Top 10 Most Expensive Cigars In The World

Aditi Kandhari

Updated ยท Oct 01, 2023

Top 10 Most Expensive Cigars In The World

Most Expensive Cigars: The classic method for crafting a cigar is to wrap matured, dried nicotine leaf into a cylindrical form. Cigars can be made from various nicotine plants found around the world, each offering its unique taste profile and coming in various shapes and forms.

From ancient times on, smoking reefers has been part of social and cultural norms, often associated with wealth and refinement. Unfortunately, smoking cigars carries risks too; including an increased risk for lung and oesophagal cancer so should either be avoided entirely or used sparingly.

History of Cigar

Cigars have a long and illustrious history that dates back centuries. The indigenous peoples of America first adopted the habit of smoking tobacco, which was originally practiced by the Maya civilization and Aztecs of Latin America. Christopher Columbus and his companions in the New World first experienced nicotine and cigarettes in 1492, and they adopted them upon returning to Europe.

By the 16th century, Spain had created what we now recognize as tobacco cigarettes. After returning from the New Lands, Spaniards began cultivating nicotine in their Caribbean territories. They wrapped it in dry corn leaf to produce what would later be known as “tobacco”, which looked a lot like a cigar. With time, however, they switched over to using paper wraps rather than corn leaves for their tobacco wrappers and created what we now know today as cigars.

In the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, cigars became increasingly popular across Europe. Notable brands like Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, and Cohiba were established during this period. Cigarette rooms and chambers were commonplace in aristocratic homes and private clubs, and cigars became a source of pride for some among the ruling class. At the turn of the 20th century, cigar manufacturing began in America with Connecticut emerging as a major hub.

Cigars became increasingly popular over time and continued to flourish until around the mid-20th century due to cigarettes’ increasing appeal and potential health hazards associated with smoke exposure. However, cigar usage declined dramatically during the latter half of that century due to cigarettes’ increasing appeal and potential dangers associated with smoke inhalation.

Nowadays, cigars remain a common status symbol and sign of elegance, with several connoisseurs searching for unique and expensive combinations. However, since cigars pose health hazards, they should always be used with caution or avoided altogether.

Types Of Cigars

  • Parejos
  • Figurados
  • Cheroots
  • Flavoured cigars
  • Natural cigars
  • Connecticut cigars
  • Cuban cigars
  • Maduro cigars

Popular Cigar Brands

  • Cohiba
  • Montecristo
  • Padron
  • Davidoff
  • Arturo Fuente
  • Camel
  • Gurkha

Health Effects Of Cigar

  • Smoking cigars increases the risk of several cancers; particularly the oesophagus, lungs; oral; and malignant neoplasms. Even for infrequent smokers who smoke regularly, their risk for cancer increases with chainsmoking and increased exposure to smoke.
  • Smoking cigars can lead to many breathing issues, especially persistent bronchitis and emphysema. Furthermore; tobacco makes existing respiratory diseases like asthma even worse by aggravating them further.
  • Pipe smoking increases the risks of coronary artery disease, strokes and other cardiac issues. Cigars contain compounds that may damage a person’s vascular system, increasing their vulnerability to blood clots and other issues associated with heart health.
  • Gum disease caused by tobacco consumption can lead to tooth loss as well as other issues with dental health.
  • Smoking tobacco can also exacerbate lung capacity; dull your senses of smell and taste; and increase the likelihood of getting sick among other potential health consequences.

Why Cigars Are Expensive?

  • When making a cigar, the quality of nicotine used is often what determines its cost. To create its unique taste and smell, elevated nicotine must be carefully produced and packed before ageing for some time. This adds up to the final amount of each cigar as it includes this expensive tobacco.
  • Luxury cigars are still primarily handmade using experienced rollers and age-old techniques. A high cigar takes a long time to craft, necessitating more skill and patience – which may explain why they tend to be so costly.
  • Due to their rarity and regional uniqueness, several cigars are either produced in small amounts or only sold in certain areas, potentially driving up their cost.
  • In many nations; smoking taxes can be quite high; potentially increasing their overall cost.
  • Certain cigar companies can be more costly due to their longstanding reputations for excellence and scarcity.

Popular Trends Of Cigars

People who appreciate the rituals and pleasure of smoking a great cigar still find great enjoyment in it today. Due to rising health concerns and anti-smoking initiatives, tobacco chewing has declined in some regions worldwide; however, it remains an enjoyable pastime in some nations.

Cigars are often smoked on special occasions such as ceremonies, graduation parties and other festivities. Smoking tobacco may be associated with an opulent and sophisticated persona. Businesspeople also enjoy smoking cigars and may use them as a networking or relationship-building tool.

