The Most Overrated Cigar Brand Revealed, According to Experts

If you're a cigar guy like me, your ears perk up when someone says a certain brand is overrated. But when a cigar lounge owner says it, you can't help but put some weight into their take.

Such was the case when John Boyert recently made the claim. Boyert and Mike Nguyen founded STOA, the preeminent cigar lounge in Houston, Texas. The duo created STOA "out of necessity" due to "an unmet need in the market." Their speciality? Offering luxury cigars at a local lounge where you can enjoy time slowing down.

If you happen to visit, don't expect to find Davidoff stocked in their humidor.

Earlier this week, Boyert shared on Instagram that Davidoff is the most overrated cigar brand on the market. So much so, STOA does not carry it. It's essentially persona non grata if you happen to walk through their humidor, and he's unapologetic about it.

"The most overrated cigar on the shelf today -- you're not gonna see it at STOA, but you see it at a lot of other places -- ... I'm gonna have to go with Davidoff because of the price point and the reviews," Boyert says. "They do have good cigars, but it's not worth the price point. Corporate has taken that brand so far from its roots, it's not even the same brand anymore."

I can't say I disagree.

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I've enjoyed plenty of stogies at Davidoff of Geneva Cigar Bar in Las Vegas, and I've always come away a bit shocked at my final tab.

My most recent visit came last year for a bachelor party, and my eyes nearly popped out of my socket when the lancero I picked out had a price tag of nearly $100. The night, as is the case with any cigar lounge visit, ended with new friends who were more than happy to exchange cigar sticks before we all hit the next stop. But the fact is, my buddy Garrett Wren and I dropped a pretty penny there -- and it was the pregame show before the main event, which, on this night, happened to be Montecristo Cigar Bar inside Caesars Palace, a fantastic venue for any occasion.

Then, last month, I was in Monaco, where I perused Davidoff's boutique shop, which bills itself as an "institution in Monaco." It claims to be "renowned for the quality and originality of our products, for our pieces are unique and exclusive."

I walked out without buying a damn thing.

Maybe it was because I already had a travel pack on me, but if I didn't, I don't know that I would have pulled out my credit card to buy a cigar or two.

Like with whiskey and tequila, I find that you can enjoy a fine product without the sticker shock. And cigar experts agree.

Cigar Aficionado discussed this very topic on their recent podcast episode. They asked, "When did the $100 cigar trend begin?" while pointing the finger at Davidoff as a "pioneer of the high price game."

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The magazine's managing editor, Greg Mottola, expertly chimed in.

"In 2014, Davidoff released their Oro Blanco," said Mottola about the cigar costing a whopping $500. "There was a Royal Salomon that was over $100, but it wasn't quite a trend yet. I think in 2022, when Habanos decided to double and triple the prices of Cohiba and Trinidad -- making standard cigars in those lines really expensive, and the special editions over $100 -- I think that was kind of a test market for the rest of the world, because they released an aniversario cigar for $300. That was a limited edition, and the thing sold. And I think the rest of the industry kind of took notice and said, 'OK, there actually is a market for this.'"

Perhaps.

But, like the tipping culture these days, at some point, cigar smokers will decide that it's less about the label and more about the overall experience.

Can most cigar smokers pony up the dough for a Davidoff?

Yes.

But why should they?

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 9:33 PM.