You can roll into your local tobacconist, lay $20 on the counter, and walk away with a premium product that expresses complexity, depth, richness, and nuance.
But some high rollers want more. They love the thrill of exclusivity. Seek out the elusive unicorn cigar. Tie status to cigar bands. For true cigar connoisseurs, chasing the zeros on the end of a price tag isn’t about money at all—it’s about craft, terroir, legacy, and age.
Whatever the reasons, there’s a thriving market for top-of-the-top-shelf cigars. Some of these different types of cigars fetch big money because of their backstory, meticulous growing and aging conditions, or scarcity. In this article, Boveda explores the extravagant world of high-priced sticks
History’s Highest Bid: The Mayan Sicars
One of the priciest cigars went straight to auction, never making it to a tobacconist’s cabinet or online retailer.
As the premier auction house Sotheby’s notes, the Mayan Sicars are the most expensive cigars ever purchased (notice the caveat “purchased.” Skip to the section below for the most expensive ever produced). These 600-year-old cigars commanded a whopping $507,000 at auction in 2012, a testament to their rarity and unique history. Archaeologists unearthed the ultra-rare cigars from a village in Guatemala, where they’d been (somehow) well-preserved over the centuries in a cave—pushing the limits of how long cigars last.
If you’re wondering whether you too, can age your cigars for hundreds of years in a Central American cave, Boveda recommends against it. It’s far better to preserve cigars with Boveda humidity control packets in a dedicated humidors for cigars.
The Priciest Cigars Ever: Modern Times
What makes for the most expensive cigars in the world also makes them extremely limited—or even one-offs in the case of some novelty cigars. Are these the best-tasting cigars in the world? Cigar preference is relative. Unless you have serious ch-ching to spare, these cigars are relatively out of reach for those but the ultra-rich:
- The Gurkha Royal Courtesan cigar was a cool $1.3 million. Allegedly this treasured smoke is a) made with rare Himalayan tobacco, b) cultivated using Fiji water, c) infused with Remy Martin Black Pearl Louis XIII cognac (itself priced at over $200K a bottle), d) wrapped in gold leaf with a diamond-encrusted band, and e), perhaps strangest of all, rolled by blindfolded artisans whose lack of vision, it’s said, helps them maintain concentration. It’s no longer available.
- The King of Denmark was produced on royal decree from the Danish royal family and priced at $4,500 each.
- The Gran Habano No. 5 El Gigante measured 8 feet long with a ring gauge the size of a hula hoop, and 1,600 pounds of tobacco stuffed inside. This cigar is clearly not meant for smoking; still, it can be yours for $185,000. Just be aware, Boveda’s article on putting out a cigar will not help you here!
- The Regius Double Corona, whose $51,000 price tag includes a personal tour of the factory from the CEO and the opportunity to personalize your stogie.
With the exception maybe of the King of Denmark, these cigars are prohibitively expensive for the average buyer. To round out this list of the most expensive cigars in the world, let’s explore a few more affordable high-end cigars.
Expensive Cigars You Can Buy—For a Price
Gurkha Maharaja: $6,000 Per Cigar
Each Gurkha’s Maharaja cigar is boxed in a piano finish mahogany coffin that are then housed in a 10-count Mahogany wood humidor. The Maharaja is a secret blend of the best quality tobaccos. Its Maduro wrapper pairs Dominican binder and fillers to create a smooth and sweet medium-bodied taste.
Gurkha His Majesty’s Reserve: $3,750 Per Cigar
Only 75 boxes of Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve were made this year. TheHMR blend is comprised of a 15-year Connecticut Maduro wrapper with a 12-year-old Dominican binder and filler that’s aged with one bottle of the world’s finest cognac.
The Davidoff Oro Blanco: $600 Per Cigar
The Davidoff Oro Blanco, considered a “unicorn” cigar among connoisseurs for its $600 per cigar price. The stick apparently justifies its high price with complex sweetness, silky smooth smoke, and hints of nuts and citrus.
Cohiba Behike: $500 Per Cigar
The Cohiba Behike, which fetches $500 per stick, and was produced to commemorate the beloved brand’s 40th birthday. Also nabbing a 97-point review, the Behike produces a “phenomenally rich, delicious smoke that more than lives up to the reputation.”
Premium Cigars that Won’t Break the Bank (Just Dent It)
For readers who want a taste of the best of the best, without selling their house, premium cigar manufacturers produce a long list of high-priced cigars that merit their price tag. Here are a few of the best premium cigars for special occasions.
Rocky Patel Conviction
The Rocky Patel Conviction, coming in at a relatively modest but still pricey $100 per stick. A meticulously crafted Toro measuring 6 1/2 inches with 52 ring gauge, Cigars International dubs it “one of the richest cigars you’ll ever smoke.”
Fuente Fuente OpusX Double Robusto
The Fuente Fuente OpusX Double Robusto, which clocks in at $1,800 for a generous box of 42, wholly justifies its price. Holding a rare 97 score from Cigar Aficionado, this Dominican powerhouse boasts hints of “baking spices, caramel, boozy cherry cordial and a hearty rum barrel finish.”
This is, of course, just the tip of the iceberg for premium cigars. Each of the brands listed above has numerous other top-shelf products, and that isn’t even mentioning other expensive cigar brands like Padrón, My Father, Montecristo, etc.
How to Store Expensive Cigars
Storing any cigar calls for care, attention, and fine-tuning. Boveda takes the work out of storing cigars—whether you smoke $100+ celebratory sticks or $10 everyday cigars.
But what is Boveda? Boveda provides the fastest, most precise humidity control for cigars. Use Boveda packets inside your humidor to maintain a consistently accurate relative humidity (RH). This ideal RH preserves the flavor, aroma, and character of your cigars.
How does Boveda work? If the air inside your humidor is too moist, the Boveda packets absorb that moisture. If it’s too dry, Boveda releases purified water vapor into your humidor to bring your cigars back to life.
What’s inside Boveda? All-natural salt, purified water, and a food-grade thickening agent, so Boveda is safe to intermingle with your cigars.
Like your cigars in a wood humidor? The Boveda system starts with correctly seasoning your wood humidor. Everything you need to prep your new humidor for cigars is in the Boveda Starter Kit.
Check out Boveda’s comprehensive guide to storing cigars. If you need more help? Click the chat icon in the bottom right corner, and we’ll field your cigar-related queries.
