Cigar FAQ - The Basics - The Cigar Hut

What is the anatomy of a cigar?

What is a "premium" cigar?

What is a "Puro"?

What are the basic shapes of premium cigars?

What do the two numbers mean when applied to cigar sizes?

Do the opposite ends of the cigar have different names?

Does the cigar's name indicate its dimension?

Quite often they do. There are some basic shapes that fall within certain size parameters. These shapes are given names, so that there is some degree of universality in the industry. These descriptive dimensions are approximate, but here are some guidelines: Short is less than 5.5 inches. Long is greater than 6.5 inches. Thin is less than 42 ring size. Thick is greater than 47 ring. The group below are the most common shapes.

Robusto: Short and thick
Lonsdale: Thin and long
Corona: Medium length and medium gauge
Churchill: Long and thick
Cigarillo: Short and thin

Please note that these are only generic shape names. For example, a Robusto from one brand may have slightly different dimensions than a Robusto from another brand.

There are other shapes that fall between and around these basics:

Toro: Somewhere between Robusto and Churchill.
Panatela: A skinny Lonsdale.
Rothchild: Somewhere between a Robusto and a Corona.
Presidente: Either a little larger or smaller than a Churchill

Manufacturers can also add one of these common adjectives to the name. They can help you to envision the size. Gorda, Grande, Gran, Larga, Extra, Doble, or Double always mean they are adding on to the size. Petite, Slim, Finos, or Demi indicate some sort of reduction to the size. For example a "Corona Grande" is a long Corona, and would be close to a Lonsdale.

On top of all this we will now add the Figurados. Here are the basic definitions. Note, you will find more disparity here among brands than you can imagine. When you are dealing with Parejos, you can be positive that Robustos from different brands will always resemble each other to some degree. However, with Figurados, almost anything goes. One company's Torpedo will be another's Pyramid or Perfecto. These are the most common descriptions for the shape names on today's market. Remember, all dimensions described are approximations.

Torpedo: The cap is a sharp point, the foot is open. The shape does not begin to taper until the last 2 inches near the cap. The foot will measure between 46 to 54 in ring size. The length can range from 5 to 7 inches.
Piramide: The cap is round, the foot is open. The cigar will immediately taper from the foot right down to the cap. For this reason, many Piramides will be described with two ring sizes. For example, 7 x 36-50. This means that it is a seven inch cigar, and the tuck is 50 ring, and it drops down to 36 by the time it reaches the cap.
Triangulo: Similar to a Piramide, but the cap is pointed.
Belicoso: Similar to a torpedo, but usually a little shorter. Also, the taper will occur even more quickly than the torpedo, typically occurring within the last 3/4" near the cap.
Perfecto: The perfecto will have both ends closed. The cap can be round or pointed. The tuck is typically tapered to the width of a cigarette. On some brands, you light the foot as is, and with others, if it is more than 3/8", you clip off a bit to expose the filler. The sides can be straight, or there can be a bulge in the first half of the cigar near the foot. The length of a perfecto can vary from 4-8"
Diadema: Traditionally, this is a giant perfecto, measuring at least 8" long. However, it is can be used to name any huge scale version of the Figurados described above.
Culebra: Three panetelas twisted around each other and held together with either ribbon or a large cigar band. The segments of a traditional Culebra will be composed of all ligero filler, not mild seco and volado fillers of a regular Panetela. You must separate them before smoking. Do not attempt to straighten out the wavy shape. Smoke them in the curved way that they have been cured.

How do I know what size is right for me?

What do the cigar ratings mean?