Finding the perfect Christmas gifts for cigar smokers can feel impossible. We get it. Your husband has fifty ashtrays already. Your brother owns every cutter known to man. And asking what they want? They’ll just shrug and say “cigars are fine.”
That’s exactly why we dedicated our entire Christmas episode to solving this problem. We brought on our friends Kyle and Big Rob from LA Cigar Collective down in Louisiana to put together the definitive guide for anyone shopping for a cigar enthusiast this holiday season. Whether you’re buying for a seasoned aficionado or someone just getting into the hobby, we’ve got you covered with options at every price point.
Table of Contents
For the Beginner: Samplers and Tubos
Let’s start simple. If you’re shopping for someone who doesn’t smoke cigars regularly, the easiest route is a quality sampler or tubo. These come in protective packaging that looks impressive under the tree and gives them variety to explore what they like.
CAO Outpost Volume 2 Sampler
This five-cigar sampler is perfect for someone just starting their cigar journey. It includes the Amazon Basin, which almost every new smoker gravitates toward eventually. CAO makes approachable cigars that won’t overwhelm a beginner’s palate, and the presentation is solid for gifting.
Plasencia Three-Pack Tubos
Tubos are clutch for gift-giving. They’re protective, they look premium, and they’re ready to hand someone without the awkward “here’s a bag with a cigar in it” situation. The Placencia Alma Fuerte is a premium line that turns heads for both its presentation and quality.
Principal Holiday Bauble
Principal puts out special holiday editions that are absolutely perfect for stocking stuffers. This year they have two versions: the 2025 Bauble with Mexican San Andres wrapper and the Principal Reserve set featuring four different years of their Babble line. Both come in boxes of four cigars with that festive holiday spirit printed right on them.
Mid-Range Excellence: Premium Samplers
For someone who knows their way around a humidor but still appreciates discovering new smokes, these samplers hit the sweet spot.
Big Rob Sampler from LA Cigar Collective
This collection showcases some serious variety. You’re getting an Aganorsa Supreme Leaf Royal Perfecto, the notoriously strong Belgian Blue from Crowned Heads, a Principal Accomplice Maduro, a Domains Neutron Toro Gordo, an LFD Chapter 1 for the full-bodied fans, and a JFR 20th Anniversary. It’s basically a tour through premium boutique cigars at various strength levels.
LACC Exclusive Pack
If you want to support the guys who support us, LA Cigar Collective has their exclusive lineup available. This includes two sizes of their Gris Gris, two vitolas of the Padre Elegido that Kyle blended himself, and their first-ever exclusive, the Jay London Telephone Booth Lancero. These are cigars you can’t find anywhere else.
Diamond Crown Royal Sampler
For the connoisseur in your life who appreciates the finer things, this four-cigar collection from JC Newman is outstanding. It includes regular Diamond Crown, Julius Caesar Diamond Crown, the Maximus (which might be the best JC Newman cigar according to our friends at LACC), and the Black Diamond. This is premium craftsmanship in every stick.
The Subscription That Keeps on Giving
LA Cigar Collective Monthly Pack
We talked about this extensively during the episode. Cigar of the month clubs solve a major problem for experienced smokers who tend to grab the same handful of cigars every time. Preston mentioned this is what he requests every year because it forces him out of his comfort zone and he’s discovered new favorites through it.
The first month’s exclusive drops on the 15th, so if you’re reading this before then, you’ve still got time to lock in something special. It’s the gift that literally keeps arriving at their door month after month.
Travel and Storage Solutions
Cigar Caddy Travel Humidors
Every serious cigar smoker needs at least one of these. Whether it’s the 10-count or 15-count version, these are bulletproof travel humidors that actually protect your cigars. Perfect for the guy who smokes with friends or travels for work.
Project Carbon Travel Bags
These deserve their own spotlight. Project Carbon makes some of the most beautiful travel solutions in the industry. The newer models have humidity-controlled zippers built right into the design. They hold five to six cigars, include accessory pockets, cigar rest storage, and come in their own carrying case. The all-leather versions run around $260, while the standard versions are closer to $200. Yes, it’s an investment, but it’s one that’ll last for years.
