Today, we look at the performance of cigars on Cigar Coop by cigar price for 2023. The Performance Rankings were introduced in 2012 as a statistical analysis based on the average numerical score of all cigars assessed on Cigar Coop. It is meant to serve as a barometer regarding how the cigars were evaluated.
Inspired by Developing Palates, in 2021, we introduced a new category – the price of cigars. This is not meant to be an award but a look at how the scoring went and what we can learn from it. In this case, we look at the average score based on a particular price range.
The average price for a cigar reviewed during the Cigar Coop year was $15.56. The average cigar price that landed on the Countdown was $19.31. Meanwhile, the average score on Cigar Coop for 2023 was 88.59.
We used the following criteria to implement this:
- The cigar must have its score published during the period of November 1, 2021, through October 31, 2022.
- All cigars scored were eligible regardless of release date. The goal is to look at scoring and how it maps to pricing.
- These prices are based on MSRP at the time of the assessment (or as close to possible). Most cigar companies do not include media on price adjustments. Where possible, we tried to validate this data.
- Cigar pricing ranges in $2.00 intervals, starting at $6.00 and going to $20.00. Cigars under $6.00 and over $20.00 were counted using “bookend” ranges.
- Cigars sold in samplers were not included.
2023 Cigar Coop Performance Rankings by Cigar Price
| 2023 Avg (# of Cigars) | 2022 Avg (# of Cigars) | 2021 Avg (# of Cigars) |
|
| Under $6.00 | 87.00 (3) | 89.00 (1) | 88.00 (2) |
| $6.00-$7.99 | 87.33 (6) | 89.10 (10) | 88.71 (17) |
| $8.00-$9.99 | 88.15 (26) | 88.76 (37) | 89.05 (42) |
| $10.00-$11.99 | 88.23 (22) | 88.82 (33) | 89.11 (37) |
| $12.00-$13.99 | 88.83 (24) | 88.64 (22) | 89.15 (27) |
| $14.00-$15.99 | 88.36 (22) | 88.44 (18) | 89.33 (12) |
| $16.00-$17.99 | 88.57 (7) | 88.86 (7) | 89.40 (10) |
| $18.00-$19.99 | 89.83 (6) | 87.50 (2) | 91.00 (1) |
| $20.00 and Over | 89.30 (23) | 88.75 (20) | 89.00 (12) |
Assessing the Results
- Because sampler cigars were not included, only 139 cigars were included for price analysis.
- The majority of the cigars reviewed were in the under $8.00 to $15.99 range (94 cigars), with the $8.00 to $9.99 range leading with 26 cigars. Despite price increases, the $8.00-$9.99 rate continues to lead the most cigars reviewed.
- Cigars in the $8.00 to $15.99 range still averaged below the overall average – coming in at 88.39
- For the third year in a row, there was an increase in cigars over $20.00
- Cigars over $18.00 continued to be above the overall overage, coming in at 89.41
- The higher averages for cigars $18.00 and over are consistent with why the average price for a cigar on the Cigar of the Year countdown was $19.31.
- There is a noticeable decrease in cigars assessed under $8.00. This is a sign of the times with the price increases.
