Gifts for Cigar Lovers
Cigars make great gifts. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, a promotion, Christmas and the holidays, or a new baby, fine cigars go hand in hand with special occasions. The truth is, you’re blessed when you have a pal, companion, or relative who loves premium cigars. The gift-buying possibilities are practically endless.
Don’t get bogged down trying to find the be-all-end-all cigar gift when you don’t know a lot about cigars. Finding the best cigar gifts for your favorite cigar lover is fun and simple with a bit of expert guidance. If you’re like a lot of folks, there’s a good chance you don’t have a premium cigar shop right around the corner. But that’s okay. We’re happy to recommend the best cigar gifts. There are a tremendous variety of brands, blends, shapes and sizes, samplers, and accessories to choose from. We will point you in the right direction when you want to impress the cigar connoisseur in your life.
Cigar Samplers
Cigars samplers are the most popular gifts for cigar lovers. You don’t have to worry about what brand, size, or blend your aficionado likes because most samplers include a variety of different cigars. The best mild cigar samplers are great for occasional smokers and newer connoisseurs. You’re likely to expose your gift recipient to new cigars they may not have smoked before. The best premium cigar samplers never fail to please, so here’s a few to keep in mind.
1. Ashton 5-Cigar Sampler
Five top-rated classics make up a collection blended by legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. Well-aged Dominican tobaccos are blended beneath the finest wrappers, including Connecticut Shade, Connecticut Broadleaf, Ecuador Sumatra, and Ecuador Habano varietals. The smooth, creamy, complex, and zesty profiles of Ashton cigars are considered classics by the critics and cigar lovers everywhere.
2. La Aroma de Cuba Fresh Pack Sampler
Award-winning cigar-maker Pepin Garcia blends a five-cigar collection from La Aroma de Cuba to the highest standards for quality, taste, and value. Connecticut Broadleaf, San Andrés, and Cuban-seed wrappers conceal distinctive blends of vintage Nicaraguan tobaccos in a series of spicy, sweet, and nutty profiles. The best thing about Fresh Packs is that they keep your cigars fresh for one year unopened and 90 days after the first use in a resealable sleeve with a self-humidifying membrane.
3. San Cristobal 60-Ring Assortment
Big, fat cigars are hugely popular. If your cigar lover smokes extra-thick sizes, here’s a chunky six-cigar collection from San Cristobal guaranteed to impress. Milder and more full-bodied profiles are drawn from Ecuador Connecticut, Ecuador Sumatra, and Oscuro wrappers over premium Nicaraguan tobaccos. Notes of white pepper, cocoa, cedar, and espresso satisfy from beginning to end.
Buying a Box of Cigars
One of the first things we think of when it comes to cigars is a box. Most cigar brands are packaged in 20 or 25-count boxes. Before you buy a full box for your aficionado, do some research and make sure you’re buying a box from a brand you know they like. Any cigar lover will tell you receiving a box of their favorite cigars is exciting. You can’t go wrong with these bestselling boxes.
1. Ashton Double Magnum
Ashton Double Magnum delivers mild, luxurious notes of cedar, cashew, almond, and coffee with cream in one of the most sought-after Dominican cigars available. The Double Magnum is a classic 6 by 50 Toro in a medium-sized format that appeals to many cigars lovers. A golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper encompasses a velvety interior of premium Dominican long-fillers blended by Carlito Fuente.
2. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature remains one of the bestselling cigars ever created. This gorgeous 6 by 47 Figurado is a size that pleases everyone who smokes it. Tasting notes of chestnuts, baking spices, coffee, and cedar layer the palate in every puff. Several other renowned shapes, like the Short Story and Work of Art, are available as well.
3. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Exclusivo
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Exclusivo is a sharp box-pressed Robusto with 5.5-by-50-ring-gauge dimensions. It’s blended entirely from premium Nicaraguan tobaccos to create a full-flavored but exceptionally smooth profile of cedar, cocoa, cayenne pepper, and leather. Padrón 1964 Anniversary cigars elicit immediate excitement among cigar lovers. The blend debuted in 1994, and it continues to wow the critics nearly thirty years later.
Keep Your Cigars Fresh
If you’re buying a box well in advance of giving them away, we’ve outlined how to keep cigars fresh without a humidor. There are a number of inexpensive, temporary humidification options, such as humidification packets, that will keep your cigars in perfect shape for several months provided they’re in a sealed environment like a Ziploc bag, if not a humidor. Humidity packs also work great if you decide to buy a handful of single cigars from different brands to assemble your own personalized collection as a gift.
Cigar Accessories
Cigar aficionados love gadgets because they need them to smoke cigars. Here is a roundup of popular cigar lighters, cigar cutters, humidors, ashtrays, and man cave must-haves that make great gifts.
Lighters
1. Xikar HP3 Triple Torch Lighter
Xikar HP3 Triple Torch Lighter unleashes a trio of potent jets when you flip the lid and hit the pull-down ignition. Xikar’s patented EZ-View window gives you immediate access to your butane level, and you can crank the flame up or down easily with the dial at the bottom. Choose from a handful of sleek finishes with an unbeatable lifetime warranty from Xikar.
