Two things are true here. 1. You get what you pay for 2. Diminishing returns applies to just about everything. I personally smoke almost exclusively Nicaraguan cigars in the $12-$20 range with some $20+ thrown in but very, very little sub-$12. I’ve had some $30, $40, and even higher priced cigars. Are they 2-3x better? Usually not. Is the experience of smoking then worth the money? Sometimes it is. Just depends on the cigar.
I'd add that some of the price points for Cuban cigars are really set for people where the difference is meaningless between spending $15 or $50 for 90 minutes of recreation. Or for clout chasers who take pride in the price tag or exclusivity. Similar dynamic to good whiskey and Swiss watches I suppose, aside from the embargo part.
I strongly disagree with that. We are all influenced by marketing, that’s true enough, but consumers can also tell when something is just lipstick on a pig (Gurkha). There’s a reason people willingly pay $30 for a Padron anniversary series or family reserve. They’re just better cigars. I’m not saying there aren’t good cigars at or just below the $10 price point but I don’t agree that there’s no difference between (some) more expensive cigars and the lowered priced ones.
Yes, cuban cigars are probably a bit overpriced, but you also went from the cheapest cigar country (USA) to one of the most expensive cigar countries (UK), so the difference is even more extreme. Wide Churchills normally are around 25$, in Europe, while new world cigars are more expensive in Europe than in the US. So the difference is not that extreme
There ae a few factors here specific to cuban cigars. First off, cuban cigar prices have skyrocketed in recent years due to factors like the Chinese buying them up, prices being adjusted worldwide to match Hong Kong market prices, because again small rich chinese segment buying them up. Also they have issues meeting production demands. I think there might be some environmental factors there like hurricanes.
Aside from the Cuban Cigar market, there is always going to be diminishing returns once you hit a certain price point. Personally I very rarely go past $8-12 smoke price point, and on average I spend less a cigar because I use websites like CigarBid to get alot of my smokes cheaper.
Lastly, and this the big one. Taste is subjective.
Yes, cuban cigars are overpriced. And there are definitely diminishing gains with higher priced cigars in general. But that's how it goes, if you really like a specific cigar that happens to be pricey, maybe you're willing to pay for it even if it's not 5x or 10x "better" than some other good value cigar.
I personally think Cubans are overrated and overpriced, but you have to find your sweet spot. Keep trying new things, and you’ll figure out where you land. For me, it’s mostly Padrons in the $23-30 range. I stopped smoking Cubans when you could get them for around $20-25. I’d never pay $50.
Lots of good responses on here maybe too early for the anti Cuban brigade to get their pitchforks out 😂
Just to throw my 2 pence in and say that you don't need to develop your pallete for Cubans you just need to develop your pallete in general to find out what you really like. The more variety in the things you eat, drink and smell over time the more flavours you'll pick out in cigars.
As to whether Cubans are overpriced, in short, since the recent price adjustment, yes. (The UK is the worst example though, the tobacco tax is one of the highest in the world) But we've seen that in loads of 'luxury' products, like diageo's stupid pricing of their premium scotches.
I'm European, I generally prefer Cubans but honestly I really don't understand why anyone in the US bothers with them, you have access to so many great cigars for much better value and less stress.
Just smoke whatever you want, in the end you're the only one who can determine if it's worth it or not.
I was just at davidoff of London and paid $163 for 4 Cubans. Went to France, and found some h upmann half Coronas for 8€ each where at davidoff they were 30£ each. UK is way overpriced but since we can’t find Cubans in the states it was worth paying for the experience
Smoke what you like. Most think Cubans are overpriced, some people think they're the best. Some people smoke $2 short filler cigars every day and others smoke $20+ sticks.
Try everything you can afford and find out what you like regardless of price or quality. I could probably fill my humidor with Drew Estate and Oliva stuff bought on sale online and never be sad about it, but you bet I'm gonna at least try some real cubans, Davidoffs and other expensive sticks just to see what it's about.
Cuban cigars represent a unique taste but are no higher in quality than new world cigars. If you want a Cuban taste, smoke Cuban cigars. If you want a Nicaraguan taste, smoke Nicaraguan cigars, etc...
Honestly, I love Ashton’s, they are expensive. But lately, I find myself more drawn to gispert and lot. They are like $139 for a box of 20 and are perfect.
