Cigar Shapes, Sizes and Color
The information below is a condensed guide which explains the basic vocabulary and criteria that apply to hand-rolled cigars, brand, wrapper, size, shape and color.
Cuban cigars can usually be identified by a small “Habano” or “Havana” inscribed on the band.
Color
Color refers to the shade of the outer wrapper leaf. The six basic shades are:
Double Claro – light green and often called candela. The leaves re-cured with heat to fix the chlorophyll in the leaf.
Claro – a light tan color, usually grown under shade tents. Claro is prized for its neutral flavor qualities.
Colorado Claro or Natural – Light brown to brown, most often sun-grown
Colorado or Colorado Maduro – Brown to reddish brown. It is usually shade-grown and has a rich flavor and a subtle aroma.
Maduro – from the Spanish word for “ripe” it refers to the extra length of time needed to produce a rich strong flavor and mild aroma.
Oscuro – Meaning dark, it is also called Negro or black in tobacco producing countries. It usually is left on the plant the longest, and it is matured or seated the longest.
Shapes and Sizes
Basic shapes and sizes are:
Parejo - The most common shape is the parejo, sometimes referred to as simply "coronas", which have traditionally been the benchmark against which all other cigar formats are measured. They have a cylindrical body, straight sides, one end open, and a round tobacco-leaf "cap" on the other end which must be sliced off, have a V-shaped notch made in it with a special cutter, or punched through before smoking.
A standard corona measures 6 inches by a 42 or 44 ring gauge. This is the benchmark against which all other cigars are measured. Coronas have an open foot (the end which you light) and a closed head (the end you smoke). The head is most often rounded. All of the parejo’s are variations on the corona theme.
Parejo are designated by the following terms;
Corona
Corona Gorda
Churchill
Double Corona
Robusto
Petit Corona
Panatela – usually longer than coronas, but dramatically thinner. They also have an open foot and a closed head
Lonsdale – are thicker than panatelas but longer than coronas
Figuardos - Irregularly shaped cigars are known as figurados and are sometimes considered of higher quality because they are more difficult to make. The figuardo encompass every out-of-the-ordinary shaped cigar.
Historically, especially during the 19th century, figurados were the most popular shapes; however, by the 1930s they had fallen out of fashion and all but disappeared. They have, however, recently received a small resurgence in popularity, and there are currently many brands (manufacturers) that produce figurados alongside the simpler parejos. The Cuban cigar brand Cuaba only has figurados in their range.
Figuardos include the following;
Belicoso – a small Pyaramid shaped cigar with a rounded head rather than a point
Torpedo – Like a parejo, but with a pointed cap
Pyramid – Has a broad foot and evenly narrows to a pointed cap
Perfecto – Narrow at both ends and bulged in the middle
Presidente/Diademas – shaped like a parejo but considered a figuardo because of its giant 8 inch size
Culebras – three long, pointed cigars which are braided together
There are other designations worth knowing because they refer to the style of packing. An 8-9-8 designation, for instance, simply means that the cigars are stacked in three rows inside the box, eight on the bottom, nine in the middle and eight on top. They usually come in a distinctive round-sided box.
Tubos, these cigars are packed in aluminum, glass or even wooded tubes; a tightly sealed tube will keep the cigars fresh for a long period of time. Some cigars are also box-pressed, meaning that they were put inside a box so tightly that they acquire a soft square-like appearance.