Cigar Gift Ideas for the Holidays

Quick answer: The best cigar gift for most people is a five-pack of a well-known premium line, such as a Romeo y Julieta 1875 five-pack for under $50 or an Arturo Fuente Hemingway five-pack for under $100. A five-pack gives the smoker several evenings, costs far less than a box, and avoids the risk of 25 cigars they may not like.

I read the top cigar gift guides on Google this week. Most never listed a price, and none showed a price checked this week or compared more than one store.

So this guide does it differently. Every pick below shows today's lowest price, the store that has it, and how many stores we checked, pulled live from the same data that runs our price comparison pages.

What Is a Good Cigar Gift?

A good cigar gift is a small pack of a recognizable premium cigar, sized to the recipient's experience: five cigars of one line, a box of 10 for a regular smoker, or a full box of 20 to 25 for someone who already knows the blend. Five-packs from brands like Romeo y Julieta, Arturo Fuente, H. Upmann and Padron sit in the $25 to $80 range and work for almost anyone who smokes. Mild and medium cigars are the safer guess when you do not know their taste, because a full-bodied cigar can overwhelm an occasional smoker. Brand matters more than packaging: a plain five-pack from a respected line beats a fancy gift set filled with unknown house brands. Every cigar sold online in the US is a 21+ purchase, and UPS requires an adult signature on tobacco deliveries, so plan for someone to be home. If you are unsure, a store gift card is the fallback that never misses.

How Much Should You Spend on a Cigar Gift?

Spend what you would spend on a good bottle of wine. Here is what each budget buys:

• Under $50: a five-pack of a well-known line, the sweet spot for most gifts
• $50 to $100: a five-pack of a top-shelf name the smoker will recognize
• $100 to $150: a box of 10, which feels like a real present
• $150 and up: a full box, best for someone whose favorite you already know

Prices for the same pack swing a lot between stores. When I checked, the same Romeo y Julieta 1875 Bully five-pack ran from about $30 to $44 across 10 stores, and the same box of 25 Padron 1964 Exclusivos spread about $50 from cheapest to priciest. Our cigar cost guide explains why.

Best Cigar Gifts Under $50

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Five-Pack

This is the name a non-smoker has most likely heard of, and that helps when the gift is opened. The 1875 is a mild-to-medium Dominican-made cigar with an Indonesian wrapper, easy on a casual smoker and familiar to a regular one. A five-pack usually runs about $25 to $35.

H. Upmann 1844 Añejo Five-Pack

Altadis says every leaf in the Añejo blend is aged at least five years, which gives you a story to tell when the box is opened. It is a medium-to-full Honduran-made cigar with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Five-packs often sit around $28 to $49, the best value on this list.

Macanudo Cafe Five-Pack

Pick this one for the occasional smoker. Macanudo Cafe is the classic mild cigar: a Connecticut shade wrapper, made in the Dominican Republic, smooth enough for someone who smokes twice a year. Expect about $30 to $45 for a regular-size five-pack.

Want more ideas at this price? Our best cigars under $50 page lists every option in stock.

Best Cigar Gifts From $50 to $100

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Five-Pack

The Hemingway is a tapered perfecto with a Cameroon wrapper over Dominican filler, and the shape alone makes it feel special. Cigar Aficionado traces the line back to 1983. It smokes medium, which suits most palates, and five-packs run about $50 to $70. See more of the lineup on our Arturo Fuente brand page.

Padron 1964 Anniversary Five-Pack

Anyone who already smokes cigars knows this band. The 1964 Anniversary is a box-pressed Nicaraguan cigar, rich and full, and a five-pack is the cheapest way to give a cigar that usually comes by the box. Expect about $67 to $82.

Liga Privada No. 9 Five-Pack

This is the aficionado pick under $100. Drew Estate's No. 9 is full-bodied with a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, and it is harder to find than most lines on this list. Five-packs run about $69 to $99. Skip it for a beginner.

Best Cigar Gifts From $100 to $150

Montecristo Espada Box of 10

A box of 10 is where a gift starts to feel serious. The Espada is an all-Nicaraguan Montecristo made at the Plasencia factory, medium to full, with a Jalapa Habano wrapper. Boxes of 10 run about $110 to $180, and 14 stores carried one when I checked.

Plasencia Cosecha 151 Box of 10

Cigar Aficionado named the Cosecha 151 La Musica to its Top 25 list for 2024. It is an all-Honduran cigar, medium to full, and the box of 10 is the most giftable format. Prices run about $95 to $170.

Davidoff Grand Cru Four-Pack

Davidoff is the luxury name even non-smokers recognize. The Grand Cru is mild to medium, with an Ecuadorian wrapper over Dominican tobacco, a safe high-end pick when you do not know their taste. Four-packs run about $100 to $130.