2. Xikar Turismo Double Torch Lighter
Xikar Turismo Double Torch Lighter is sporty and well-made. A swift pull-down ignition triggers a pair of red-hot jets to fire when you flip the protective cap up. A clear fuel-window lets you monitor your butane level with accuracy, and the flame dial at the bottom makes adjusting your flame height easy. The ergonomic design feels great in your hand, plus you’re getting Xikar’s lifetime warranty.
3. ST Dupont Defi Extreme Torch Lighter
ST Dupont Defi Extreme Torch Lighter is a little pricier at around $280, but its reliability, durability, and performance are unsurpassed. The Defi Extreme is a more rugged and refined version of ST Dupont’s bestselling Maxi Jet lighters. Defi Extreme is guaranteed to function in the harshest conditions, including temps as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit and up to a scorching 104. You can fire up on peaks as high as 11,000 feet. Superior engineering, a see-through fuel window, and an oversized flame dial make this lighter an awesome gift.
Cutters
1. Xikar Xi1
Xikar Xi1 has been one of the brand’s biggest hits for years. The original teardrop shape conceals a pair of razor-sharp double-guillotine blades that expand and contract when you pull the lock down on the front. Choose from several sporty colors and surprise your connoisseur with a classic Xikar cutter that comes with the company’s standard lifetime warranty.
2. Xikar 009 Punch Cutter
Xikar 009 Punch Cutter reveals a razor-sharp circular blade when you simply pull the front forward to expand the cutter. The compact design retracts easily and fits on a keychain, so you’ll never leave your cigar cutter at home again.
3. Xikar VX2 V-Cutter
Xikar VX2 V-Cutter is a beefy V-cutter you can rely on with its deep aperture and an ultra-sharp inverted blade that won’t crack or maul the cap on a premium cigar. Xikar’s new Secure-Lock system prevents the cutter from opening in your pocket. The VX2 cuts every cigar with perfect precision. Pick out a popular finish your cigar lover will cherish.
Humidors
1. Savoy Mesquite
Savoy Mesquite is a modern finish over a classic and well-made humidor. A fragrant Spanish cedar interior is available in 25, 50, and 100-cigar sizes to accommodate a range of cigar collections. The tight seal and distressed wood grain make the Mesquite a desirable step above the typical entry level humidor without costing a fortune.
2. Savoy Executive Santos Rosewood
Savoy Executive Santos Rosewood is designed for a serious connoisseur. Sweeping wood grains and a tasseled key enhance the stunning look of a humidor crafted entirely from premium Spanish cedar hardwoods. The substantial weight, interlocking joints, and heavy-duty hinges reinforce a reliable seal in a humidor that’s guaranteed to last for decades.
3. Xikar Travel Humidor
Xikar Travel Humidor is durable, affordable, and practical, particularly for cigar lovers who spend a lot of time in the great outdoors. Aficionados who enjoy golfing, hunting, and fishing love to know their cigars are protected in a secure environment when they’re smoking with friends during an outdoor adventure. Heavy latches, a stainless steel back-hinge, built-in humidifier, and foam lining on the inside add to the utility of a virtually indestructible humidor for your cigars.
Ashtrays
1. San Cristobal Oval Crystal Ashtray
San Cristobal Oval Crystal Ashtray is crafted from a substantial block of crystal with a protective foam underside. It’s easy to imagine you’re in paradise with the brand’s tropical logo in the middle of the ash dish. A pair of cigar rests make this an ideal ashtray for sharing a cigar with a fellow cigar lover.
2. Arturo Fuente 'Journey Through Time' Ashtray
Arturo Fuente ‘Journey Through Time’ Ashtray pays homage to the Fuente family legacy as the world’s foremost cigar-makers. Four shiny cigar rests and loads of colorful and ornate detail make this an impressive, eye-catching gift for your favorite aficionado.
3. La Aroma de Cuba Pasión Ashtray
La Aroma de Cuba Pasión Ashtray comes in an elegant mint-green finish and features a generous ash dish with four cigar rests. Invite a crowd of your best cigar smoking buddies over to break it in.
A Few Additional Alternatives
We’ve all been there before. You’re super-pressed for time and you need a cigar gift like yesterday! Performing exhaustive cigar research simply isn’t on the radar. Hit the checkout at a fast and furious pace with a simple swipe on your smartphone and order a Gift Card. You can send eGift Cards direct to an inbox in a matter of moments and your cigar lover will be nonetheless delighted to shop away at his or her heart’s content.
Holt’s Gift Cards
If you can’t decide what to get your cigar lover, or you’re shopping for someone who’s already got it all, get a Holt’s Gift Card. You can add any dollar amount between $10 and $500. Holt’s Gift Cards never expire, and we can email a virtual card directly to your recipient’s email address.
Cigar of the Month Club
We offer our popular Cigar of the Month Club subscriptions in monthly, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month packages. We send out a fresh collection of 5 cigars every month with tasting notes, product descriptions, and ratings from our team of in-house cigar experts. You can save over $500 annually off the MSRP of the cigars featured when you choose our 12-month package.
Man Cave Accessories & Apparel
Also, check out our man cave essentials like metal cigar signs, cigar shirts, cigar hats, glassware, and more. Shop our vintage issues of Cigar Aficionado magazine for something unique. Our official Holt’s Gift Guide includes additional ideas too!
