Premium cigars?

[DSturg369]

Originally Posted by Herf N Turf

Generally speaking, the term premium refers to any cigar that is rolled of long filler and constructed entirely by hand.

I totally agree with this.



I have three catagories I use:

1) Super Premium: Expensive and hard to find; limited release.

2) Premium: See above.

3) Crap, I wont smoke.

These 3 categories sum it up for me.

Again, I agree, however #3 (for me) I would reword as "Everything else".

[x man]

i use the term ultra premium
u will know it when u smoke it
smooth as silk, cool, perfect draw and burn
dont want to put it out

[e-man]

I think the term premium should be reserved for the cream of the crop, and Ultra-premiums are the creme de la creme. But that's just my opinion, and rating cigars is purely subjective.


By definition, a Premium is an "additional fee" or "Bonus" that is commanded by a product or service, when compared to the cost of similar products or services. In other words, it's something a buyer is willing to pay a higher price for. That premium may be paid because the product has a higher quality, is hard to get, has received good reviews, or the buyer perceives some additional value (real or not). For instance, you may be willing to pay extra at a B&M, compared to on-line prices, because you can touch and smell the cigar first, pick a specific stick from the others in the box, and smoke inside. You may see value in supporting your local economy and having a place that you can get a cigar on a moments notice.

In theory, a premium cigar is "better" than other cheaper cigars. Of course, there are factors like marketing, pop culture, or brand recognition, that may influence the price more than the actual merits of the product.


Machine rolled cigars use paper wrappers , rather than whole leaves. Often times the paper is made from tobacco fibers, so it's still "technically" tobacco. They fill them with finely chopped "dry-cured" tobacco, as it is difficult for a machine to make a consistent product from materials that have inconsistent shape, size and humidity, like long leaf tobacco. So, excluding the bottom of the barrel, "cigarette-like" gas station brands (Swisher Sweet, White Owl, etc), virtually ALL cigars are hand rolled, and the majority are also long leaf too.

Simplifying the criteria to "hand rolled, long leaf" would make most cheap bundles into premium cigars, without considering construction, flavor, quality of materials, blemishes, consistency of product, packaging, handling, overall aesthetics and other quality control issues. These are traits that directly affect the price that people are willing to pay for a cigar.


I would concede that any GOOD or QUALITY cigar should be hand rolled with long leaf filler. I personally wouldn't entertain the thought of smoking anything less. However, by definition I don't think that 95% of cigars on the market could be considered premium. If your product can't be distinguished from 95% of the market I think the words Common, Average or Standard would be more fitting.

Why would anyone pay more for one product compared to another if hand rolled, long leaf filler is the only criteria? Maybe someone only smokes bundles because they don't get any additional enjoyment from more expensive cigars. Fair enough.

But, wouldn't you agree that an Oliva O is worth more than a Flor De Oliva? Isn't the Oliva V worth more than the Oliva O? Most people would agree, regardless of how well they like them, and that common attitude is reflected in the price of each product. I you don't agree, then I would gladly trade all of your Oliva V's for some Flor de Oliva's in the same/similar vitola. Funny, I can't seem to find any Flor de Oliva figurados.

Isn't a tubo worth more than the same cigar in cellophane. People will pay an extra $1-2 for the same cigar if comes in a 5 cent tube, as they perceive it to give them more than 5 cents in value. You can keep a tubo outside a humidor longer, and it is protected from a fair amount of abuse. Much cheaper than buying a travel humidor with humidification. Hence, a tubo cigar commands a higher premium. Yet, nobody would pay an extra $1-2 dollars for a Rolly in a tubo. Possibly because pristine Rolly doesn't smoke any better than a dried out dented one.

Regardless of your opinion of a given cigar, there is a price point that identifies the cigars that most people consider to be better than average. And a higher price point that identifies the best of the best.