Accessories That Actually Matter
Smoking Cat Approved Cigar Rests
These handmade brass cigar rests are conversation starters. The craftsmanship is incredible and each one takes hours to produce. They also make a lighter aluminum version for portability. When you set one of these on a table, people immediately ask where you got it. That’s the mark of a great accessory gift.
Fog Box Humidors
If you want something with personality, Fog Box does hydro-dipped designs on quality humidors with cedar trays. They have everything from striped patterns to more adventurous graphics. It’s the kind of gift for someone who appreciates that blue collar, slightly edgy aesthetic.
LA Cigar Collective Double Agent Lighter
This dual-flame lighter gives you both soft flame and torch options in one package. It’s perfect for pipe smokers who need the soft flame or cigar smokers who want versatility. Functional gifts like this never go unused.
Arturo Fuente Ashtray
You can never have too many ashtrays. That’s just a fact of cigar smoking life. There’s something genuinely satisfying about unwrapping a new ashtray. This one comes in several colors and would make a solid addition to anyone’s collection.
Budget-Friendly Stocking Stuffers
Ciglue
We featured this on the show and it’s honestly genius. For delicate cigars or Cubans that develop small tears, cigar glue can save the smoke. It’s safe to consume and way better than trying to MacGyver a repair with whatever’s lying around.
Crown Heads Thunderkiss
Sometimes the best gift is just really good cigars that punch above their price point. The Thunderkiss smokes like a ten to twelve dollar cigar but costs significantly less. It’s Habano forward, super nutty, and has been flying off shelves. Perfect for filling out a gift basket.
The High-End Options
ST Dupont Lighters
We spent a good chunk of the episode discussing whether expensive lighters are worth it. The consensus? If someone loves this hobby and will use it daily, absolutely. The Ligne 2 pieces made in France are heirloom-quality items you could pass down to your kids. That said, they’re not for everyone. Some of us are too sloppy to own nice things.
The more approachable ST Dupont options like the Maxi Jet or Defi Extreme offer that premium build quality without the stratospheric price tag. They last forever and feel substantial in your hand.
Habber Dasher from Principal
This is a Smoke and Steel exclusive preview. Principal Cigars created something wild here: five 6×55 cigars from KBF that come packaged with actual neckties. It’s part of their Archive Series and they only made a hundred total. LA Cigar Collective got ten of them. This is for the dad who has everything and appreciates quirky, limited-edition releases.
Smoke and Steel Merch
We can’t let LA Cigar Collective have all the fun. If a cigar smoker in your life listens to the Smoke and Steel Podcast, get them a T-Shirt or Hoodie with our logo on it.
Don’t Forget the Pennsylvania Geography Lesson
We couldn’t resist having some fun with our Louisiana guests. After they spent months roasting us for mispronouncing words like “Langiappe” we fired back with Pennsylvania town names. Watching Big Rob and Kyle try to pronounce Allegheny, Schuylkill, and Conshohocken was peak content. They actually got closer than we expected, especially on Conshohocken. Props to them.
Why This Episode Matters
Buying Christmas gifts for cigar smokers shouldn’t be stressful. The key is understanding where someone is in their journey. Beginners need variety and approachable options. Experienced smokers appreciate either exclusives they haven’t tried or quality accessories they’ll actually use.
We specifically brought LA Cigar Collective on because they get it. Kyle and Big Rob understand that this hobby is about more than just smoking. It’s about the accessories, the ritual, the community. Supporting shops and content creators who genuinely care about the culture makes the whole experience better for everyone.
Where to Find Everything
LA Cigar Collective has everything we discussed available on their website. They ship nationally and include stickers with every order (which is a nice touch). If you’re in the Louisiana area, their shop is worth visiting in person. They’re open on Christmas Day starting at 4 PM for anyone needing to escape family gatherings.
Watch the Full Episode
We barely scratched the surface of everything covered in this episode. The full conversation includes way more banter, cigar talk, and random tangents about football, Bourbon Street at New Years, and why Big Rob needs a life-size bronze statue of himself.
Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss an episode. We’re putting out content regularly and the community we’re building is something special. Drop a comment on the video and let us know what you’re gifting (or hoping to receive) this holiday season.
Support the people who support us. Check out LA Cigar Collective and tell them Smoke and Steel sent you.
Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.
