Habanos Price Increase: The End of Cuban Cigars as We Know It

[@Tuffjobs]

10 years ago I was buying 25 Partagas D4 and 25 Cohiba Robustos for $600 in Geneva. That worked out at about £8 each - circa £6 for the Partagas and £10 for the Cohiba. The Partagas is now almost £30 in the U.K.: five times increase in 10 years. Personally, I’m trying to quit. No cigar should cost more than £10.

[@leonardomendoza2126]

you dont have to quit. there are new world cigars that are incredibly good, reliable and affordable.

[@Tuffjobs]

@@leonardomendoza2126 I’ve never found a good non-Cuban cigar.

[@leonardomendoza2126]

@@Tuffjobs you are funny

[@94alhf]

​@@leonardomendoza2126 what would you recommend that's affordable, good value etc?

[@NotUrGuru]

@@Tuffjobsthat’s sad because I have both Cuban and New World and I can say their are PLENTY of phenomenal non Cuban sticks out their

[@FEWGEE1]

Cohibas and Trinidads are going to be increased in price by between 250 - 300%, to bring prices inline with Hong Kong. I'm done with Cubans. I'd rather spend the money on two or three flawless Davidoffs, than gamble on one Cohiba that's gone through no quality control checks.

[@TheGeezer30]

You're a man that enjoys the contemplative satisfaction of quality tobaccos, tobaccos with sophiticated taste, textures and aromas. All Cigars are a rip-off. You're missing a huge trick if one doesn't explore the world of Pipe Tobaccos. It costs me approximately 90-95 pence to fill a pipe that lasts me as long as I want it to, and the quality of taste and texture is just as good, and the choice of different tobacco blends is wide ranging. Cigars can kiss my rear-end, never again will I waste money on Cigars to keep a stash in the dozens of numbers. And I'll be walking on the moon before I spend money on a box again. I'm telling you, pal... don't dismiss, or underestimate the supreme quality of Pipe Tobaccos.

[@FEWGEE1]

@@TheGeezer30 I have thought about trying pipe tobacco, but I'd probably end up smoking a pipe a lot more frequently than I smoke cigars, purely due to how cheap it'd be in comparison. I only smoke about 3 cigars a month.

[@TheGeezer30]

@@konz2891 Pipe tobacco is unadulterated, high quality, sophisticated tobacco. Of course you have your high end blending houses, and your lower quality choices, just as one does with cigars. The tobacco, though, is superb when bought from blending houses like Gawith & Hoggarth, Samuel Gawith, Mac Baren, Petersons, Rattrays. Though I'm in England, so I have access to different blends than if I lived in the US, Cornell & Diehl, Boswell are blends that a more widely available in the US. Pal, there are plenty of videos on YoutTube giving you the SP on the types of tobacco blends. The range, the choice, and the different tastes and flavours from pipe tobacco is far greater than cigars, so there is more learning to do about the different types of tobaccos and how they're blended together to create the types of different blends. Also there is learning needed in how to prepare the tobacco for smoking, depending on what type of baccy it is, also how to load, light and tamp the pipe as you smoke. It is worth the effort, I smoke luscious tasting tobaccos everyday, 4 - 6 times a day if I choose to, and it costs me 10x less than smoking cigars 2 or 3 times a week. I still keep cigars, and still buy Cubans, but they are a suppliment to my pipe tobaccos, I keep a about a dozen or so aging away in my humidor, and now and then I'll take one and smoke it, but, the experience is no more better than when I smoke my favourite pipe tobbacco for less than £1 per bowl. On average it costs me 70 pence in my medium sized bowl. It costs me less than £100 per month to smoke high quality, flavoursome, satistfying tobaccos multiple times a day, every day of that month. For £100, how many nice Cigars can you buy, and if they're Cubans, can you be sure of their consistency. Pipe tobaccos for the win, all day long.

[@bfdz94]

Cuba making great capitalistic moves. It’s a shame not a cent in wage increases will go to their workers even with these 300% price increases. That doesn’t quite sit right with me and makes me question my role in this injustice if I were to ever buy another Cuban cigar.