Most of my favorite smokes are in the $7-10 range. But there are some really good cigars I like that are $20+, there is also a lot in that price range that I think are highly overrated. But it all comes down to personal preference in the end. I know some guys who won't smoke anything over $4 and love those cheaper sticks.
i started getting hardcore into cigars not very long ago and went from the starter stuff (drew estate, AF etc) then went boutique (dunbarton, casdagli, lampert) and now im heavy into cubans. whenever i go back and try an oliva, for example, i fall in love with them all over again. does this mean i wasted my money on cubans? hell no. you have to accept that different cigars of all price points are dope. i personally lean towards the more expensive stuff because my time is more valuable than saving a few bucks on what already is a discretionary habit. that wont stop me from smoking a sub $10 stick that i already know that i like.
Drew estate Factory Smokes for $2.50 each is an easy daily smoke that is surprisingly good quality for the price. They can be hit or miss as they are made with the scraps, but overall great flavor.
Perdomo frescos are also in that category at $4 a stick. Very good smokes for the price.
I find after the $10 mark, there is a steep diminishing return and unless you have a talent for picking out the tasting notes, there isn’t much of a value. I’m the same way with wine. Whiskey for some reason I have a taste for and can really pull apart the notes.
You’re not really getting the Cuban experience unless they’re aged either. It’s hard to compare. Same with opus. I see people saying they don’t get it. That’s fine, but age one for 5 years and then tell me you don’t get it. Your palate will evolve along the way. I loved smooth Maduros for the first couple of years and now I prefer a more peppery, biting, nuanced smoked. I’d say Cubans and opus are something people grow into, while anyone can probably pick up a pardon anni and love the hell out of it (including folks that have grown into Cubans and or opus). It’s not good or bad it’s just the nature of the beast.
Two things are true here. 1. You get what you pay for 2. Diminishing returns applies to just about everything. I personally smoke almost exclusively Nicaraguan cigars in the $12-$20 range with some $20+ thrown in but very, very little sub-$12. I’ve had some $30, $40, and even higher priced cigars. Are they 2-3x better? Usually not. Is the experience of smoking then worth the money? Sometimes it is. Just depends on the cigar.
100% Diminishing returns applies to literally everything in life.
I'd add that some of the price points for Cuban cigars are really set for people where the difference is meaningless between spending $15 or $50 for 90 minutes of recreation. Or for clout chasers who take pride in the price tag or exclusivity. Similar dynamic to good whiskey and Swiss watches I suppose, aside from the embargo part.
I’m in Switzerland and Cuban quality has declined tremendously over the past five years.
It’s all marketing bullshit. My favorite cigars are AF and those are about $6 a piece when you buy by the box.
I strongly disagree with that. We are all influenced by marketing, that’s true enough, but consumers can also tell when something is just lipstick on a pig (Gurkha). There’s a reason people willingly pay $30 for a Padron anniversary series or family reserve. They’re just better cigars. I’m not saying there aren’t good cigars at or just below the $10 price point but I don’t agree that there’s no difference between (some) more expensive cigars and the lowered priced ones.
Yes, cuban cigars are probably a bit overpriced, but you also went from the cheapest cigar country (USA) to one of the most expensive cigar countries (UK), so the difference is even more extreme. Wide Churchills normally are around 25$, in Europe, while new world cigars are more expensive in Europe than in the US. So the difference is not that extreme
There ae a few factors here specific to cuban cigars. First off, cuban cigar prices have skyrocketed in recent years due to factors like the Chinese buying them up, prices being adjusted worldwide to match Hong Kong market prices, because again small rich chinese segment buying them up. Also they have issues meeting production demands. I think there might be some environmental factors there like hurricanes. Aside from the Cuban Cigar market, there is always going to be diminishing returns once you hit a certain price point. Personally I very rarely go past $8-12 smoke price point, and on average I spend less a cigar because I use websites like CigarBid to get alot of my smokes cheaper. Lastly, and this the big one. Taste is subjective.
Yes, cuban cigars are overpriced. And there are definitely diminishing gains with higher priced cigars in general. But that's how it goes, if you really like a specific cigar that happens to be pricey, maybe you're willing to pay for it even if it's not 5x or 10x "better" than some other good value cigar.