Best Cigar Gifts Over $150

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Box of 25

The same Hemingway as above, by the box. Fifteen stores carried a box of 25 when I checked. Hemingway boxes ran from about $198 to $343 across all the sizes, and a box of the same size, the Signature, still ran from about $214 to $265 at most stores, so compare size for size before you buy.

Liga Privada No. 9 Flying Pig Box of 12

The Flying Pig is a short, fat 4 x 60 perfecto with a pigtail cap, first released in 2009, and the box itself is a conversation piece. It is full-bodied, so give it to someone who already loves strong cigars. Boxes of 12 run about $184 to $227.

Padron 1964 Anniversary Box of 25

The box most cigar smokers will not buy for themselves. Every 1964 Anniversary is box-pressed and made in Esteli, Nicaragua. A box of 25 runs about $276 to $410 depending on size and store. Read more on our Padron brand page.

All 12 Picks Compared

How Do You Pick a Cigar for Someone Who Smokes?

Match the strength to how often they smoke:

• A few times a year: go mild. Macanudo Cafe or Davidoff Grand Cru.
• Once or twice a week: go medium. Romeo y Julieta 1875, the Hemingway or the Cosecha 151.
• Owns a humidor and has opinions: go full. Padron 1964, Liga Privada No. 9 or the Espada.

To find out what they like without asking, look at the bands left in the ashtray or the boxes on the shelf. If you spot a brand, buy that brand. If you shop at a local shop, the staff will often remember what a regular buys; our lounge finder lists shops near you. Shopping for a birthday instead? Our birthday cigar guide sorts picks by budget and skill level.

What Cigar Gifts Should You Skip?

Skip a full box of a blend they have never smoked: 25 cigars they do not like is an expensive mistake. Skip a humidor if they already own one, and skip gift sets padded with no-name cigars just to fill the box. A small pack of something they know beats a big box of something they do not.

Want to try several brands in one gift instead? Our cigar sampler guide covers the best mixed packs, and the samplers category shows what is in stock.

When Should You Order Cigars for Christmas?

Order by the first week of December. Most stores ship cigars by ground, and UPS has required an adult signature (21 or older) on every tobacco delivery since December 2019, according to Halfwheel. A missed signature means a second delivery attempt or a trip to the depot, which can cost you two or three days. Ship to an address where someone 21 or older will be home, and never to a minor's address.

Stores post their Christmas order-by dates in late November. We will add each store's cut-off to this guide when they publish. Before you check out, look for a working code on our coupons page; many stores run holiday codes.

What If You Run Out of Time?

Buy a gift card. Most large online cigar stores sell gift cards, many of them as e-gift cards sent by email, and the smoker gets to pick their own cigars. A gift card also solves the strength question for you. If they like deals, point them to our deals page, which tracks verified price drops across every store we compare.

Need help picking from this list? Tap the chat bubble in the bottom right and ask Cigar Finder AI. Tell it who the gift is for and how often they smoke, and it will narrow this list down to one pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good cigar gift for a beginner?

A mild five-pack is the best cigar gift for a beginner. Macanudo Cafe and Davidoff Grand Cru are smooth, light and forgiving, so a new smoker can enjoy them without the harshness a full-bodied cigar can bring. Avoid strong lines like Liga Privada No. 9 or Padron 1964 for someone just starting out, and skip a full box until you know what they like.

How much does a good cigar cost?

A good premium cigar usually costs $8 to $20 a stick, and five-packs of well-known lines run about $25 to $80. Boxes of 20 to 25 start around $150 and climb past $400 for top names. The same cigar can vary by 20% or more between stores, which is why each pick in this guide shows today's lowest price.

Is a box of cigars a good gift?

A box of cigars is a great gift only if you know the recipient already likes that exact cigar. If you are guessing, a five-pack or a box of 10 is the smarter buy: they get to try the cigar without you spending $200 or more on something they may not enjoy.

Can you ship cigars as a gift?

Yes. Most online cigar stores let you enter a separate shipping address and add a gift note. The order is a 21+ purchase, and UPS requires an adult signature on delivery, so ship to an address where an adult will be home to sign.

What do you get a cigar smoker who has everything?

Give a cigar they would not buy for themselves: a box of Padron 1964 Anniversary, a box of Liga Privada No. 9 Flying Pig, or a store gift card. Consumables never pile up in a drawer the way another cutter or ashtray does.

Are cigar gift sets worth it?

Gift sets from major brands are fine, but many sets pad the box with house brands to hit a price. Check what is inside before you buy. A five-pack from a known line usually gives better cigars for the same money.

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