[@julianoalbazi8344]

Couldn’t agree more. Way too many great new world cigars out there that are consistent and I’d rather support independent brands. Selling my 40 boxes of Cubans over the coming weeks.

[@Kaskavel97]

And even in this "difficult time" HABANOS make a better year in terms of profit. No reason for this increase.

[@HabanosChris]

good point and take on this

[@FEWGEE1]

Pure capitalistic greed from a "communist" country. The hypocrisy is unreal. I doubt very much that this huge price hike will include better quality control. Buying a Habano always feels like a gamble. At least half are plugged or rolled so tight they're unsmokable. I'm no longer willing to take that gamble.

[@kobi6y6]

Habanos Cuba: ‘We will increase the price of our cigars That will show those Capitalistic pigs!”

[@alexct833]

I bought 3 more boxes of 24ct Reyes to stash away 2 weeks ago, also ordered almost 10 boxes of 12 packs back in December. So happy I did, it’s my favorite short smoke.

[@Gareths-Guilty-Pleasures]

Well as long as they get the high volume buyers in the Asian community paying whatever the price is set at they'll be OK, but if they don't I could see a price drop in 2 yers... Going forward the online vendors will lose lots of sales, many will dissappear. Lcdh shops could close if locals and tourists refuse to pay £60 for a cigar they used to pay £20 for. 80% plus of Cuban cigar smokers will refuse to buy Cubans as much or at all and move to NW regardless how wealthy they are. Habanos are hoping that the 20% or much less who happily buy regardless of price buy in the same volume as the whole cuban cigar community did, and I'm not sure about that. Rolex did the same, produced a little less, created a hype and hoodwinked folk with more money than sense.

[@marshallbeggs]

I was already set to say goodbye to Cubans after constantly ending up with completely plugged cigars in my boxes of Monty #2s right out of the main outlets in Havana (5th ave, Havana Libre, etc). This seals the deal. I agree with the people mentioning New World, which I'll be switching to along with Padron and Aurora.

[@DonYang73]

Weird, i have been smoking Cubans for more than 20yrs, plugged cubans are far and few

[@dnlxl]

👍@@Kenny-yl9pc

[@marshallbeggs]

@@Kenny-yl9pc You're right about the quality of Cuban tobacco, but you're wrong about the "development," i.e., regression. Quality of the tobacco itself has been questionable lately, but I still think it's tthe best. However, the quality of Cuban cigar construction has been steadily deteriorating since 2012. Today, it's a trainwreck. The reason isn't a secret. Any "torcedor" with experience has a marketable skill abroad and will try to leave. They've been flooding out of the country for years and there are very few left. This problem hit the premium brands first and then started to trickle down to the lesser known ones. The next time you're trying to traject a toothpick through the base and end of a plugged Cohiba, just know that sensible consumers have adapted and are enjoying a superior product for a fraction of the price you paid.

[@sholomhoffman]

I find cubans not worth it. The new cigars they produce lack any flavour and need to be aged for like a year before one can enjoy them to bring out their flavour. For these reasons, I would prefer a Davidoff or Padron over any new cuban though an aged cuban cigar, if one has time and patience, cannot be beat

[@David-di5bo]

Welcome to the New World, friend! I think you'll continue to be impressed. There is a LOT to discover.

[@olsonjens5907]

Chinese personal shoppers were INDEED one of the main reasons behind the need to smooth out prices worldwide. Arbitrage should not exist in a free global market market and when it does it is for a short time. My cigar merchant told me he was getting phone calls from Chinese asking him if his new habanos stock had arrived,. They knew what he was going to recieve the following month before he did. They had made connections all down the supply chain to ensure they got the cohibas first. why are the finest ladies flocking to dubai from Europe? More buck for their bang!!

[@wrongbeach35]

Glad I have a large collection as I won’t be paying 2-3x prices on cuban cigars ever. I’m done. And don’t even get me started on the horrible quality control.

