The cigar world is full of terminologies which only cigar aficionados are capable of understanding. For novice cigar smokers, some cigar terms could be confusing, so here is a glossary of common cigar terminologies to help beginners understand the cigar world a lot better.
“A” size cigar – is the largest standard cigar size with a length of 9 ¼ inches and a ring gauge of 47, also known as gran corona.
Amarillo – a term for a yellow leaf cigar wrapper.
Bale – a unit of storage for fermented cigar tobacco.
Band – a ring of paper wrapped around a cigar usually bearing the cigar’s brand name and country of origin.
Binder – is the leaf used to hold the filler tobacco together.
Blend – the mixture of different types of tobacco in a cigar
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Bouquet – is the smell of a burning cigar, also known as aroma.
Box – a container used to package premium handmade cigars.
Brother of the leaf – a modern-day term used to describe a fellow cigar smoker.
Butane – a colorless and odorless flame source preferred for cigar lighters.
Candela – a green leaf cigar wrapper, also known as double claro.
Cap – the leaf used to secure the cigar’s wrapper, usually placed at the head of the cigar.
Capa – is the cigar’s outer leaf cover or wrapper.
Cigarillos – are thin, short cigars popular in Europe.
Filler – tobacco leaves used in the body of the cigar.
Figurados– cigars which are not straight sided.
Habana/Havana – a term widely used to designate Cuban cigars.
Humidor – a box with optimal humidity levels used to preserve and age cigars.
Ligero – is the strongest grade of filler tobacco.
Loose – a term which describes an under filled cigar often with a quick draw.
Maduro – a very dark reddish-brown to almost black leaf cigar wrapper.
Mareva – the Cuban term for petit corona.
Natural – a medium brown leaf cigar wrapper, also known as Colorado Claro.
Olor – a variety of cigar tobacco known for its wide leaves used as filler or a binder.
Oscuro– is the blackest cigar leaf wrapper, even darker than Marudo.
Panetela – long, thin shaped cigar.
Parejo – is a straight sided cigar.
Ring Gauge – the measurement of the cigar diameter.
Robusto – is the most popular cigar size in the world.
Seco – is the mildest grade of filler tobacco.
Shoulder – the slightly curved area of a cigar where the cap meets the body.
Single – a term for individual cigar.
Spill – a strip of Spanish cedar wood used for lighting a cigar.
Stogie – a slang term for cigar.
Tooth – tiny, fine bumps with pockets of oil which creates the grainy appearance of the less smooth cigar leaf wrapper.
Toro – an increasingly popular cigar size. They are fatter and longer than coronas.
Viso – is a grade of filler tobacco more powerful than seco but less powerful than ligero.
Wrapper – is the binder of a high quality handmade cigar.
To better understand cigar smoking, check online stores selling cigars and the products they are offering. Owners and staff of these stores are usually more than happy to help you understand the products they are selling. As a consumer, understanding the terms used in the cigar world will help you find the right cigar which will suit your preferences.
