Equal parts passion and art form, cigars have been a target of collectors since time immemorial. Like all the finer things in life, cigars have grown such a following that there is always someone trying to make—and collect—the best.
As with any collection—from aged whiskey, to precious wines, to antique cars—it constantly improves with the passage of time. Limited edition cigars provide a special incentive; the small batch size means anyone who manages to collect one is now on the inside; a connoisseur. Here are a few limited-edition cigars that any cigar enthusiast would be delighted to add to their collection.
My Father Limited Edition
At just 11 years old, Cuban native José “Pepin” Garcia rolled his first cigar. About five decades later, he opened a small cigar factory in Little Havana, Miami. From there, Garcia grew his cigar family and opened a factory in Nicaragua where he personally hand-rolls the My Father Limited Edition.
The My Father Limited Edition features the company’s signature “Rosado Oscuro” Ecuador Habano wrapper and contains all-Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar is only produced when the availability of the aged tobacco permits, making the Limited Edition a scarce and occasional release. For the 2015 edition of the cigar, only 4,200 were produced, the majority of which went to the U.S. market.
For budding collectors, the My Father brand is an inexpensive way to collect an exclusive cigar. They cost only $23 apiece and come in boxes of 14 with unique coffins. The result is a wonderful way to honor Garcia’s American dream.
King of Denmark
Although cigars are typically synonymous with Cuban or South American makers, the Europeans also have an eye for this particular good thing in life. Danish cigar artist Jan von Vistisen coined the motto “Smoke Like a King” with his highly exclusive Royal Danish Cigars 200 year anniversary collection. The collection consists of four unique blends, including the entirely unique and customizable King of Denmark.
One of the most enjoyable facets of collecting anything is being able to define your own identity through your collection. Von Vistisen is regarded as an artist because every King of Denmark is crafted to suit the client. Each cigar is decorated with Swarovski crystals and then wrapped in gold foil and embossed with the clients name. The cigar is also carefully placed in a Scandinavian-designed humidor that features a 24-karat gold-plated crown.
The tobacco blend used in the cigar is kept a secret by the maker, and von Vistisen only produces 30 units a day. Personalized units of 60 can reach around $4,500 each. The King of Denmark is only customizable by certain boutique cigar shops globally. They cannot be ordered online.
Cohiba Behike
Of course, no good cigar collection would be complete without a Cuban. According to Cigar Aficionado, the definitive online cigar community, the most commonly asked question upon entering a cigar shop is, “Do you have any Behikes?”
The Behike is Cohiba’s “ultra-luxury, highly rated and greatly desired cigar brand.” The cigars are made using a new leaf called the “medio tiempo” that comes from the top two least-accessible leaves of the tobacco plant. The medio tiempo accounts for the Behike’s exceptional flavor and explains the scarcity of this limited edition cigar. The 40th anniversary edition in particular is highly sought-after; the cigars have been placed in 100 limited-edition humidors that fetch nearly $18,000 a piece.
Unlike other rare cigars, the Behike is usually available at most major cigar shops, and online as well. It may be a familiar name in the cigar world, but it’s an important one nonetheless.
Collecting cigars, much like collecting rare cars, is a passion as much as it is a pleasure. Car collectors go to great lengths to preserve the paint and interior surfaces the same way cigar collectors would preserve their collection in quality humidors. It is also important to remember, perhaps deep in pensive thought with your next cigar in hand, that there are so very many collectibles to be had outside our list. As your knowledge of the cigar world grows, so will your collection.
Photo credits: My Father, Royal Danish Cigars, Cohiba
