Merriam Webster defines luxury as something that contributes to pleasure or comfort but is not absolutely necessary to one of life.
The second definition is the indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease.
Looking beyond these definitions, there is no denying that luxury, especially when it comes to luxury brands, means different things to different people.
For starters, luxury brands are often associated with higher levels of prestige, authority and wealth.
At the same time, luxury brands can be viewed as being more authentic, reliable or fulfilling than non-luxury brands.
Either way, the exact level of value placed on a brand varies depending on the individual, their social circle, and how they use the product.
In general, however, most people recognize luxury and attach some type of value to it.
This value does not necessarily have to be monetary either. For many people, a particular item can look and feel high-end, even if it's not expensive.
This is because items that hold more sentimental value can also be considered luxurious to a certain degree.
With that in mind, let us talk about the list for a moment. This list is a compilation of brands from a variety of industries, from watches to cigars.
Many of these brands have already been featured in their own blogs (links to those posts will be included )
What qualifies a brand for inclusion on this list? Well, the definition above and a consensus among our team here at Compass Long View.
Enough said, let us get started!
Cartier Watches
Many people think of Cartier as a luxury fashion and jewelry enterprise, but the company has a long and rich heritage in watchmaking.
In 1904, Anglo-Swiss watchmaker, Louis-François Cartier, created the Santos, the world's first mass-produced men's wristwatch.
The watch was extraordinarily large, with small chunky Roman numerals resting on a small cream dial.
The watch was an immediate success with customers who appreciated its audacious design and its usefulness as a timepiece.
Since then, Cartier has been known for its iconic designs and unique shapes while maintaining classic aesthetics.
Cartier watches are instantly recognizable; because Cartier has always been quite deliberate about retaining its own unique identity as well as capitalizing on its strengths and hallmarks of success.
Any prospective buyer can be sure that with a Cartier watch he is investing in high quality and creative freedom.
And if it counts for anything, Cartier watches, in general, are significantly more affordable when compared to Rolex watches.
Related: The Remarkable Success Story of Cartier
Cohiba Cigars
The story goes that on a sunny day in 1962, Fidel Castro's driver and chief bodyguard was enjoying a cigar that a friend had rolled for him.
Castro was so impressed by the lingering aroma that the bodyguard offered him one.
It turned out that he enjoyed the cigar so much that he sent for the cigar roller, Eduardo Rivera, and gave him the solemn task of rolling the head of state's cigars.
For security reasons, Rivera was sent back and forth between different factories and sometimes rolled cigars at home.
When a factory was built in 1966 to produce these top-secret cigars, it was a high-security facility.
This was the birth of the Cuban Cohiba, a private cigar brand of limited production supplied exclusively to Fidel Castro and high-ranking officials of the Cuban government.
The Cohiba brand was also often given as diplomatic gifts.
It was not until the 1980s that Cohiba finally became widely available outside of Cuba.
Today, Cohiba is the flagship brand of Habanos S.A. and is known for producing premium cigars of the highest quality using some of the best tobaccos in the world and unique maturation techniques.
Related: A Fascinating Look into the Cuban Cigar Industry
Top Cohiba Cigars Lines
La Línea Clásica Series: introduced in 1989, it includes Espléndido, Robustos and the Cohiba Exquisito.
La Línea 1492 Series: It was introduced in 1992 and later renamed the Siglo Series and includes the Siglo I, Siglo II, Siglo III, Siglo IV and Siglo V.
Maduro 5 Series: Introduced in 2007 with three cigars, the Magicos, Genios and Secretos.
Cohiba Behike: Introduced in 2010, it is Cohoba's most exclusive line. These cigars are in high demand, and only a small amount is released every year.
The Behike line includes the Behike 52, Behike 54 and Behike 56.
Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve is often referred to as the Unicorn of Bourbon.
Dating back to pre-Prohibition days, the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery's aging process means that bourbon is aged for 15 to 23 years before it is bottled.
This long aging process combined with a small production run (Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery releases about 7,000 cases each year) results in a limited supply/ high demand situation.
In fact, most of these bottles are sold out long before they see the light of day in the United States.
In addition, the era of rare bourbon collecting is at its peak. More and more whisky aficionados are looking for and collecting high-end bourbon.
