You can buy cigars individually, in singles, in five-packs, in ten-packs, in boxes, and in bigger bundles. The actual cigar count in each format varies. Of course, single, five, and ten-packs are self-explanatory. But when it comes to buying a brand new box of cigars, you may get a different count depending on the Vitola, or size of the cigar, and the brand or blend. Let’s crack open the seal on those cigar boxes and explore further.
How many cigars usually come in a box?
Most cigar boxes come with twenty cigars or in a 20-count variety. However, not all cigar boxes are created equal. Some boutique brands with more expensive or rare cigars will ship boxes with only a ten count. Others will sometimes ship boxes with way more than twenty, starting at 25 and up. For example, the JFR Corojo or JFR Maduro cigars come in huge boxes of 50. As a single purchase upfront, those large boxes tend to cost more, but if you break it down by the cost of each cigar, it ends up being cheaper. Don’t worry, you can also buy them in smaller quantities of 28 and 30.
It’s also cheaper, overall, to buy cigars by the box if you are smoking them regularly. If it’s a cigar you know you love, buying in bulk works out to be cheaper almost always. Cigar shops and cigar venues tend to charge higher and premium prices when you buy the sticks individually. That’s not always the case, there are exceptions to this, but for the most part, you’ll get cigars cheaper by buying them by the box or in bundles.
What are cigar bundles? How are they different?
Cigar bundles are literally as the name describes “bundles” of cigars. Some of the cheapest cigars can be purchased as bundles, but it’s not necessarily true that they’re always cheap. Like boxes, they come in various quantities. You can buy bundles five, ten, twenty, or more. Many of the cigar retailers have their own no-name bundles. JR Alternatives are a great example, or Drew Estate's Factory Smokes .
Are bundles or boxes better to buy?
I’ll be honest, it doesn’t matter.
It’s more about what you like to smoke and how often you plan to do so. A bundle of twenty cigars that you really love and smoke fairly often is almost always going to be worth the cost. Most premium cigars come in boxes, so keep that in mind. It’s all part of the preparation and presentation.
Brands like Warped, Plasencia, E.P. Carrillo, and Aganorsa ship cigars in boxes of ten. If you can get a great deal, it’s always better to buy them by the box. But if you don’t smoke those brands often, it might be better to buy individually or get your hands on some five-pack deals. Although, you should know that many boutique brands are rarely if ever, included in those kinds of offers.
Look at the cost before you choose
If you’re looking at a box of cigars that are $200 for twenty, that works out to about $10 per cigar. If you can find them for an excellent discount, they’re worth even less per cigar. That often works out to be cheaper than buying individually, where a single cigar might cost anywhere from $12 to $15 per stick. The same is true for bundles and similar offers. Look at the cost and work out how much it would be per cigar before making a final decision.
The exception is if you don’t smoke very often. Then, you’ll be better off buying individually, especially if you don’t plan on owning or maintaining a humidor to store them for long periods. I have a 3500-count cabinet humidor with Cigar Oasis, so I have the means and the space to store boxes of cigars. Before I bought my humidor, I did not, so I would buy cigars in smaller increments. I know to some, that may seem obvious, but hey, it may help a few of you out.
