Current Cigar Prices

[Craig Mac]

I didn't want to take anything away from the thread I was going to post it in so I made a new thread for this.

The discussion of cigar pricing seems to come up a lot, especially when it's a new company so I wanted to investigate cigar prices and here is a number crunch of a quick survey. This is based on MSRP pricing and obviously not a complete survey of every cigar available, but a pretty sizable survey sample of 1732 cigars from about 3 dozen major suppliers.

MSRP of 1732 cigars currently on the market breaks down as follows:
142 cigars priced from $1.45 to $4.95
724 cigars priced from $5.00 to $8.45
614 cigars priced from $8.50 to $13.00
252 cigars from $13.20 to $60.00 with $142 of them being over $20.00

The average price from 1732 cigar is $8.61 per cigar
884 Cigars under $8.50
866 Cigars $8.50 or more

 

[StogieNinja]

But how may cigars are priced from $4.96-$4.99?!

8% cigars priced from $1.45 to $4.95
42% cigars priced from $5.00 to $8.45
35% cigars priced from $8.50 to $13.00
15% cigars from $13.20 to $60.00 with 142 of them being over $20.00

Interesting numbers. Half of all the cigars are under $8.50, and the largest portion of cigars are in the $5.00-8.50 range.

 

[Ga Gator]

I have been smoking cigars for far to long to worry about a few dollars difference between cigars. $7-10 vs $9-13 is not a difference to me that is going to change my buying habits. I gave up on the medium priced $5-7 dollar cigars years ago. I only get to smoke 2-3 cigars a week if I smoke one that fails to live up expectations I'm pretty disappointed.

 

[knw247]

I have been smoking cigars for far to long to worry about a few dollars difference between cigars. $7-10 vs $9-13 is not a difference to me that is going to change my buying habits. I gave up on the medium priced $5-7 dollar cigars years ago. I only get to smoke 2-3 cigars a week if I smoke one that fails to live up expectations I'm pretty disappointed.

I agree with Ga Gator. if your smoking 1-3 per day, you really need to be looking at the sticks under $5. If your smoking 1-3 a week, it's easier to justify the more expensive Sticks.

I say smoke less often and enjoy what you smoke.

(Disclaimer: I also enjoy quite a few sticks in the $5-$8 range.)

 

[StogieNinja]

Nearly all of what I smoke is in the $5-$8.50 range.

One thing I think that's pertinent to this discussion: right now, we have a plethora of guys who LOVE cigars that are making great cigars. @JonHuber, @ssaka, @nickaragua, @warpedcigars and others have quality lineups (or are launching them shortly), and there's a TON of great cigars currently on the market in ALL price ranges. I smoke as often as I can (2-3 times a week), and I'm almost always choosing between an old favorite or trying something new and exciting, and that's true across all price ranges. Which is a pretty great place to find myself in, I think.

 

[mdwest]

....

edited - posted in wrong thread..

 

[Mr. McSquirelly]

Great numbers!

 

[driver]

If I say screw it and not watch pricing and just bite the bullet and say it's only $2 more a stick that's ok. That's nearly $10,000 over a 30 year period if your only smoking 3 a week that's alot of $$$$. If you smoke 4-5 a week do the math wow!!

 

[mdwest]

Lady : Do you smoke ?

Man : Yes

Lady : How many cigars per day?

Man : 3

Lady : How much per cigar?

Man : $10.00

Lady : And how long have you been smoking ?

Man : 15 years

Lady : So 1 cigar costs $10.00 and you have 3 cigars a day which puts your spending each month at $900. In one year, it would be $10,800 correct ?

Man : Correct

Lady : If in 1 year you spend $10,800 not accounting for inflation, the past 15 years puts your spending at $162,000 correct ?

Man : Correct

Lady : Do you know that if you hadn't smoked, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account and after accounting for compound interest for the past 15 years, you could have now bought a Ferrari ?