So it's not surprising to find, that a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve trades for as much as $5000 on collector sites!
This bourbon is truly one of the hardest-to-find bottles out there and is prized worldwide as the epitome of quality.
In fact, bourbon lovers travel far and wide to liquor stores and bars searching for a taste of this coveted and luxurious whiskey.
So what makes this whiskey so special?
It's aged to perfection: even the "bottom shelf," 15-year-old label is still aged more than three times as long as brands like Jim Beam and Jack Daniels.
When it comes to bourbon (and whiskey in general), the longer it sits in its barrel, the better it tends to be.
Related: Whiskey 101: A Simple Guide to Aging Bourbon
Award-winning: Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve has won just about every whiskey award there is to win, including the Wine & Spirits "Spirit of the Year" award, a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a Best-In-Class Gold Medallion at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, and a score of 99 from the Beverage Testing Institute.
In the world of bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve is a unique offering that deserves your attention, if only it were easier to get a bottle, but we will leave it to you the reader to figure that out.
Arturo Fuente Cigars
Nothing matches a premium hand-made cigar for a relaxing evening. The burn is even, the taste complex, creamy and slightly sweet.
And the aroma, you can smell it from a block away, even on the rainiest of afternoons.
A premium, handmade cigar is an experience in and of itself. That's what you get when you smoke one of the Arturo Fuente cigar, which are consistently ranked among the best cigars in the world.
The cigar company was founded in 1912 by Arturo Fuente Sr. in West Tampa, Florida, and over the last century has become one of the world's leading cigar brands.
And we are not talking about a Cuban cigar brand here. All Arturo Fuente cigars are made in the Dominican Republic and are considered some of the best smokes the Dominican Republic has ever produced.
That's a fantastic distinction! If you have read our history of Dominican Republic cigars, you already know that this country has produced some of the most revered cigars in recent memory.
Arturo Fuente cigars are just as good, and often better than cigars from Cuba.
Top-rated Arturo Fuente cigars:
Fuente Fuente Opus X - one of the most iconic cigars and a firm rebuff to naysayers who claimed Carlito would never succeed in growing a quality wrapper in the Dominican Republic.
The ultra-rare cigar is made from an all-Dominican recipe of premium aged binder and filler tobacco under a coveted Dominican wrapper.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway- This line of cigars has been one of the best-selling premium cigars for many decades.
The entire collection is handmade in a series of intricate figurado shapes that few brands can produce on the same scale as Fuente.
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos - Named in honor of Fuente family patriarch Don Carlos Fuente. This line of cigars is made from the rarest vintage tobaccos, hand selected and aged for a minimum of 10 years.
Related: The Top Cigar Families In The World
George Cleverley Dress Shoes
Here at Compass Longview we love to talk about dress shoes and how they impact a man’s style and life. In our guide on how to buy the right pair of dress shoes, one of the shoe brands we covered was George Cleverley.
This English shoemaker, based in London's Royal Arcade, is known for its elegant creations that would pair perfectly with a three-piece suit by Brioni or Alexander McQueen.
While the brand also offers ready-to-wear, its bread-and-butter has historically been bespoke. This is because their target clientele appreciate the high quality of these shoes, as well as their traditional craftsmanship and design.
The shoes are made to fit perfectly - they fit like a glove - and can last for many years with proper care. Each George Cleverley shoe is made entirely by hand.
The uppers are constructed by carving out a single piece of leather, that is then stitched directly to an insole that serves as the "skeleton" of the shoe.
This process creates a beautifully articulated cap section which is anatomically correct and quite comfortable. The durability of these shoes also allows them to be resoled over and again.
High quality calfskin from tanneries in Essex is used to make these shoes soft but durable.
Today its client roster ranges from Apple CEO Tim Cook, actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, footballer David Beckham and fashion designer Ralph Lauren, to name a few.
Recently, Cleverley also designed the shoes worn by Robert Pattinson for his role as Bruce Wayne in the Batman franchise.
The celebrity association aside, George Cleverley dress shoes are something every man should aspireto own at least one pair in their lifetime.
So how much do George Cleverley dress shoes cost? Click here to find out for yourself.
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