Distinguishing between everyday, premium and super premium cigars has become a topic of conversation in the Trades section of this forum. Seems everybody agrees/knows what a dog-rocket is... but there isn't a clear cut universally accepted definition of what constitutes a:

1) good everyday cigar
2) premium cigar
3) super premium cigar


This is especially pertinent when trades are proposed, wagers are made, and contest antes are set.

Some have used dollar values: less than $5 = everyday; $6-$10 = premium; more than $10 = super premium


Others have used "special occasion" to define super premium. Prime quality. These are the best of the best in one's stash and saved for special occasions, to be savored during a memorable event, usually in social settings.

Premium are the second tier of prime cigars, for those times when you can sit back and enjoy a smoke and drink without distractions, and it would be considered a waste if you couldn't finish the cigar.

Yard-gar seems to be interchangeable with everyday, being a cigar that is solid enough to enjoy while doing something else (gardening, shop-work, fishing, walking) but not so valued that it is not a big deal if interrupted or damaged before the finish.

Your thoughts...

Good - one that I'll spend money on regularly
Premium - one that I will buy on rare occasions
Super Premium - one that I can't afford

It's tough to say really, on my last payout for Drafter's super premium contest included:

4 x Padron Exclusivos
1 x Padron 85 year maduro
1 x Opus
1 x Anejo
1 x Melanio
1 x LG Small Batch

(and the rest I don't remember, thought I could remember them all, I believe there were 3 others).

Anyway, when I think of super premiums, I think of the above.

Anything more than that, I would consider to be ultra premium or some other adjective... Padron 1926+, $20 plus fuentes like larger Opus, GOF,, Davidoffs, Cohibas (cc), etc...

I guess some people would consider LE stuff to be more ultra premiums, but I don't really play the le game.

Normal Premiums, Most tats, Padrons and smaller 64s, most Fuentes, LFDs, etc... (I know, I'm naming all the stuff I like).

Everydays: (good cigars you can get here and elsewhere for $6 and under that may or may not retail for a lot more).

All avoiding crap that our snob azzes don't like... like Gurkha, General, Altidas, and a bunch of other random crap like Red Dot Cohibas.

A lot of solid BOTL helped me distinguish what was what when I first came on the boards, and the above is my interpretation of it.

Well I guess KOC is speaking more my language.

This subject comes up often. I like Delta's idea for having a thread dedicated it, because even now after being on the boards several years, I still get confused on what people are envisioning as being premium / super premiums.

For noobs coming in, I could see this thread as something that gets bumped from time to time if we can get a good amount of input on it.

Edit:

Also it's very subjective. For me, I don't think I've ever had a broadleaf cigar that I would consider ultra premium, but I know a lot of guys around here, broadleaf is one of their favorite wrappers and would bash my head in with a Louisville Slugger if I said it in their presence. That's what makes defining such things difficult.

My experience has been that it's not just noobs that would benefit from some solid guidelines

Ya man, that's my point. It's tough to define things that are subjective.

The melanio is a great smoke but I would think of it as a premium. Because of price under 10 bucks but over 7 and what price do you go by msrp or what you can get them for.

Always like examples of what is expected when joining high end contest.

Depends on the Melanio. I did think of that though, and it was offset by the Padron FR 85 year...

But Melanio is one of my favs so when I send somebody something, there's usually a Melanio in it ;)

Similarly, a corona sized opus probably wouldn't be considered an ultra premium, but a Perfection X #2 would.

I agree with you on the Opus , I always look at what you would straight out pay for a smoke with out a sale or auction when thinking about classification.

Wouldn't it be easier to just go by standard MSRP (with the exception of Gurkha and I am sure there are others in the same category). The prices per level may be inflated because of this, but could still give you a good idea. That would be for all of the non-CC cigars. So probably a different scale would be needed for CC's and aged CC's.

Would ultra premiums be the same as unicorns or would unicorns be above ultra premiums.

Definitely think that dog rockets should be under everyday smokes...maybe even have a category below that of unsmokeables. haha It would be cool if an actual list was created.

