Premium cigar demand is holding steady, factory supply is getting back to normal, and the biggest name in online cigar sales is changing. Here is what's moving in the cigar business this month, and what it means when you plan your orders.
Steady demand, a new #2 supplier
According to Cigar Association of America figures, the U.S. imported 429.8 million premium cigars in 2025, the same as 2024 and the fifth straight year above 400 million (up from 338 million in 2019).
Nicaragua shipped 258.4 million (+2%), the Dominican Republic 93.7 million (−12%), and Honduras 74.5 million (+11%). In the first quarter of 2026, Honduras shipped 17.2 million premium cigars to the U.S. versus 15.6 million from the Dominican Republic, the first time Honduras has come out ahead.
Five straight years above 400 million cigars. Premium buyers keep buying.
Two big factories are back on line
The sanctions disruption. In October 2025, U.S. sanctions tied to the owner of Tabacalera S.L.U. forced its Tabacalera de García (Dominican Republic) and Flor de Copán (Honduras) factories to stop shipping to U.S. companies, including Altadis U.S.A. and JR Cigar. After the U.S. Treasury granted a license valid until 2028, shipments to the U.S. have resumed and production is getting back to normal. If some Altadis U.S.A. items (such as Montecristo or Romeo y Julieta lines made in those factories) were hard to get, supply should keep improving.
Tariffs. Cigars from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua now carry a 12.5% U.S. tariff. See our cigar tariff briefing for what it means for pricing, and what qualifies as a premium cigar for which cigars stay outside FDA premarket rules.
A big name changes, the trade show sets a date
Cigar.com becomes Cigora.com on September 29. Scandinavian Tobacco Group is moving Cigar.com customers to its Cigora brand, and accounts and loyalty points carry over automatically.
PCA 2027, the main U.S. premium cigar trade show, returns to Las Vegas, March 5–8, 2027. The Premium Cigar Association is also adding a new event in Asia.
Overseas: German distributor 5th Avenue filed for insolvency, and Dominican maker Artista Cigars signed a cooperation agreement with China Tobacco International.
Fresh from InterTabac
Many makers showed new products at InterTabac, the tobacco trade show in Dortmund, Germany, this month. Some launches are international-only, so check U.S. availability before planning around them.
Diamond Crown Maximus scores 92
August 2026
Diamond Crown Maximus Double Corona No. 1 (8" × 50) from J.C. Newman, made in the Dominican Republic by Arturo Fuente, earned 92 points from Cigar Aficionado. That is its best score in four reviews since 2019, up from 85, 86 and 88. Reviewers describe a full, complex smoke with toast, roasted coffee and earth, plus hints of caramel, black cherry and mulled wine, under a rustic, veiny Ecuador wrapper. The listed price is $23.15 per cigar.
The line had a refresh this year. J.C. Newman reworked Maximus with a bolder blend, and the updated cigars started shipping in June 2026. A 92-point score gives shops a good reason to feature the whole Maximus line. The Churchill, Pyramid, Toro and Robusto sizes are available through Big Distro, so ask your sales contact about the Double Corona.
Accessories worth a look
French accessory maker Les Fines Lames added a new Le Guillotine Vanguard cutter, a card holder, marble ashtrays and a rubber punch bracelet. Cutters, lighters, ashtrays and humidor supplies are an easy add-on sale at the register, and they help lift the average ticket on every cigar sale.
Premium demand is steady and supply from the affected factories is recovering, so this is a good time to fill gaps in your premium selection before holiday season. Ask your Big Distro sales contact about availability and pricing on any of the lines above, and about cigar accessories for your counter.
Sources: Cigar Aficionado · Nicotine Insider · halfwheel (factory shipments) · halfwheel (Cigora) · Tobacco Reporter · Cigar Journal · Cigar Coop #706 · #707 · Cigar Aficionado (Maximus rating) · Cigar Coop (Maximus refresh)
Photos: Unsplash (Yohan Cho, Trent Haddock, Rusty Watson, Alek Olson, Nejc Soklič, Jeff W).