Monday, August 23 2010
Q: I hesitate on this question for not wanting to appear ignorant. so here goes: I've learned over the last 3 years or so since I've been smoking quality cigars that as a rule, the higher the price, the better the cigar.
Also, I'll admit that i haven't smoked many, if any, extremely high-end cigars with the highest priced cigar I've smoked retailing in a smoke shop for around $25. But what I've come to wonder is: what makes an expensive cigar? I'm sure the blending process, etc is most if not all of it, but i just wondered what a cigar maker that makes a $5 cigar does or doesn't do to their cigars that a cigar maker that makes a $150 cigar does.
- Cliff in Oklahoma
A: The main things that make that cigar $25 are, number one, the taxes, then the bands, packaging, certainly, the cost of the tobacco, especially the
wrapper, the labor, shipping costs, etc. It may also be the "prestige" factor. For example, the La Palina cigar I sampled at a "coming out" party in NYC a few months ago tasted every bit as good as many $5 cigars I've had. Yet, because it was made by
Graycliff Cigars, it retails for $19. To its credit, however, the cigar was
quite a smoke and has received glowing reviews. Just looking at it you could immediately tell everything about it was top-drawer from the dark, oily wrapper to the rich-tasting longfillers, to the handsome
band.
Fact is, some cigars are targeted only to the "luxury class cigar" consumer. Other examples include Davidoff cigars, Prometheus God of Fire cigars, Ashton ESG 20 Year cigars, Macanudo Vintage 2000 cigars, et. al. Of course, the one thing they have in common is they use only the highest quality and most fully-aged ingredients. Go figure. But there's something to be said for treating yourself to one of these fine cigars every so often.