[PerpetualNoob]

I want to make the distinction between local and online prices. Locally, for me, any handmade under $10 is dirt cheap, but an online cigar that's over about $10 had better damned well be insanely good. Online, there's a huge, huge sweet spot around the $5 mark where you actually have to start working at it to find a cigar that isn't of a high quality, even if the flavor doesn't suit you. I might be wrong, but I think most of us are looking for value. Is this cigar worth what I paid for it, to me. Nothing else really matters.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by PerpetualNoob

Is this cigar worth what I paid for it, to me. Nothing else really matters.

That is the bottom line!

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by ca21455

I have always thought of a premium cigar to be one that is hand rolled with long leaf tobacco. A non-premium would be machine made which has chopped up pieces of tobacco for a filler.

Now you could get into a long discussion of which premium cigars are really premium, but I will leave that up to the review posts.

This is how I feel. When I say I smoke premium cigars I mean that I DON'T smoke swisher sweets and the like.

[smokin nightly]

Originally Posted by e-man

I think the term premium should be reserved for the cream of the crop, and Ultra-premiums are the creme de la creme. But that's just my opinion, and rating cigars is purely subjective.


By definition, a Premium is an "additional fee" or "Bonus" that is commanded by a product or service, when compared to the cost of similar products or services. In other words, it's something a buyer is willing to pay a higher price for. That premium may be paid because the product has a higher quality, is hard to get, has received good reviews, or the buyer perceives some additional value (real or not). For instance, you may be willing to pay extra at a B&M, compared to on-line prices, because you can touch and smell the cigar first, pick a specific stick from the others in the box, and smoke inside. You may see value in supporting your local economy and having a place that you can get a cigar on a moments notice.

In theory, a premium cigar is "better" than other cheaper cigars. Of course, there are factors like marketing, pop culture, or brand recognition, that may influence the price more than the actual merits of the product.


Machine rolled cigars use paper wrappers , rather than whole leaves. Often times the paper is made from tobacco fibers, so it's still "technically" tobacco. They fill them with finely chopped "dry-cured" tobacco, as it is difficult for a machine to make a consistent product from materials that have inconsistent shape, size and humidity, like long leaf tobacco. So, excluding the bottom of the barrel, "cigarette-like" gas station brands (Swisher Sweet, White Owl, etc), virtually ALL cigars are hand rolled, and the majority are also long leaf too.

Simplifying the criteria to "hand rolled, long leaf" would make most cheap bundles into premium cigars, without considering construction, flavor, quality of materials, blemishes, consistency of product, packaging, handling, overall aesthetics and other quality control issues. These are traits that directly affect the price that people are willing to pay for a cigar.


I would concede that any GOOD or QUALITY cigar should be hand rolled with long leaf filler. I personally wouldn't entertain the thought of smoking anything less. However, by definition I don't think that 95% of cigars on the market could be considered premium. If your product can't be distinguished from 95% of the market I think the words Common, Average or Standard would be more fitting.

Why would anyone pay more for one product compared to another if hand rolled, long leaf filler is the only criteria? Maybe someone only smokes bundles because they don't get any additional enjoyment from more expensive cigars. Fair enough.

But, wouldn't you agree that an Oliva O is worth more than a Flor De Oliva? Isn't the Oliva V worth more than the Oliva O? Most people would agree, regardless of how well they like them, and that common attitude is reflected in the price of each product. I you don't agree, then I would gladly trade all of your Oliva V's for some Flor de Oliva's in the same/similar vitola. Funny, I can't seem to find any Flor de Oliva figurados.

Isn't a tubo worth more than the same cigar in cellophane. People will pay an extra $1-2 for the same cigar if comes in a 5 cent tube, as they perceive it to give them more than 5 cents in value. You can keep a tubo outside a humidor longer, and it is protected from a fair amount of abuse. Much cheaper than buying a travel humidor with humidification. Hence, a tubo cigar commands a higher premium. Yet, nobody would pay an extra $1-2 dollars for a Rolly in a tubo. Possibly because pristine Rolly doesn't smoke any better than a dried out dented one.

Regardless of your opinion of a given cigar, there is a price point that identifies the cigars that most people consider to be better than average. And a higher price point that identifies the best of the best.

That is a great reply Eric! You hit it right on the head...