[@mikaelandersson1288]

How about purchasing suitable land in Sicily for tobacco growing? I have no idea if the land there is expensive or not but it would be within the EU so no import tax on the cigars. Crete would work as well I think. The big problem would be to find people who are very good at blending the tobacco in the cigars.

[@IngeneroPuri]

I doubt the stock of New World cigars will take a huge hit or prices skyrocket. The US makes up 2/3rds of the world market for cigars, so there are far, far more New World cigars than Cubans in the world, and there is plenty of room to grow tobacco in Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic (plus far better farming practices), so there’s room to ramp up production. A massive shift in European buying practices would cause changes, but even if half the current European purchases of Cuban cigars shifted to New World overnight (I would anticipate far slower shifts), it would only represent about a 15% increase in demand for New World cigars, which is big but not the type of thing that would strip shelves everywhere. Plus we’ve had shortages in the past due to surges of demand, so the companies have experience. I suspect things will be fine. Though given I have coolerdors full of cigars, I don’t have much to worry about regardless. Love the channel, though!

[@franklezar1]

Does anyone know if the price also increased in Cuba or is it just outside Cuba.

[@cigarinspector2023]

I believe it increased in Cuba too.

[@franklezar1]

Damn no bueno. Was looking forward on buying a few boxes I’m going next week.

[@Oce2009z]

I’m a new cigar smoker, and all I have had the pleasure of smoking is Cubans. Still discovering my palate and unfolding the story a cigar tells. I feel like I have just started to scratch the surface.Already a pricey luxury has just become more pressure on my wallet. It’s such a shame as cigars are not my only high end luxury enjoyment and enjoying this pleasurable past time has become slightly less fulfilling. I will continue to smoke Cubans but currently sold out every where.

[@cigarinspector2023]

It’s sucks I know. Hopefully most standard Cuban cigars won’t end up trying to be crazy luxury stuff.

[@schreineinAV]

I called in to my cigar shop in Belfast and nearly fainted..... Trinidad Reyes went from £16 to £28 in the space of a week..... cohiba robustos now over £60 a stick..... the owner told me that cohiba, Trinidad and the new Línea lines of RyJ & montecristo are being rebranded as super luxury...... thank goodness my fav Cuban brands have only went up a couple of £££s..... partagas, h upmann, bolivar, Ramon Allones, Juan Lopez.....

[@mjat133]

Nice work lads. Keep it going. I’m convinced that Social media and content is going to be key to promoting and developing growth in the Cigar user numbers. People are hungry for content. Good content. Different content. 💨💨💨

[@lorenzohernandez8371]

Hello, I have been buying habanos during the last six months in order to stock them due to the shortage not the prices (which I know now). I also started to look for alternatives.I live in Tenerife. We have cigars from La Palma...they are not as good as cubans but it is ok. The main problem with cubans is that habanos are not quite mature enought when they sell them. Bye

[@teamsilva7563]

If anyone drinks Macallan they would be good witnesses/victims of how aggressive the Chinese market is, and how that makes prices skyrocket. I can say with a great deal of confidence that the Cohiba price increases will only continue.

[@DrMuzzammilHussain]

One of the issues you lads didn't discuss is the Spanish market. Cigar smoking is a completely different experience in Spain, which is the biggest market for Cubans in Europe. Spaniards smoke Cubans more regularly. With these price increases theres going to be massive uproar in Spain. Further, there are people who buy individual sticks, or those that smoke everyday and buy box-loads.

[@z1gzagu3r]

Spaniards are poor minded, you put a D4 for 1000€, they shut up and dont buy it. Sheeps.

[@frederickmooney2581]

I treat cigars similarly to a lot of things, law of diminishing returns. I like Cubans, maybe even prefer them depending on the mood but they’re not worth multiples of their new world counterparts. I’ll likely stop buying them and just conserve what I have for special occasions. My only fear is that a lot of people, maybe even the majority will do the same and it will eventually create a supply issue for quality new world stick. Mark my words, give it 12-18 months after this takes effect and people realize that adding $10 to a stick adds $250 to the price of a box they all switch and new world prices will also spike in response

[@daddy752022]

They already are.

