Cigar Glossary

Listed below is a glossary of terms you might come across when buying cigars, reading about cigars, talking to an aficionado or coming in contact with anything related to cigars:

Amatista. A package of 25 or 50 cigars in a glass jar that was common in the mid-20th century. Today, this type of packaging is rare.

American Market Selection. Also known under the abbreviation AMS, the American Market Selection refers to cigars with green to light greenish-brown wrapper or Double Claro.

Band. Decorative paper ring on the cigar, typically containing brand name and logo.

Barrel. A synonym for the body of a cigar.

Belicoso. A type of pyramid-like shaped cigar measuring about 5 inches in length.

Binder. The middle component of a cigar which holds together the tobacco blend.

Blend. A tobacco mix that forms the center of the cigar and determines its flavor, strength and taste.

Bouquet. Fine smell of a cigar.

Box-pressed. A slightly square shape due to tight packaging.

Bull’s-Eye Piercer. A type of punch that is used to create a round opening in the head of a cigar.

Bunch. Blended tobacco leaves that form the center of a cigar.

Bundle. A packaging of 25 or 50 cigars wrapped with cellophane or plastic.

Cabinet selection. Cigar packaging in a wooden box.

Candela. Green to light greenish-brown wrapper. A synonym for Double Claro.

Cap. A small piece of tobacco leaf that closes the head. It is cut prior lighting the cigar.

Capa. A synonym for wrapper.

Churchill. A large Corona cigar, usually measuring about 7×48.

Claro. Wrapper of a light brown color.

Colorado. Medium dark reddish-brown wrapper.

Colorado Claro. Slightly reddish light brown wrapper.

Colorado Maduro. Dark reddish-brown wrapper.

Connecticut Broadleaf. Dark brown leaf (Maduro) that is grown in the sun and is used as a wrapper.

Corona. A large “family” of straight cigars with a rounded head and open foot.

Culebra. A cigar made of three smaller cigars twisted together to form one cigar.

Diadema. Very large cigar with minimal dimension of 8×40.

Double Claro. Green to light greenish-brown wrapper.

Double Corona. Large Corona-style cigar with dimensions of 7.5 inches or more in length and a ring gauge of 49 to 52.

English Market Selection. Also known under the abbreviation EMS, the English Market Selection can refer to any cigar with the exception of those with Double Claro wrapper.

Figurado. The term refers to all cigars with irregular shape. They can be categorized into six basic shapes – Culebra, Belicoso, Perfecto, Pyramid, Diadema and Torpedo.

Filler. Tobacco mix that forms the center of a cigar.

Flag. A synonym for the cap.

Foot. The end of the cigar where it is lighted. It can be open or closed.

Gran Corola. A large cigar which is over 9 inches long.

Guillotine. A type of cigar cutter. It can be either single- or double-bladed.

Habana/Havana. Cigars made in Cuba.

Head. The end of the cigar that goes in the mouth. It is covered by a cap that is cut prior lighting.

Humidor. A square box that is used to store cigars at the ideal temperature and humidity level. It is available in different sizes and materials.

Hygrometer. An instrument that is used to measure humidity levels in a humidor.

Lance. Also known as piercer, lance is a type of cutter that is used to make a small opening in the cap.

Long filler. Filler that consists of whole tobacco leaves.

Lonsdale. Long cigar, about 7 inches in length and a 42 to 44 ring gauge.

Maduro. Very dark brown wrapper.

Marrying. Synonym for aging.

Oscuro. Very dark brown (darker than Maduro), almost black wrapper.

Panatela. Long and thin cigar with straight sides.

Parejo. The term refers to all straight sided cigars of various lengths and dimensions.

Perfecto. Cigar with a closed head and foot, and a bulge in the center.

Punch. A type of a cutter that is used to make a round opening in the cap.

Pyramid. Pyramid-like shaped cigar with a sharply pointed head.

Ring gauge. Diameter of a cigar which is expressed by a unit divisible by 64, with 64 equaling 1 inch. For example, a ring gauge of 40 equals 40/64 of an inch.

Robusto. A straight sided cigar, about 4.5 to 5.5 inches long and a ring gauge of about 50.

Short filler. Filler made of scraps of tobacco.

Shoulder.  A part of the cigar which joins the body and the cap.

Spill. Long cedar matches.

Torpedo. A cigar with a closed foot, pointed head and bulge in the center.

Tubos. Individually packaged cigars.

Tunneling. Uneven burn.

V-cut. A type of clipper that is used to make a V-shaped cut in the center of the cap.

Wrapper. This is the outer part of the cigar and determines how a cigar looks but it also plays an important role in its taste and flavor.

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