Ok, I've heard people mention this and maybe it's a good topic for a weekend....
What do you consider an investment cigar and how do you find them? Online, stores, specialty orders etc?
The reason that I ask is that I enjoy having the stash but if I'm putting money into it and enjoy the taste, I might as well do something that is financially responsible as well instead of just buying whatever...
I'm considering long term here. Not just one year but maybe buy a box and have it for 10. Something like that.
While I do agree with others there are far better things to invest your money in than cigars, I don't think it so unreasonable to compile a cigar collection that will at least maintain its value. It's not all that much different than maintaining a wine cellar of fine wines that only get better with age. While I hope I can smoke every single cigar I own, I know that realistically I probably own more cigars than I'll ever smoke and yet I continue to buy more. I just have that "collector's mentality."
So, the types of cigars I feel I can add to my collection that will maintain their value are as follows:
Vintage Havana Cigars -- If you have the money, you can buy old Havana cigars that you'll be afraid to smoke because they cost so much. Cigars such as Cuban Davidoff Dom Perignons will always be highly sought after. Premium cigar dealers in Europe often have stocks of vintage Havanas available for sale. The already limited supplies will only become more limited as time goes by.
Any handmade Cuban cigars -- When (or if) the embargo is ever lifted, the investment potential of Havana cigars may go down a bit. But, I can't help but think that you will always be able to find buyers of any genuine Havanas that have been aged and stored properly. If you buy boxes of Havanas now and don't touch them for 10 years, they will be worth money even if the embargo is lifted during that time. Like the market for aged fine wines, I think there will probably always be an active market for aged Havana cigars.
Fuente OpusX -- Always in demand, limited availability, and aged Opus are considered even more valuable.
Fuente Anejo -- Similar to the OpusX in terms of scarcity, demand, aging potential.
Padron Anniversario -- A fine addition to any collection.
Davidoff Limited Editions -- Most of the Davidoff Limited Editions have been really, really good! I don't know how "limited" these smokes really are but there are limited amounts and most appear to have excellent aging potential.
If you can any La Gloria Cubana from about 1993 - 1997, grab them. These cigars were the best back in those days. Once the company expanded their operations to the Dominican Republic and was then bought out by one of the big companies, the cigars have never been the same. I would love to find a few boxes of LGCs from this period. Yum!
That's about it! It's not to say there aren't other cigars out there that will be sought after in years to come but I think everything listed above are the "blue chip" stocks that you really can't go wrong with.