Recently; the cigar market has experienced steady growth with several producers creating increasingly luxurious and high-end tobacco goods. While smoking may not be as commonplace as it once was, it remains a beloved hobby for millions around the world; fuelling an expansive global industry in the process.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cigars In The World

  • Gurkha Royal Courtesan Cigar – Worth $1 Million
  • Mayan Sicar – Worth $507,000
  • Gran Habano El Gigante – Worth $185,000
  • Gurkha Black Dragon – Worth $115,000 Per Box
  • Double Corona Regius Ltd – Worth $54,000
  • Arthur Fuente Opus X – Worth $30,000
  • Cohiba Behike – Worth $18,000
  • Gurkha His Majesty’s Reserve – Worth $15,000
  • Fuente Don Arthur AnniverXario – Worth $7,500
  • Arthur Fuente Opus X BBMF – Worth $55

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#1. Gurkha Royal Courtesan Cigar – (Worth $1 Million)

Gurkha Royal Courtesan Cigar - (Worth $1 Million) - Most Expensive Cigars In The World

The Gurkha Royal Courtesan cigar is the most expensive cigar in the world, priced at a staggering $1 million each. These cigars are not just ordinary; they are something truly special.

They are made by a very small group of highly skilled artisans who even blindfold themselves while rolling them to make sure they are perfect. These artisans have sharpened their senses and skills to create these exceptional cigars.

What makes them even more unique is that they use Remy Martin’s Black Pearl Louis XIII, which is a very expensive and rare liquor, to infuse the cigars. This liquor alone costs over $165,000 per container!

To make them even more extraordinary, they use rare nicotine from the Himalayas and moisten it with freshwater from Fiji. This process is done to make the cigars even more special.

And to top it all off, each cigar is covered with golden leaves and has gemstones on the bands, totaling five karats. This makes them not only amazing to smoke but also visually stunning and sure to surprise anyone who sees them.

#2. Mayan Sicar – (Worth $507,000)

Mayan Sicar - (Worth $507,000) - 2nd Most Expensive Cigars In The World

Mayan Sicars are some of the most expensive cigars you can find. Back in 2012, scientists found a special kind of tobacco that was 600 years old hidden in a cave along the coast of Guatemala, where the Maya people used to live.

At an event in New York City, a tobacco expert bought 800 of these ancient cigars for $507,000. These cigars are believed to be connected to the ancient Maya culture.

Around the same time, the Mayans started making cigars again, and a guy named Gary Liotta from Santiago Cigars Manufacturing in Rochester, New York, bought a whole bunch of them at the same event for the same price, $507,000.

#3. Gran Habano El Gigante – (Worth $185,000)

Gran Habano El Gigante - (Worth $185,000) - 3rd Most Expensive Cigars In The World

This huge cigar was made as a special showpiece. Someone from another country bought it for $185,000. It’s a massive cigar, 19 feet long and 3 feet wide. It took more than 25,000 regular cigars or 1,600 pounds of tobacco leaves to make it.

Now, this gigantic cigar is kept inside a 900-pound wooden box that looks like a steam engine. It’s meant to be a permanent display, so people can always see it.

#4. Gurkha Black Dragon – (Worth $115,000 Per Box)

Gurkha Black Dragon - (Worth $115,000 Per Box) - 4rth Most Expensive Cigars In The World

The Gurkha Black Dragon tobacco is super special and very expensive in the world of tobacco because it’s made from really high-quality tobacco leaves and a unique process in Honduras.

These cigars are known for having a strong and rich flavor. Each cigar is 8.5 inches long and 52 ring gauge wide. They are all handmade and come in special collector’s cases made from camel bones. Each case holds 100 tobacco leaves, and these cases cost a whopping $1,150 each!

The Nepalese Black Dragon wine is also really rare and special. It’s made from a unique blend that includes five-year-old Connecticut Broad-leaved Maduro tobacco from Honduras. They also add some aged tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Cameroon to make it even more complex and flavorful. This combination gives the wine a delightful aroma and makes it extra enjoyable.

#5. Double Corona Regius Ltd – (Worth $54,000)

Double Corona Regius Ltd - (Worth $54,000)

In 2013, a venture capitalist named Callum Jones paid a whopping $54,000 to Regius Cigars Ltd. for their special Double Corona cigars. Mr. Jones didn’t just want to enjoy the delicious taste and feel of these cigars; he also got a special offer.

Regius Cigars invited him on an exclusive tour of their factory in Nicaragua to see how they make their cigars. For that $54,000, he got boxes of cigars, the rights to sell them, and even 1,000 handmade cigars. If those cigars meet Regius Cigars’ quality standards, they could become part of their official collection!

And the best part is, these cigars have a refreshing taste and just the right amount of nicotine.

#6. Arthur Fuente Opus X – (Worth $30,000)

Arthur Fuente Opus X - (Worth $30,000)

Arturo Fuente cigars are known to be some of the best in the world, but they also come with a high price. People who really love great cigars are big fans of them because they taste amazing and are made really well.

The place where they make the famous Fuente Fuente OpusX cigars, called Chateau de la Fuente, is hidden in the beautiful volcanic land of the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic wasn’t thought to be good for growing the special tobacco used for cigar wrappers, but the Fuente family proved everyone wrong. They worked hard to create the OpusX, which is the first Dominican Blend and has a really nice wrapper. It became legendary in the world of cigars.

