U.S. Premium Cigar Imports for 2023 Revised Downward, Falling Short of Previous Record

The Cigar Association of America (CAA) has revised its 2023 premium cigar import figures, reporting a total of 426.2 million cigars—a significant drop from the originally announced 467.6 million. This adjustment means 2023 was not a record-setting year, ranking instead as the third highest, behind 2021 and 2022.

Why the Revision?

The discrepancy stems from how CAA estimates premium cigar imports, particularly from the Dominican Republic. Unlike Nicaragua and Honduras, where most imports are premium cigars, the Dominican Republic also exports large numbers of machine-made cigars. Because some of these cigars were misclassified due to rising prices, the initial count was inflated. After reassessing the data, CAA corrected the numbers, leading to a more accurate representation of last year’s imports

Market Trends: A Year of Stabilisation

Despite not reaching a new peak, the revised 2023 figures confirm a trend: the premium cigar boom of 2021 and 2022 is stabilising. Nicaragua remains the dominant supplier, accounting for over 50% of U.S. imports, while the Dominican Republic and Honduras saw slight declines.

CAA’s latest update for 2024 suggests a modest rebound. Between January and November 2024, 389.78 million cigars were imported—a slight 0.7% increase compared to the adjusted 2023 numbers. Nicaragua’s exports are up, while the Dominican Republic and Honduras continue to see minor declines

What This Means for Cigar Enthusiasts

The premium cigar industry is still enjoying high demand, but the explosive growth of previous years has levelled off. With production and imports stabilising, aficionados can expect steady supply chains and continued access to high-quality cigars from their favourite regions.