As for the Melanio, I think that it is right at the line between being premium or under. Maybe a list like this:

Unsmokeables
Dog Rockets
Everyday cigars
Low End Premiums
Premiums
Super Premiums
Ultra Premiums
Pink Unicorns that shat rainbows

Over complicating it dude. I would consider the Melanio robusto to be a normal premium, but I would consider the figurado/churchill/torpedo version of it to be inline with other cigars at the 10+ range.

Can't really go by MSRP, because Gurkha isn't the only $10+ cigar you can regularly get for $2 :P

I mean, for us here that regularly buys MB3s for $3 per, which have a $10 price tag... would you be happy receiving them in a $10+ bet?

Then you have things like some Fuentes have < than $10 price tags that everyone would be totally stoked to get in a $10+ bet.

That's what makes it hard to define.

Edit:

I probably got too much input on this thing now, need FOGS to jump in here and throw some input in on it...

MB3 now what in the hell would that be .Great smoke but can be had cheap. This is where it gets difficult I would not want to receive them in $ 10 bet. There are alot more smokes that fall into the same category with them.

Tough topic.

Not to mention cigars that can no longer be found. The La Perla with the purple band is a prime example. When originally released it was an everyday smoke but now, years later, I would personally put it up in the premium/super premium. One because I really like them and two they are near impossible to find.

Like Ben says, it really is tough to say. When I started out, I definitely needed help on figuring it out. Now that I have been on here awhile, if I owe cigars, I always try to lean on the heavier side. I would rather be guilty of over "paying" than under "paying". Hopefully no one has ever felt slighted by my end of a trade. That is my objective. If I don't have what I think fits into the category of trade/wager, then I don't play.

David

On the other hand if it was an MB 1 or 2, I would gladly accept in a $10+. 🇨🇮

On the last premium contest I was in I actually ordered cigars for it just to make sure of pricing don't like cheating anyone

Exactly, but like Stinger said, sometimes a long nap can turn some "cheap" cigars into something approaching a premium.
I have 4 year old MB3s that are amazing, 5 year old Davidoff Camacho triple maddies that are even better.
Early Davidoff Camacho Corojos, Eiora Camacho Corojos, and so on.
Paid $3ish for all of them, would not even consider selling them at less that $10/ea.

Here's what I think I've learned.

The price of a cigar is typically valued at what is the everyday price a 5er can be had online. So an $11 cigar at a b&m doesn't classify as a premium which in most instances seems to be understood at $10 because typically the 5er price online on that cigar will be $8-9. It will qualify as a favorable mid-range smoke. However, with time as the cello yellows this cigar can move to the premium category especially if interest is high or the value of the OR over current production is known. This holds true moving down to the over $5 (mid range) trade class as well.

Premiums are typically over $10 for the common online 5er price or cubans that sell over $10 at single price and to me seems pretty straightforward. Ultra premiums to me are cigars that can't just be bought like an aged premium or are approaching $20 and up typical purchase price. OR cigars no matter what price point they sold for that are highly desirable can also fit in this category - the unicorn.

A friendly trade would be pretty much any cigar that can't be had on cbid auction regularly at a rock bottom price. If a guy on here likes those he already has a ton anyway.

Most competition trades usually ask for friendly, mid range, premium, or ultra/super and those are the guidelines I think of.

Edit:

Mid range cigars typically consist of cigars in the $6-10 range and seem to be the most commonly traded. Cubans under $10 for single would be in this category as well as the Melanio as discussed above. Typically when entering the contest try to think about what you'd be happy receiving. Sending 5 $6 cigars in this trade will be considered on the light end.

It would be awesome if we could start compiling a list in excel or something, based on non-aged cigars.

Rereading I do agree that a standard labeling of the classes may need clarified as I see a disconnect in labeling. I do think the price premise is pretty well established though.

$5 non cbid discounted auction everyday smokes = ?
$6-10 common everyday price = ?
over $10 common everyday price = ?

is there another tier like ulta/super and what is the guideline?

Hmmm but then some guys post $8-12 contests.... meaning keep the cigars around $10.

Maybe the best idea is to stop using labels of premium, etc and put the pricing of what is expected in.