#7. Cohiba Behike – (Worth $18,000)

Cohiba Behike - (Worth $18,000)

In 2010, when Cuba introduced their Cohiba Behike BHK cigars, cigar enthusiasts in America were really excited. These cigars were so good that Cigar Admirer even named them the Best Tobacco of the Year in 2010. People loved the taste, and they sold really well.

Because Cohiba Behike was so amazing, many other brands started making similar cigars, trying to copy its success. Each Cohiba Behike cigar is 7.5 inches long with a 52-inch band size. They use different types of tobacco from Cuba’s Pinar del Rio and Vuelto regions to make them taste special.

All 4,000 of these cigars were expertly rolled by a talented tobacco roller named Norma Fernandez Sastre, who is known for her skill in making cigars.

#8. Gurkha His Majesty’s Reserve – (Worth $15,000)

Gurkha His Majesty's Reserve - (Worth $15,000)

Gurkha His Majesty’s Reserve tobacco is among the world’s priciest. This company uses tobaccos that have been aged 18 years or more; with strong overtones of cocoa. Each roll is then fortified with rare and exquisite Louis XIII Cognac to further enhance its aroma.

It turns out that each tobacco costs $750; with a bundle of 20 cigars coming to an impressive total cost of $15,000! Each joint is then generously rolled with antique pipe tobacco from one of the world’s oldest reservoirs and slowly infused with one of the most expensive cognacs available.

With regard to the wrapper’s content; the manufacturer has only indicated that it contains well-aged Dominican leaves. Given how infrequently this nicotine type is used as a wrap in the industry and its age; one can appreciate how unique this formula ingredient truly is.

#9. Fuente Don Arthur AnniverXario – (Worth $7,500)

Fuente Don Arthur AnniverXario - (Worth $7,500)

Arturo Fuente cigars are known to be some of the best in the world. You can get them with natural or sun-grown wrappers, and they cost $7,500 for a pack of these tasty cigars.

Each humidor, which is a special box to keep cigars fresh, holds 96 cigars. In 2001, they released a special edition where 46 of these cigars were covered in a special metal coating. It was to celebrate their 100th year in business, and these cigars were aged for 7 years to make them even better.

Arturo Fuente started making cigars unofficially in Tampa, Florida, in 1912, and in 2012, they celebrated their 100th anniversary near Bonao in the Dominican Republic.

#10. Arthur Fuente Opus X BBMF – (Worth $55)

Arthur Fuente Opus X BBMF - (Worth $55)

These cigars, considered some of the priciest in existence, are always in high demand but difficult to locate. Arturo Fuente produces them and each measures 7 inches long with the letters BBMF engraved on it; you might get lucky and find one component for less than $55 though these cigars have been around since 1995, due to strong demand it may take longer than expected to find one. As a result, each tobacco has a greater market value than average.

Bottom Line

Cigars have a long, esteemed history; yet despite medical problems and anti-smoking initiatives, smoking cigars remains popular today. For those who appreciate the ritual and pleasure that comes with smoking a great cigar, it remains an enjoyable pastime.

Different cigar brands offer a wide range of sizes, shapes, aromas and tastes; each with its special qualities and appeal. Popular premium cigar companies that cater to individual preferences include Cuban names like Cohiba or Montecristo from the Dominican Republic as well as Swiss labels Davidoff and Arturo Fuente from Cuba.

Pipe smoking may pose some health risks, but many enthusiasts find enjoyment in it when done carefully and in moderation. Cigars remain a special favourite among premium products due to their distinctive aromas, fragrances, and overall experience they provide their users.

FAQ.

How long do cigars last?

Cigars can remain fresh up to three months in a Ziploc bag. However; it's essential that they be stored away from air humidity and extreme temperature changes as these factors will negatively affect how well they survive.

How Much Nicotine Is Found in Cigars?

Cigars contain nicotine; just like smoking does; one comprehensive cigar contains about as much nicotine as a carton of cigarettes does. As such, they could potentially lead to nicotine addiction.

Do cigars lose aroma over time?

An overflowing cigar has a shelf-life; however; due to the nicotine maturing process taking seven years or so for users to have access to them again; some may begin experiencing a loss of the unique taste and quality that initially appealed to them. Unfortunately, during that period users won't have another opportunity to smoke for almost seven years prior to it becoming less appealing.

How long should one enjoy smoking a cigar?

On average; 5-inch Robusto cigars with 50 band gauges provide between 20-30 minutes of pleasant smoke time. A 50-band dual corona cigarette measuring 7 1/2 inches long might provide more than an hour of enjoyment

Aditi Kandhari
Aditi Kandhari

Aditi is an Industry Analyst at Enterprise Apps Today and specializes in statistical analysis, survey research and content writing services. She currently writes articles related to the "most expensive" category.

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