Man : Do you smoke ?

Lady : No

Man : Where's your Ferrari then ?

 

[Craig Mac]

I think you could take that analogy to everything in life, food, fuel, clothing, etc.... Point being, sometimes what it is worth to you is the difference of spending a dollar or two more.

 

[driver]

I'm a frugal SOB what can I say and thanks to this forum I have found many of quality sticks that fit my spending comfort level that are the shit!!

 

[StogieNinja]

I'm a frugal SOB what can I say and thanks to this forum I have found many of quality sticks that fit my spending comfort level that are the shit!!

And that's the beauty of what we have right now... stellar cigars at all price levels. Heck, I have some JLPs and some Ramon Bueso Genesis Habano that cost me $2ea, and they're great cigars. I smoked a Montecristo Gran Reserva on my 30th Birthday, and it was a great cigar. So whether you're a frugal smoker or a premium smoker, now is a great time to be able to smoke what you like, and like what you smoke.

 

[CeeGarOne]

CraigMac, that was a very good post. Thanks for sharing. I suppose living here in California our senses have been numbed to cost and not only cigars but, just about everything. So when I pick up a stick or two from my B&M to determine if I want to seek out greater quantities at lower costs online, I don't even bat an eye.

 

[JCinPA]

Some food for thought ...

When I was a young Air Force Lieutenant I used to smoke JR Ultimate Double Coronas (6 3/4 x 48) and a box of 25 in 1982, if I recall correctly, was about $75. Today, the JR Ultimate is not what it once was, but the HdM Excalibur #2 (6.7" x 47) is a pretty close approximation of that cigar and it was on sale a box of 20 + a 5-pack (so still 25) for $103 today at CI, $4.12 per.

Plugging the 1982 $75 into an inflation calculator, I get ...

Are you sitting down?

$185
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

I don't sweat today's cigar prices. Ever. Although I do try to get my favorites when they toss in sweeteners like free 5-packs or samplers. But think about cigar prices? Not for a minute. The 1990's cigar craze really expanded supply, then demand came back down. We are living in high clover these days, gents!

 

[Trek3]

It is good to be alive! Makes a lot of sense why a lot of quality sticks are available for bargain prices.

 

[ssaka]

Great post Craig Mac!

STS

 

[StogieFisher]

Does that make me cheap if I only pay below average prices for smokes?

 

[ssaka]

No it means you choose to spend what you want to spend and are satisfied with a selection of cigars in that price point. No sin in that imo.

It is like scotch, there are a ton of Single Malts in the $40-$50 range that are great, but it so happens my regular go to bottle is the stock Lagavulin 16 which I get for about $78... it is okay, because I drink maybe 5 bottles a year... but during the year, I sample a ton of other scotches most of which are less... for example the blended Dimple Pinch is an excellent dram for me and it costs $34 or so a bottle... now my personal all time favorite, is the Lagavulin Distiller's Edition finished in the Pedro Ximinez casks, but that is like $139 a bottle, so for me it is rare dram - a bottle or two a year.

I think every person can only decide for themselves what is a "fair" price for these types of consumables, wine, liquor, restaurants, cigars, etc...

BR,

STS

 

[Rupe]

Wow! Thanks for posting this @Craig Mac and thanks for you clarification in the other thread @ssaka

More and more I was starting to think that I was seeing an increase in $10+ cigar prices because the manufacturers were getting us used to the $10+ price point that was discussed as part of the definition of a premium cigar exemption in the pending FDA crackdown.

After giving this some thought though I have come to realize that cigar prices have not necessarily gone up. What has happened is that I have changed. The lower cost cigars are still out there. I am just no longer searching them out because my expectations have risen to a different level. Cool!

 

[StogieNinja]

... it so happens my regular go to bottle is the stock Lagavulin 16

A man after my own heart!


"Oh someday, we'll find it
The Lagavulin connection,
Ron Swanson, Steve Saka and me."