Imports Keep Sliding, but Premium Holds the Line
Year-to-date 2025 U.S. cigar imports show a market still pulling back in volume, but with clear resilience in premium products. Total large cigar imports fell 5.9% versus the same period in 2024, dropping from 8.26 billion to 7.77 billion units, while little cigar imports rose 6.8% to 205.6 million units.
Within large cigars, U.S. Customs classifies imports into four value-based Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) categories. The overall decline is clearly concentrated in lower-priced, mass-market cigars. The most affordable, high-volume products saw the steepest drop, along with the lower mid-priced segment.
Domestic Cigar Output Down in 2025
The TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) produces official tobacco statistics, which CAA compiles into its member-only statistical bulletin report. The data show that U.S. domestic cigar production declined again in 2025, continuing a long-term shift away from U.S.-based manufacturing.
Based on taxable removals—cigars produced domestically and released into the market after all applicable federal taxes are paid—both large and little cigars fell compared to 2024.
2025 Market Highlights: U.S. Cigar Sales Approach 10 Billion Units
Total U.S. cigar consumption in 2025 is estimated at approximately 10 billion cigars, reflecting a modest decline from 2024 as the market continues to normalize following the pandemic surge.
This section outlines 10-year trends in U.S. cigar sales by market category, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s IM-146 Import Report, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), CAA member companies, and other industry companies.
Total large cigar volume per year refers to the estimated U.S. sales of large cigars (popular price and premium cigars).
Popular price large cigar volume per year refers to the estimated U.S. sales of large cigars that are machine-made and not 100% tobacco.
Annual estimated premium cigar U.S. sales includes domestically manufactured (in the U.S. including Puerto Rico) and imported cigars from the key supplier countries (Bahamas, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the Philippines).
Little cigar volume per year refers to the estimated U.S. sales of little (or small) cigars (i.e., cigars classified as weighing less than 3 lbs. per 1,000).