This morning I lit up a Julian Sued Tabac Restaurador Rothschild. I am always happy to smoke one of these highly underrated cigars. Definitely check them out if you haven’t recently. This Restaurador, as with most of Edgar Julian’s cigars, is priced well below $10. He makes great cigars in general, but when you consider the value, they are incredible cigars.
This got me thinking about price points (especially after seeing some releases from the PCA being announced).
What is your sweet spot as far as price? I.e. Where do you value and enjoyment lines cross when it comes to cigars?
For me that range is about $10-$12, on average. I think this is a safe range for cigars and a very popular price point (though I don’t know for how long, as I am seeing a trend toward price increases). This is the price range that I will comfortably buy a cigar I have never even heard of because I feel that it will at least be “okay” and I won’t feel like I got robbed.
When cigars get into the $14 - $20 range, for me, they start to really get in the range of increased scrutiny for me. Small touch ups now seem large, a snug draw becomes borderline unsmokeable, and an underwhelming flavor profile becomes “off putting”.
Over $20 and you’ve lost me. I have practically no interest in purchasing a cigar over $20 because I know for certainty that I would enjoy smoking 2 Restauradors and a Fosforo versus 1 “super premium” cigar. Now, if I am given a “super premium” then I am all for smoking it, and look forward to it. I can appreciate the experience of cigars of that caliber, but not when I compare what I paid versus what I am getting out of it.
This is obviously personal and certainly my discretionary income level would dictate some of this as well. However, I know that I would rather burn a whole box of Patina Habano Rustics than 1 Fuente Y Padrons Legends…
Take care,
-Trevor