Greed: When Enough, is Never Enough

When Does a Cigar Become Too Expensive? The Price of Luxury vs. The Value of Tobacco

Many years ago, I was shopping with my mother at a department store, probably Sears, when we came across a man unloading a set of aftermarket rims for his vehicle. The brand? Greed. The lettering was green, and the slogan read: “When enough is never enough.”

At the time, I remember thinking that someone had spent good money on an upgrade that, in my opinion, made his vehicle look terrible. But while I wasn’t impressed with the rims, I had to admit that the slogan was catchy.

It also got me thinking about something else: When does the pursuit of luxury stop being about quality and start becoming about spending money just because you can?

For cigar smokers, that’s an interesting question.

The $500 Cigar: Luxury or Excess?

If you’ve spent any time shopping online for premium cigars, you’ve probably come across Davidoff, a brand synonymous with luxury and craftsmanship. Among its most exclusive offerings is the Davidoff Oro Blanco, which has carried a reported MSRP of $500 per cigar, or $5,000 for a box of ten.

Yes, you read that correctly. Five hundred dollars for a single cigar.

That kind of price tag raises an obvious question: What could possibly make one cigar worth that much?

When it comes to ultra-premium cigars, I think there are two sides to the argument.

Point One: Expensive Cigars Are for People Who Like to Show Off

Let’s be honest. The first reaction many cigar smokers have when they see a $500 price tag is that the cigar can’t possibly be that much better than a $20 stick. Surely, at some point, you’re paying for the name, the packaging, and the bragging rights rather than what’s inside the wrapper.

Most of us shop a little differently. We look for a good deal, compare boxes and bundles, and try to get the most enjoyment out of our money. Finding a great cigar at a reasonable price is part of the fun.

But not everyone approaches the hobby that way. For some affluent buyers, the price isn’t necessarily the deciding factor. Exclusivity, prestige, and the experience of owning something rare can be just as important as the cigar itself.

Consider Gurkha, a brand known for its extravagant presentation and high-priced offerings. One example is the Gurkha His Majesty’s Reserve (HMR), which has been marketed at prices reaching approximately $750 per cigar.

According to Gurkha’s description, the blend features a 15-year-old Connecticut Maduro wrapper and 12-year-old

Dominican binder and filler, with the tobacco aged alongside Louis XIII cognac from Rémy Martin.

That’s an impressive list of ingredients, at least on paper. But does it justify the price?

For some smokers, the answer will be an immediate no. For others, the combination of rare tobacco, luxury spirits, and exclusivity may be precisely what they’re looking for.

Still, it’s fair to wonder how much of that price reflects the smoking experience and how much reflects the prestige of the product.

After all, there’s a difference between owning an expensive cigar and enjoying an exceptional one.

Point Two: Sometimes, There’s a Reason Behind the Price

Now let’s look at the other side of the argument.

What if an exceptionally expensive cigar isn’t simply an exercise in luxury branding? What if the manufacturer has invested significant time, skill, and resources into producing something genuinely difficult to replicate?

This is where the Davidoff Oro Blanco becomes particularly interesting.

One of the arguments behind its premium pricing is a concept we all understand: time is money.

Davidoff has described the Oro Blanco as using exceptionally aged tobacco, with an average age of approximately 12 years. That represents a substantial investment in time before the tobacco even reaches the production stage.

Tobacco cannot simply be rushed through the aging process without potentially affecting its character. Holding carefully selected leaves for years requires storage, inventory management, and the willingness to tie up resources in a product that cannot be sold immediately.

And that’s only part of the process.

The Oro Blanco is also associated with highly experienced cigar rollers, each bringing years of specialized craftsmanship to the table. The cigars undergo meticulous quality control, including personal inspection by master blender Eladio Díaz, and receive additional aging after rolling before being packaged.

Every stage adds time, labor, and expense.

Then there’s the question of availability. When a cigar depends on specially selected tobacco that has been aging for years, production cannot necessarily increase overnight to meet demand. Limited supply, combined with a market willing to pay for exclusivity, can push the price even higher.

Does all of this automatically make a $500 cigar worth the money? No.

But it does help explain why some ultra-premium cigars cost considerably more than their everyday counterparts.

The price may reflect more than a brand name or an elaborate box; it may also reflect the time, expertise, and resources invested in producing the cigar.

Of course, the real question is whether those differences translate into a smoking experience that justifies the expense for the person buying it.

So, What Is a Cigar Really Worth?

Ultimately, this debate comes down to one word: value.

Value isn’t the same thing as price. A cigar can be expensive without being worth the money to you, just as an affordable cigar can deliver an outstanding experience.

If you have the disposable income and genuinely enjoy collecting rare cigars, exploring exclusive blends, or experiencing the work of highly skilled cigar makers, there’s nothing wrong with spending more. If a $500 cigar provides an experience you appreciate and you can comfortably afford it, who are we to tell you otherwise?

On the other hand, if your favorite $15 or $20 cigar delivers the flavor, construction, draw, and overall enjoyment you want, there’s certainly no reason to spend hundreds more simply because a manufacturer says its product belongs in the luxury category.

A higher price doesn’t automatically mean a better smoke. And an affordable cigar doesn’t automatically mean you’re missing out.

For me, the important distinction is between paying for a genuinely exceptional product and paying for the privilege of owning something expensive. Sometimes those two things overlap. Sometimes they don’t.

The trick is knowing which one matters to you.

We’d Like to Hear Your Opinion!

The debate over expensive cigars has been going on for years, and there’s no shortage of strong opinions on either side.

So, where do you stand?

Would you ever spend $500 on a single cigar? Do you believe the aging, craftsmanship, and limited availability of ultra-premium cigars justify their prices? Or do you think there’s a point where the cost has more to do with exclusivity than the actual smoking experience?

Here at Cigar Tipsters, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below or send us an email with your take on the subject. We’ll read what you have to say and, if there’s enough interest, we may even revisit the discussion in a future article.

Thanks for reading, and as always, happy smoking!