What makes a premium?

[Fox]

I always thought it was pricepoint, then was told when speaking of premium, just think what was said earlier: Premium = hand rolled + no mixed or short filler tobacco. Ultra-premium = price & rarity.

But perhaps the definition has shifted?

I do not think it has shifted. The problem is that there will never be a consensus on this one. On the pricing side the market is horribly skewed by artificially restricted supply; examples: Padron Anniversario & 1926, Opus-X, AF Hemingway, etc. As others already pointed out the price point and scarcity are often the driving factors among buyers of premiums and ultra-premiums. And, what one considers a super premium another will not smoke. Just because a smoke is artificially restricted to drive a price point does not make it a premium smoke, IMHO. It still must have superior quality at a price point which I consider a good value and that will always be a subjective exercise.

To illustrate my point, I do not like Opus and find them extremely over-priced and inferior to other smokes. There are many cigars at ½ the price that I think are vastly superior to this line, ditto the 1926 since I find it inferior to the Anniversario (1964). However, the market positioning is such that many buyers are "price sensitive" in that they have a perception that the super premium must reach a certain price threshold. Couple that with subjectivity and personal preference when selecting a smoke and you lose consensus. What that means is that if I am trading with a brother who places high value on the aforementioned cigars, we are not going to be able to deal. While the general market may consider those cigars super premiums, I do not, thus, no deal.

 

[Panicbound]

don't do it! he hits hard!!

At least I don't hit like a girl:rolling:

 

[MichiganM]

I do not think it has shifted. The problem is that there will never be a consensus on this one. On the pricing side the market is horribly skewed by artificially restricted supply; examples: Padron Anniversario & 1926, Opus-X, AF Hemingway, etc. As others already pointed out the price point and scarcity are often the driving factors among buyers of premiums and ultra-premiums. And, what one considers a super premium another will not smoke. Just because a smoke is artificially restricted to drive a price point does not make it a premium smoke, IMHO. It still must have superior quality at a price point which I consider a good value and that will always be a subjective exercise.

To illustrate my point, I do not like Opus and find them extremely over-priced and inferior to other smokes. There are many cigars at ½ the price that I think are vastly superior to this line, ditto the 1926 since I find it inferior to the Anniversario (1964). However, the market positioning is such that many buyers are "price sensitive" in that they have a perception that the super premium must reach a certain price threshold. Couple that with subjectivity and personal preference when selecting a smoke and you lose consensus. What that means is that if I am trading with a brother who places high value on the aforementioned cigars, we are not going to be able to deal. While the general market may consider those cigars super premiums, I do not, thus, no deal.

About as well said as it gets!

:thumbsup:

 

[sarnone]

Graycliff espresso and Double Espresso....I guess that's 5 words. I have smoked the red , blue and white label and did not care one iota for them. These espressos are the SH*#, as my son would say. That actually is a good thing. Have you tried these?

 

[strife]

Ahem, sorry to resurrect this old thread but there is a lot of reference to "hand rolled" cigars as being premium. I always thought that a "hand rolled" cigar was partly machine processed and the "hand made" the more desired since the tobacco leaves are hand picked and are longer in length. Can someone please clarify.

 

[cigarguy71]

Squid® will almost never smoke a Greycliff... <G>[/QUOTE]



I agree with Squid when it comes to some supposed premium's like Graycliff CAO and Gurkhas i would rather have a Serie V. A lot cheaper and a better smoke imo. I am not saying that they don't make any good cigars, they do but you can always find a good cigar for a lot better price point.