Cigar glossary: 120+ terms every cigar lover should know
Cigario editorial · updated 11 October 2026
Cigar talk is full of Spanish words, old trade terms and shop slang. This glossary explains them in plain English: what a word means, why it matters and where to see an example in the Cigario catalog. Use the search box or jump straight to a letter.
The filler carries most of the strength, the wrapper much of the aroma and look.
A
- Aging
- Resting tobacco or finished cigars for months or years so the flavors soften and blend. Leaves are aged before rolling; many smokers also rest cigars in a humidor.
- Amatista
- A sealed glass jar of cigars, historically used by some Cuban brands. Not to be confused with glass-top boxes, which are always counterfeit.
- Anilla band
- Spanish for the cigar band.
- Aroma
- What you smell from the cigar and its smoke. Much of what we call flavor is actually aroma perceived through the nose.
- Ash
- The burnt tobacco at the foot. A firm, even ash is usually a sign of good construction. Tap it off at around 2 cm.
B
- Band
- The paper ring near the head showing the brand and line. You may remove it once the cigar has warmed up, or leave it on.
- Barber pole
- A cigar with two wrappers of different colors spiralled together. A non-Cuban style; a "Cuban" barber pole is always fake.
- Belicoso
- A shorter figurado with a tapered, pointed head, typically around 5.5 × 52. Cut carefully a little at a time. See Belicosos.
- Binder capote
- The leaf between filler and wrapper that holds the bunch together. Usually a tougher leaf chosen for strength and burn.
- Blend
- The recipe of tobaccos (by country, seed, priming and age) that gives a cigar its character.
- Bloom
- See Plume.
- Body
- How full and heavy the smoke feels in the mouth, from light to full. Related to, but not the same as, strength.
- Box-pressed
- A cigar pressed into a squarish shape, either in the box or deliberately during production. Often burns slightly cooler and fits comfortably in the hand.
- Broadleaf Connecticut broadleaf
- A dark, thick, sun-grown wrapper from the Connecticut River Valley, prized for sweet maduro wrappers.
- Bunch
- The filler leaves rolled inside the binder before the wrapper is applied. A well-made bunch gives an even draw.
- Bundle
- Cigars sold tied together without a box, often good value and usually without bands.
- Burn line
- The edge between ash and unburnt tobacco. Straight is ideal; see Canoeing and Tunneling for problems.
- Butane
- The clean-burning gas used in most cigar lighters. It adds no taste, unlike petrol lighters.
C
- Cabinet selection
- Cigars packed unpressed in a cedar cabinet box, often tied in a bundle with ribbon. Associated with gentle aging.
- Cameroon
- A thin, toothy wrapper from Central Africa known for a sweet, spicy, slightly floral character.
- Candela double claro
- A green wrapper produced by drying the leaf quickly with heat to lock in chlorophyll. Grassy and light.
- Canoeing
- When one side of a cigar burns faster than the other. Fix it by touching up the slow side or rotating the cigar.
- Cap
- The small round piece of leaf glued over the head to keep the wrapper in place. You cut through it, not past it.
- Capa wrapper
- Spanish for wrapper.
- Cedar
- Spanish cedar wood used to line humidors and boxes. It holds humidity, repels pests and adds a pleasant aroma.
- Cello cellophane
- The cellophane sleeve some cigars come in. It protects the wrapper; cigars age a little more slowly inside it.
- Churchill
- A long classic format around 7 × 47, named after Sir Winston Churchill. A relaxed, long smoke. See Churchills.
- Claro
- A light tan wrapper shade, often shade-grown. Usually mild and creamy.
- Cold draw
- Drawing air through a cut but unlit cigar to test the draw and preview the flavor.
- Colorado
- A reddish-brown wrapper shade, often rich and well aged.
- Colorado Maduro
- A shade between Colorado and Maduro: dark brown with reddish tones.
- Connecticut Shade
- A light, smooth wrapper grown under cloth in the Connecticut River Valley or from the same seed in Ecuador. Classic for mild cigars.
- Corojo
- A Cuban tobacco variety bred for wrappers, now also grown in Honduras and Nicaragua. Known for spice and a reddish color.
- Corona
- The classic slim format around 5.5 × 42. A focused, balanced smoke. See Coronas.
- Corona Gorda
- A "fat Corona", around 5.6 × 46. A balance between Corona and Robusto.
- Criollo
- A traditional Cuban tobacco variety (the name means "native"), used for filler and binder, and in newer strains also for wrapper.
- Culebra
- Three slim cigars braided together and sold as one. Untie and smoke them separately.
- Curing
- Drying harvested tobacco leaves, usually by hanging them in ventilated barns for weeks until they turn brown.
- Cutter
- Tool for opening the cap: guillotine, punch or V-cutter. See cutting and lighting.
D
- Despalillo
- The stemming stage, where the central vein is removed from tobacco leaves before rolling.