[@infmsram]

Definitely a drop in demand from me. Cubans were already overpriced when you factor the quality in. They'll never see another $ from me until they drop their prices significantly. So if that was the goal, mission accomplished.

[@FEWGEE1]

Unfortunately, I think that was the goal - to price the little man out of the market. They were struggling to keep up with demand. Doubt that'll be a problem now, but I hope even the super rich shun them after this. A 300% price increase can never be justified.

[@DonYang73]

Non cubans have to always fight on “ quality” becos they simply dont taste as good😄

[@FEWGEE1]

@@DonYang73 the Davidoff Nicaragua and Winston Churchill The Late Hour lines are absolute flavour bombs. Sure, they don't have that Cuban "twang" but they're an impeccable smoke, and you don't have to worry about them being plugged.

[@infmsram]

@@FEWGEE1 - I do think they're making a mistake but, if all of their stock is still in demand after the hike, then I'd say they have at least won in the short term. We'll see how it plays out.

[@infmsram]

@@DonYang73 - I 100% agree that there's nothing better than a Cuban, but I'll caveat it if they're constructed right (at minimum 50% are unpleasant to smoke due to poor construction or simply impossible to smoke). New World cigars don't even come close to having the same problems as Cubans. So if I had to only pick Old or New World, I'd go New because I'd be nearly guaranteeing myself a pleasant smoking experience vs the gamble that is every Cuban. Regardless, Cubans are now not worth the price whatsoever. So more for you D Y as I won't be competing for them any longer.

[@kurjan1]

Here in Australia prices have been high for quite some time now... rising every year. Over the last few years, particularly now, I simply find myself not talking to anybody about my cigars or my love of cigars. I no longer share, or offer to share, my cigars. Particularly with people I know will never in a million years reciprocate. Its sad really but enjoying a cigar has become so expensive that where once enjoyed in good company, now its solo (mostly). My local cigar shop was talking about price rises about November last year. I started stocking up then. I doubt I'll buy anymore now for a good 5 years... 10 year stash of well aged Cubans will be pretty good. From 5 years, hopefully the world economy has settled back down and I will be able to start to restock... So on rotation, not so bad really. Davidoff to fill the meantimes. Apart from Davidoff, new world cigars are completely off my radar. Haven't had a good one yet... In my 22 years of smoking cigars I haven't had one single new world that burnt properly and didn't taste sour. Must have to light them in a special way or something.

[@paulb5477]

You should try Plasencia if you did not already. Great smoke for a Fraction of the price of cubans.

[@MrPsiman]

I got a box of Trinidad Reyes 24 count for $165 less than 3 years ago and now look at the price. It’s ridiculous now. I got Partagas Shorts for $95 a box. U.S. is going to get very pissed off and Habanos may screw them selves in the long term and end up not selling like they were. Habanos are great but not that great to justify $500 boxes of Robusto size cigars

[@Aditya-wg3lp]

Man, ive never got to try a cuban cigar

[@turki_almutairi]

Can you imagine that the price of a Siglo 6 box is equivalent to the price of 5 boxes of Padron Cigars of the year or two boxes of 42 cigars opusx belicoso This bubble will burst soon

[@petemolnar6073]

I was furious I did not purchase hard in 2018-2021. My favorite brand Cohiba Robusto paid 350 for box in 2015 (have 4 left) are now in the thousands!! 😂😭😭😭

[@MrPsiman]

U.S. is consuming over 25% of Habanos cigars and probably higher and if they were open for sale here it would be over 50%. U.S. consumers are not going to take kindly to these price hikes considering we were getting boxes of Partagas D4’s 25 count for $200 before Corona hit. Ridiculous what is happening and the price doesn’t warrant buying at over 50% price hikes. It’s hard to rationalize buying regardless of one’s economic bracket. The end doesn’t justify the means

[@nightwingvyse]

I'll only buy Cubans if/when I'm in duty-free from now on. Plenty of New World alternatives every bit as good at a fraction of the price.

[@j.c.trinity863]

hello fellas im glad i found your channel!!!! Good to hear and to know all going on other places far and near by!!!!!

