By contrast, the higher end of the market held up much better. The two higher-value import categories—while still containing some mass-market cigars—are largely composed of premium products. CAA conducts a detailed monthly analysis to isolate and estimate premium large cigars within these categories.
These higher-value segments showed only minimal declines, while the highest-priced cigars posted year-over-year growth. In simple terms: consumers are pulling back on cheaper cigars, but demand for premium products remains steady—and in some cases, continues to grow.
That same pattern is reflected in premium import estimates. Premium large cigar imports were essentially flat in 2025 at 429.8 million units, compared to 430.0 million in 2024—a negligible decline of just 0.04%. Nicaragua remained the leading supplier at 258.4 million units (+2.1%), followed by strong growth from Honduras (+10.6%), while the Dominican Republic declined 11.6%.
Looking at the broader trend from 2020 through 2025, premium imports have proven far more durable than the mass-market segment. Volumes rose from 361.3 million in 2020 to 453.9 million in 2021, peaked at 464.4 million in 2022, declined to 426.3 million in 2023, and have since stabilized at roughly 430 million in both 2024 and 2025.
The takeaway is straightforward: total volume has come down, but premium demand has held its ground—reinforcing a long-term shift toward higher-value products in the U.S. cigar market.