- Diadema
- A large figurado over 8 inches long with a tapered head and sometimes a closed foot.
- Double Corona
- A large format around 7.5 × 49. A long ritual, often two hours.
- Draw
- How easily smoke passes through the cigar. Too tight (plugged) or too loose (airy) both spoil the experience.
E
- Edición Limitada EL
- Habanos’ annual limited editions, usually made with specially aged tobaccos and darker wrappers. A favorite target of counterfeiters.
- Edición Regional
- Cuban cigars released only for a particular country or region, with an extra band naming the market.
- Escaparate
- The cabinet or room in a Cuban factory where freshly rolled cigars rest before being sorted and boxed.
- Escogida
- The sorting of tobacco leaves by size, color and quality, especially wrapper leaves.
- Estelí
- Nicaragua’s cigar capital and the heart of its tobacco industry. Nicaraguan cigars.
F
- Fermentation
- Stacking cured leaves in large piles where natural heat breaks down ammonia and harsh compounds. Essential for a smooth smoke.
- Figurado
- Any cigar that is not straight-sided: Torpedo, Belicoso, Perfecto, Salomón and others.
- Filler tripa
- The tobacco inside the cigar, which provides most of the strength and body. Usually a blend of several leaf types.
- Finish
- The taste that stays after you exhale. A long, pleasant finish is a sign of quality.
- Foot
- The open end of the cigar that you light.
- Full-bodied
- A cigar with a heavy, dense smoke and intense flavor. Not automatically strong in nicotine.
G
- Gordo
- A very thick format, 60 ring gauge or more. Smokes cool and slow. See Gordos.
- Guillotine
- The classic straight cutter. A double-blade guillotine cuts cleanly from both sides.
H
- Habano
- A Cuban cigar (from La Habana). Also a Cuban-seed wrapper variety grown elsewhere, as in "Ecuador Habano".
- Habanos S.A.
- The company that markets and distributes all Cuban premium cigar brands worldwide.
- Head
- The closed end you put in your mouth, sealed by the cap.
- Herf
- Slang for a gathering of friends to smoke cigars together.
- Humidor
- A box, cabinet or room that keeps cigars at stable humidity, typically 65–70%. See the humidor guide.
- Hygrometer
- An instrument that measures relative humidity. Calibrate it regularly with the salt test.
J
- Jalapa
- A valley in northern Nicaragua famous for silky wrapper leaf.
L
- La Casa del Habano
- The official franchise of Cuban cigar shops worldwide, one of the safest places to buy Habanos.
- Lancero
- A very long, slim format around 7.5 × 38. Showcases the wrapper. See Lanceros.
- Lector
- A reader who reads newspapers and novels aloud to rollers in Cuban factories. The Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta brands are named after works read there.
- Ligero
- The leaves from the top of the plant. They get the most sun, are the strongest and burn slowest, so they sit in the center of the bunch.
- Long filler
- Filler made of whole leaves running the length of the cigar. Standard in premium handmade cigars.
- Lonsdale
- A long, slim format around 6.5 × 42. Elegant and balanced.
M
- Maduro
- A dark brown to almost black wrapper, darkened by longer fermentation. Usually sweet with cocoa and coffee notes, not necessarily strong.
- Medio tiempo
- The rare top leaves of some plants, above ligero. Very strong and prized by some blenders.
- Mixed filler
- Filler combining long leaves with short cuttings. Common in cheaper cigars.
- Mold mould
- Fuzzy blue, green or gray growth caused by too much humidity. Remove affected cigars; it is not the same as plume.
N
- Natural
- A medium brown wrapper shade, between claro and colorado.
- Nub
- The last part of a smoked cigar. Also a short, thick format around 4 × 60.
O
- Oscuro
- The darkest wrapper shade, almost black, with long fermentation. Often sweet and earthy.
P
- Panatela
- A long, slim format around 7 × 36, with a light draw.
- Parejo
- A straight-sided cigar with a rounded head, like Corona, Robusto or Toro.
- Partido
- A Cuban region near Havana known for shade-grown wrapper leaf.
- Perfecto
- A figurado tapered at both ends, often with a closed foot.
- Petit Corona
- A small format around 4.5 × 42, ideal for a short break. See Petit Coronas.
- Pigtail
- A small twisted tail of wrapper leaf finishing the cap. Just snip or pull it off.
- Pilón
- The traditional large pile in which tobacco ferments.
- Plugged
- A cigar with a blocked draw, usually from an over-tight bunch. A draw tool can sometimes help.
- Plume bloom
- A fine white powder on the wrapper that brushes off easily. Harmless and rare; unlike mold, it is not fuzzy and does not affect the foot.
- Primings
- The levels of leaves on a tobacco plant, harvested from bottom to top: volado, seco, ligero and medio tiempo.