[@Caviarhound]

How about about now?

[@aburahman754]

I don't understand why the retail shops have already increased their prices if they haven't purchased the increased priced cigars yet. Last month got a box of Hoyo double coronas from Switzerland for only £500. 50% savings. Mental!!

[@vcozma66]

The new owners of Cuba trying to recoup their investment!

[@PatrickSS351]

Just ordered 75 Monte no5s $116 a box from montefortuna get while they are hot.

[@MrPsiman]

China hired a bunch of Cubans to show them hoe to grow tobaaco and whos is to say that in 5 years they don't have some great tobacco for cigars. It only takes 5-ish years to get the wheel going and they might have some great cigars. It would be nice to have more choices and possible great cigars. They have good people showing them how to do it and it doesn't take long to train and grow and have good leaf to produce cigars

[@MK4vDubbin]

Zero chance I’d buy a Chinese cigar. Nothing against the people of China, but I have zero trust in their government, their ethics, the odds of them putting some bullshit in the cigars, or exploiting workers for profit in the same way Cuba is doing now. There is an insane amount of incredible NW stuff available now, including “Cuban seed” stuff. Why would I buy anything from China?

[@daddy752022]

Climate is a big factor.

[@dborup]

Where is Ray?

[@Keith-cl3th]

My favorite robusto, I’m happy smoking them for the rest of my days. F Cohiba’s!

[@paultaylor2055]

Why did you remove your disappointing May 2022 Cgars premium unboxing upload?

[@cigarinspector2023]

KZbin did :(

[@TheJohnmweaver]

im hurting inside bud. these cubans are starting to bust my budget bit by bit. should have started hording boxes earlier.

[@cigarinspector2023]

I know what you mean. Crazy thing is even if you start now chances are in 10 years they'll be priced even higher making them potentially a great purchase.

[@TheJohnmweaver]

@@cigarinspector2023 good point. puch short de punch and ramon ss will be getting stashed then

[@tonyaiello3050]

This sucks yes cause i do love my cuban cigars but I just smoke what Cubans I have left and stick with my Crowned heads Foundation, Dunbarton's, Davidoff, ... etc. If prices come down to reality then myb but there too many good cigars out there that are just as good and better quality control, and don't have buy box and let it sit for 8 months cause they still in the sick period lol.

[@thegonz1397]

Cuban cigars are great when they are actually smokeable. The were never at $10 oh well light another one. Ay $50 to A $100 not the case

[@windowintowineoninstagram5463]

I wonder if this will lead to Davidoff price increases

[@cigarinspector2023]

Apparantly not. Received a comment form them where they confirmed they only increase prices once a year. This is the standard with every brand because every year the taxes go up slightly.

[@robertlulek1634]

Think about it, Cuba is in the Caribbean. What makes their Caribbean islands soil any different than let's say the Dominican republic or Nicaragua? People are just such fools thinking that their soil is so special. They're good CIGARS don't get me wrong but they're not worth all that money.

[@cigarinspector2023]

The soil in Nicaragua is definitely different due to the volcanic ash. Dominican is different too. Each country will tell you that their soil is unique and based on the taste of cigars from the regions it makes sense. Not special per se but definitely different enough.

[@robertlulek1634]

@@cigarinspector2023 perhaps but I do not see that Cuba the RICHARD mill of cigars is this be all of all cigars?

[@robertlulek1634]

@@cigarinspector2023 I paid $1300 from Casa Del Habano in Saint Martin I received 10 behike52 and six different variations of cigars. I can't name them all right now too long but, you get the jest the $18 Romeo Julieta ediciones 4 was just as good a smoke as the BK in my opinion and it only cost me $18

[@stopthecap2644]

300%????? Bruh, I was thinking 20, but 300? Gotta drop 1k for a box these days or what? Naw I'm good, yall trippin

[@alialamri3591]

Tobacco is tobacco, it has not changed over the years..but greed is the problem.. cigars will become a product only for the rich people

[@tysonboy1980]

Skip em. There are so many other cigar makers making great products out there. I’ll stick with my Hondurans.