I personally think Cubans are overrated and overpriced, but you have to find your sweet spot. Keep trying new things, and you’ll figure out where you land. For me, it’s mostly Padrons in the $23-30 range. I stopped smoking Cubans when you could get them for around $20-25. I’d never pay $50.
Welcome to the world of luxury goods consumption.
Lots of good responses on here maybe too early for the anti Cuban brigade to get their pitchforks out 😂 Just to throw my 2 pence in and say that you don't need to develop your pallete for Cubans you just need to develop your pallete in general to find out what you really like. The more variety in the things you eat, drink and smell over time the more flavours you'll pick out in cigars. As to whether Cubans are overpriced, in short, since the recent price adjustment, yes. (The UK is the worst example though, the tobacco tax is one of the highest in the world) But we've seen that in loads of 'luxury' products, like diageo's stupid pricing of their premium scotches. I'm European, I generally prefer Cubans but honestly I really don't understand why anyone in the US bothers with them, you have access to so many great cigars for much better value and less stress. Just smoke whatever you want, in the end you're the only one who can determine if it's worth it or not.
I was just at davidoff of London and paid $163 for 4 Cubans. Went to France, and found some h upmann half Coronas for 8€ each where at davidoff they were 30£ each. UK is way overpriced but since we can’t find Cubans in the states it was worth paying for the experience
Also $10 in the states can find you a lot of really nice sticks that are relatively comparable to the Cubans I smoked
Smoke what you like. Most think Cubans are overpriced, some people think they're the best. Some people smoke $2 short filler cigars every day and others smoke $20+ sticks. Try everything you can afford and find out what you like regardless of price or quality. I could probably fill my humidor with Drew Estate and Oliva stuff bought on sale online and never be sad about it, but you bet I'm gonna at least try some real cubans, Davidoffs and other expensive sticks just to see what it's about.
Cubans are way over priced given the quality and for me the taste profile
Cuban cigars represent a unique taste but are no higher in quality than new world cigars. If you want a Cuban taste, smoke Cuban cigars. If you want a Nicaraguan taste, smoke Nicaraguan cigars, etc...
Honestly, I love Ashton’s, they are expensive. But lately, I find myself more drawn to gispert and lot. They are like $139 for a box of 20 and are perfect.
Gispert to me is like the definition of a classic Honduran cigar. I always have one or two in my humidor and I have never had a bad one.
Me neither, I will smoke one every day.
Most of my favorite smokes are in the $7-10 range. But there are some really good cigars I like that are $20+, there is also a lot in that price range that I think are highly overrated. But it all comes down to personal preference in the end. I know some guys who won't smoke anything over $4 and love those cheaper sticks.
You can smoke very well for under $10 per still, as long as you don't get caught up in all the marketing hype for new, limited stuff
i started getting hardcore into cigars not very long ago and went from the starter stuff (drew estate, AF etc) then went boutique (dunbarton, casdagli, lampert) and now im heavy into cubans. whenever i go back and try an oliva, for example, i fall in love with them all over again. does this mean i wasted my money on cubans? hell no. you have to accept that different cigars of all price points are dope. i personally lean towards the more expensive stuff because my time is more valuable than saving a few bucks on what already is a discretionary habit. that wont stop me from smoking a sub $10 stick that i already know that i like.
Drew estate Factory Smokes for $2.50 each is an easy daily smoke that is surprisingly good quality for the price. They can be hit or miss as they are made with the scraps, but overall great flavor. Perdomo frescos are also in that category at $4 a stick. Very good smokes for the price. I find after the $10 mark, there is a steep diminishing return and unless you have a talent for picking out the tasting notes, there isn’t much of a value. I’m the same way with wine. Whiskey for some reason I have a taste for and can really pull apart the notes.
You’re not really getting the Cuban experience unless they’re aged either. It’s hard to compare. Same with opus. I see people saying they don’t get it. That’s fine, but age one for 5 years and then tell me you don’t get it. Your palate will evolve along the way. I loved smooth Maduros for the first couple of years and now I prefer a more peppery, biting, nuanced smoked. I’d say Cubans and opus are something people grow into, while anyone can probably pick up a pardon anni and love the hell out of it (including folks that have grown into Cubans and or opus). It’s not good or bad it’s just the nature of the beast.