- Punch
- A cutter that removes a small circle from the cap. Not suitable for pointed heads.
- Purge
- Gently blowing through a relit cigar to clear stale smoke before drawing again.
- Puro
- A cigar made entirely of tobacco from one country.
- Pyramid
- A Torpedo-style figurado that tapers steadily from the foot to a pointed head.
R
- Relative humidity RH
- The amount of moisture in the air compared with the maximum it can hold at that temperature. Cigars like 65–70%.
- Retrohale
- Letting a little smoke out through the nose to perceive aromas. Do it gently.
- Ring gauge
- The diameter of a cigar in 64ths of an inch. A 50 ring is 50/64 inch, about 19.8 mm. See sizes and vitolas.
- Robusto
- The most popular format, around 5 × 50. Great for a first cigar. See Robustos.
- Rosado
- A reddish, rose-toned wrapper shade, often associated with Corojo-type tobacco.
- Rothschild
- A short, thick classic format around 4.5 × 48–50, a forerunner of the Robusto.
S
- Salomón
- A large figurado tapered at both ends with a distinctive nipple at the foot.
- San Andrés
- A valley in Veracruz, Mexico, known for dark, rich maduro wrapper leaf.
- Seco
- Leaves from the middle of the plant that give aroma and balance to the blend.
- Shade-grown
- Tobacco grown under cloth to produce thin, smooth, even wrapper leaves.
- Short filler
- Chopped tobacco scraps used as filler in cheaper and machine-made cigars. Burns hotter and faster.
- Shoulder
- The point where the rounded head meets the straight body. Cut above it so the wrapper stays intact.
- Spill
- A thin strip of cedar lit to light a cigar, adding a gentle cedar note.
- Strength
- The nicotine impact of a cigar, from mild to full. Different from flavor and body.
- Sumatra
- A wrapper variety originally from Indonesia, now widely grown in Ecuador. Often earthy and slightly sweet.
- Sun-grown
- Tobacco grown in full sun, producing thicker, oilier wrappers with more flavor and often more strength.
T
- Tercio
- A bale wrapped in royal palm bark in which Cuban tobacco is stored and aged.
- Toast
- Warming the foot over a flame before lighting, so it ignites evenly.
- Tobacco beetle Lasioderma
- A small pest whose eggs can hatch in warm humidors, above about 24 °C (75 °F). Tiny holes in cigars are the sign.
- Tooth
- Small bumps on a wrapper leaf, often found on Cameroon and Corojo wrappers. A sign of oil-producing glands.
- Torcedor
- A skilled cigar roller. Top torcedores roll the most demanding shapes.
- Toro
- A longer Robusto, around 6 × 50. One of the most popular modern formats. See Toros.
- Torpedo
- A figurado with a pointed head, around 6 × 52–54. Concentrates the draw. See Torpedos.
- Totalmente a mano
- "Totally by hand". Stamped on genuine Cuban boxes. See how to spot fakes.
- Tunneling
- When the center of the cigar burns down while the wrapper stays unlit, often from too much humidity.
- Tupperdor
- An airtight food container used as a humidor with humidity packs. Cheap and very effective.
V
- V-cut
- A cut that makes a wedge-shaped notch through the cap, opening the draw without cutting too deep.
- Vein
- The visible lines on a wrapper leaf. Fine veins are normal; thick ones are cosmetic flaws.
- Vitola
- The format of a cigar: its length, ring gauge and shape.
- Vitola de galera
- The factory name for a size in Cuba (e.g. "Marevas"), as opposed to the commercial name on the box.
- Volado
- The lowest leaves on the plant. Mild, they help the cigar burn well.
- Vuelta Abajo
- The region of Pinar del Río in western Cuba considered the best tobacco-growing land in the world.
W
- Wrapper capa
- The outer leaf of a cigar, chosen for beauty, texture and flavor. It strongly shapes the first impression.
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Keep learning
How to choose your first cigarSize, strength and what to buy.Cigar sizes and vitolasEvery format, drawn to scale.How to taste a cigarFlavor families and the three thirds.Humidor guideHumidity, seasoning and care.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between strength and body?
Strength is the nicotine impact; body is how full and heavy the smoke feels. A cigar can be full-bodied yet only medium in strength.
What does maduro mean?
Maduro is a dark wrapper darkened by longer fermentation. It is usually sweeter, with cocoa and coffee notes, and is not necessarily stronger.
What is a vitola?
The format of a cigar: its length, ring gauge and shape, such as Robusto (about 5 × 50) or Churchill (about 7 × 47).
What does ligero mean?
Ligero is tobacco from the top leaves of the plant. It is the strongest and slowest-burning part of the blend.
Sources
- The ABCs of Cigars and the Cigar Aficionado glossary Cigar Aficionado
- Authenticity Check (Habanos warranty seal) Habanos S.A.
- Cigario vitola database (sizes and smoking times) Cigario
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