The 20 questions every cigar retailer asks.

Most premium cigar boxes hold 20 to 25 cigars, and that is the standard wholesale unit. Smaller formats exist - 10-count boxes for limited lines, samplers of 5, and value bundles - while some machine-made brands pack 50. When MDC quotes wholesale pricing it is per box unless noted, and we size starter orders by box count, so a new venue typically opens with 15-30 boxes across proven brands.

Cigars are a high-margin, low-turnover product that drives average transaction value up dramatically - especially in hospitality, golf, restaurant, and casino settings. A cigar customer typically spends 3–5x the average check and visits more frequently. For retailers, cigars stabilize margins against volatile beer/wine/liquor pricing.

Yes. Most accounts open within 48 hours. We handle everything: reviewing your venue, building a custom starter inventory based on your clientele, and training your staff on basics. You do not need to know cigars to sell cigars with MDC.

No. Our education program trains your staff on the essentials - how to recommend, how to cut, how to store, how to upsell. Most of our most successful retail clients had zero cigar background when they opened their MDC account.

Yes - this is the defining feature of MDC. If cigars do not sell, we take them back. No questions asked. This means you never get stuck with dead inventory, which is the #1 reason most retailers avoid cigars in the first place.

Yes. You work with a real person, not a portal. We offer on-site consulting for national clients, ongoing menu and inventory consulting for all clients, and direct phone access during business hours.

Margins on premium cigars typically run 40–60% at retail, higher in hospitality. Combined with our no-risk exchange program and strategic menu design, MDC clients routinely report cigar sales growing 300–500% in the first 30 days after switching to us.

We offer true wholesale pricing - not "wholesale pricing" that is really just a small discount. Because of our volume and manufacturer relationships, we can meet or beat any legitimate wholesale price you are quoted. If someone shows you a better number, send it to us and we will either match it or explain why the quote is not real.

We start by understanding your venue, your clientele, your existing inventory (if any), and your margin targets. From there we build a proposed inventory - brand mix, price tiers, pack sizes - designed specifically for your demographic. Proposals typically take 2–3 business days.

Online retailers are fine for individual consumers. For businesses, they cannot offer: no-risk exchanges, custom inventory building, staff training, on-site consulting, strategic menus, or access to rare brands not available to the public. If you are running a venue where cigars matter, you need a distributor - not an online storefront.

We have been in the industry since 2012. Over that time we built four cigar-industry businesses spanning wholesale, online retail, brick-and-mortar retail, and hospitality (a cigar bar & whiskey lounge). Three were acquired by a private equity group in a seven-figure transaction and rebranded under the new owner. MDC is where the team focuses today - and between the four, we touched every part of the cigar supply chain and customer experience.

For qualifying accounts, yes. We offer complimentary commercial display humidors to clients who meet certain volume and relationship criteria. Ask during your consultation.

Yes. Elite Status MDC members get access to brands that are typically allocated-only: Liga Privada, Padrón, My Father Le Bijou, Ashton, Arturo Fuente, and others. These are brands the general public cannot buy freely.

Yes. We provide digital and print marketing assets for our retail partners - brand posters, menu templates, table tents, event promotional material. All included, not an upsell.

We ship from Colorado. Most orders arrive within 2–4 business days for continental US destinations. Expedited shipping is available.

Commercial importation of Cuban cigars into the US is still restricted by the US embargo. If and when the policy changes, we will be positioned to distribute - we already maintain relationships with the relevant channels. Until then, we focus on the Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran cigars that dominate the premium market for good reason.

Tobacco tax varies by state - and in some states, by county. We handle the compliance filing requirements as a licensed distributor. Your in-store sales tax obligations are yours; we provide the invoices and documentation you need for your own filings.

Stop selling them immediately and photograph the affected cigars. Email the photos to us and we will diagnose whether it is true mold (dark, fuzzy, usually black or green) or plume (white, powdery, actually a sign of good aging). True mold is covered under our no-risk exchange - we replace them. Plume means the cigars are fine, and we will show you how to tell the difference.

Yes. For qualified venues (casino, hotel, restaurant, golf club, retail store with a tobacco license), we offer a sample program. Contact us to see if your venue qualifies.

There is no minimum order at MDC - order a single box if that is all your floor needs. Most venues still start with a curated opening inventory of a few thousand dollars, matched to their demographic and expected turn rate, but nothing is required.

We primarily serve the continental United States. International cigar distribution carries complex customs and regulatory requirements. Contact us for specific international inquiries.