Despite the drop in overall cigar imports to the United States, the premium high end of the market held up much better, according to the monthly analysis by the CAA (Cigar Association of America).
In this regard, the report details that higher-value segments showed minimal declines, while higher-priced cigars posted year-over-year growth. This indicates that while consumers are reducing their consumption of cheaper cigars, demand for premium products remains steady –and in some cases, continues to grow.
That same pattern is reflected in premium cigar import estimates, which remained virtually flat in 2025, reaching 429.8 million units compared to 430.0 million in 2024 –a negligible decline of just 0.04%.
According to the CAA document, Nicaragua remained the leading supplier with 258.4 million units (+2.1%), followed by strong growth from Honduras (+10.6%), while the Dominican Republic dropped 11.6%.
Analyzing the overall trend from 2020 to 2025, premium imports have proven far more resilient than the mass-market segment, with volumes rising from 361.3 million in 2020 to 453.9 million in 2021, peaking at 464.4 million in 2022, declining to 426.3 million in 2023, and stabilizing at approximately 430 million in both 2024 and 2025.
Thus, the CAA establishes that although total volume has decreased, demand for premium products has maintained its position, reinforcing a long-term shift toward higher-value products in the U.S. cigar market.
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