[@elliothall71]

I think a drinking game could be made by the amount usman coughs

[@DickoWA2010]

Great chat lads

[@mohammedsaleh7974]

Im cuban cigar im sure there is new world cigars taste good and we will enjoy it good bye cuban cigar tell you get your prices reasonable again

[@shafiehassan7676]

Cuaban habanos can keep it till it root.... still got many brand out their

[@gcuervogold]

This price gouge shit isn't going to gain a lot of traction. The Cuban govt can do whatever they want, but they're just shooting themselves in the foot. If they lose markets on a global scale just to supply and cater to the Asian market, eventually supply will overrun demand, ultimately deflating the price to an ultimate low. Then you'll see things back to norm once again. Simple supply/demand economies of scale. Not to mention the revenue loss from the tourism sector refusing to pay outrageous prices for Cuban stogies. They're literaly hanging themselves with their own rope.

[@shafiehassan7676]

Hey usman how u aidil fitri celebrateion

[@nomansland4811]

I think with so many premium cigars available Cuban cigars are over rated.

[@Gngrcpl]

Do it! Smoke other shit! You won’t regret it. Smoke Placencia

[@shafiehassan7676]

Just forget cuban . Smoke new world

[@derekschofieldcavero1386]

Switch to new World tobacos

[@harism2001]

All thanks to China & Hong Kong. First our real estate and now cigars. Wonder what next.

[@suddha1]

Almost a year and no more new rants? Has Usman thrown the towel for pipe smoking or god forbid...vaping!?

[@cigarinspector2023]

Running a new channel, @cigarinspector. Ray and I are producing long form videos again :).

[@suddha1]

@@cigarinspector2023 Great to see you not smoking a Gurkha or vaping brother!

[@ameerhamza170]

12:50 best part pencho*😂😂🤣🤣

[@m.k.k.4931]

Need a view with both of you...

[@cigarinspector2023]

When we have more space we will. Bit tricky at the moment though.

[@TheGeezer30]

Cigars are Pish! Pipe Tobaccos all day long.

[@cigarinspector2023]

Yea, nah.

[@TheGeezer30]

@@cigarinspector2023 I'll admit the crassness of the statement. But there is no doubt that the value for money for Cigars is criminal, and there-fore Pish. And you know it to be true, Usman. I like Cubans, and keep a small stash, but never again will I waste my money on Cubans in large numbers I once did, with all piss-poor quality and construction variations, it's criminal. The last box I bought was Upmann Half Coronas, and 10 of them were shoddy to unsmokable. Disgusting. I spent 30 quid on a single Partagas Maduro No 3, and it was a failure. Disgusting bad. Most people can go on and on about horror stories with the qulaity of Cubans. Cigars are pish! ( New Worlds have the build quality, but a bang average taste range). Pipe Tobaccos have all the High Quality taste, Texture, Aroma, and Growing, Curing sophistication that that Cigar Tobaccos offer, and I spend 90p to fill a pipe for a couple of hours. Cigars are Pish. All the best, pal.

[@fiqaaljafri5887]

U guys should be tankfull USD 2- 8 dollar cigar here in my country they are selling for RM30-50++ Malaysia ringgit. 🤣

[@mrdeer5585]

The global lock down is biting back. Companies lost loads of money and this is how they trying to recover it. The inflation that you see today is the result of that.

[@shafiehassan7676]

Hey usman try talk polite cut the word f'xxxx

[@fafsl394]

I’m very disappointed to hear this China grabbing global resource rhetoric from one of my favorite cigar aficionado. There are private buyers coming from all over the places, yet you only pick the Chinese ones, creating a false image how your precious cigars are deprived away by Chinese smokers… don’t demonized anyone who try to grab a Cuban stick like you, European and South American private buyers do the same. Stop dump your prejudice to china

[@mjat133]

Nice work lads. Keep it going. I’m convinced that Social media and content is going to be key to promoting and developing growth in the Cigar user numbers. People are hungry for content. Good content. Different content. 💨💨💨