A Look at Expensive Cigars

A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco, one end of which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the smoker's mouth through the other end. Unlike cigarettes, cigar smokers do not inhale the smoke.

Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, the Philippines, United States, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Indonesia, Nicaragua, and Havana cigars from Cuba being particularly famous.

Tobacco leaves are harvested and aged using a process that combines use of heat and shade to reduce the sugar and water content. The second part of the process, called fermentation, is carried out under conditions designed to help the leaf die slowly and gracefully. Once the leaves have aged properly, they are sorted for use as filler or wrapper based upon their appearance and overall quality. When the leaf has matured according to the manufacturer's specifications, it will be used in the production of a cigar.

Cigar smokers have the option of buying one cigar at a time or spending more and buying a box, or humidor (a storage container designed to allow controlled air flow and equipped with a device that maintains the internal humidity in the range of 70 to 75 percent). If you are into high priced cigars, then here are a few for you.

Behike, named after one of the Cuban tribes, has been named the world most expensive cigar. Each of the 4,000 cigars were individually has rolled by a single person. This cigar was made and released to celebrate the brands forty year anniversary. Priced at $18,860 dollars for a special humidor of forty cigars.

Arawak, cigars by Jean Jarreau, comes in five different sizes. The President, King, Prince, Crown Prince, and Princess. Cigars range from $5,000-$2,125 per humidor, or around $70-$135 per cigar.

His Majesty's Reserve (HMR), by Gurkha, are made from the world most expensive cognac and premium tobacco. Once rolled these cigars undergo a unique infusion process that uses a whole bottle of Louis XIII Cognac. It is said that there are few blends that could lay claim to being finer. Singles sold at $750 dollars while a box of 20 is priced at $14,999.95 dollars.

Each Cuban Crafter, Cameroon Cigars, combines the finest and most expensive Cameroon Cigar wrapper leaves with the best Cuban Seed Habano tobacco from Tabacalera Esteli, that has been fermented five times before it was hand rolled. Priced at $129.95 for a cedar box of 25.

Black Dragon by Gurkha, is hand crafted by the Gurkha factory, using African Cameroon, Dominican and Connecticut tobaccos. They are then ages twelve to fifteen years, for added smoothness that is rare even in premium quality. Snatch a box of one hundred cigars, for high price of $115,000 dollars.