars with coffee is a Por Larranaga Panetelas, occasionally an under filled one will be a little disappointing and I’ll think what the hell it was only $3.

[JohnnyO]

David Savona reported 3/25/25 that he did find some "bargains" while in Havana. H.Upmann Half Coronas at $6 and Montecristo#4 at $11. My most recent look at the duty free in T3 had the H. Upmanns at $12 and the Montecristo#4 at $28+ ($425 for a 15 petacas box). It could be the clerk was padding the bill as they don't have prices visible anywhere and in other LCDHs they do. Either way these prices are going past the threshold of pain for mini-action-figure cigars. John

[Leche]

$16-20 USD is the sweet spot for me! $21, and I better not be disappointed.

[GerardMichaelTX]

Anything over $5 better blow my mind and there's a lot of crap to sift through. I have a handful of Habanos left prior to all hell breaking loose. Ended of gifting a few boxes not realizing prices had changed.

IMO, I have not been impressed with anything below the $15 mark these days; unfortunately that is not what I am willing to pay. Fortunately, I have a few years worth of cigars I need to smoke through in addition to the extras I get from various sources.

Just Cubans are out for me. If they were still cheap, I would still be buying.

[Lucas Buck]

Once upon a time it was ten bucks for me but inflation has pushed it up to twenty. Under that threshold if it’s a good quality smoke it doesn’t have to blow me away. Over twenty it’s got to be great, a 9 or 10 on my scale. There are still a few Havanas that outperform their cost and many in the $20-$30 range that are outstanding. 

[Shakey]

At $500/box (the floor for CC robustos/#4s) they have to be constantly good for me to buy. Frankly, at these prices I’m not buying things like RASS and Choix Supreme because the costs don’t justify the experience.