What are the different sizes and shapes of cigar?

There is a very large number of cigars on the market. They come in different sizes and shapes, but 7 formats stand well above the rest. Here are the most widespread cigar sizes and shapes.

Cigar size and shape: a standard worth understanding

The world of the cigar is governed by its own conventions, and anything to do with the shape and size of a cigar comes with a very precise vocabulary. Whatever the format, three pieces of information are essential: the shape, the length and the diameter.

The shape of the cigar

There are two categories of format, the Parejos and the Figurados. The first covers the most classic cigars, that is, cylinders with a rounded cap and a straight foot. The second therefore covers all the others, those with pointed ends for example.

The length of the cigar

Length is always measured in inches or in millimetres. Cigars come in many different sizes. Some are only a few millimetres long, such as the Hoyo de Monterrey at 102. Others are far longer: the Cohiba Lanceros illustrates this category well at 191 mm. A small cigar burns down in under an hour; the longest ones take twice that.

The diameter of the cigar

More technical still, cigar diameter is expressed in 64ths of an inch. It is in fact the ring gauge (cepo). Many cigars fall between 40 and 60, that is, between 1.59 and 2.38 cm.

The 7 most common formats

Now that the basics are in place, here are the 7 most widespread cigar sizes and shapes.

The cigarillo

Thin and short, this mini cigar is the format chosen by those with little time available. Being cylindrical, the cigarillo belongs to the Parejos. Cigarillos have a ring gauge of between 7.9 and 11.5 mm. On average they burn for 10 to 15 minutes.

The robusto

This is without doubt the most common format among Cuban cigars. Its cylindrical shape places it in the Parejos family. Robustos have a ring gauge of between 19.8 and 22.2 mm and take roughly 45 minutes to an hour.

The corona

Slightly longer than the robusto, the corona is also very common. It is thinner and covers around ten models. Among them are the Cremas, the Corona and the Nacionales. A corona burns for 45 to 60 minutes.

The Churchill

Long and wide, this format is generally left to experienced smokers. It owes its name to a British head of state whose name became attached to it. It too belongs to the Parejos category. It takes an hour to an hour and a half to burn down, with aromas that shift along the way. The Julieta No. 2 is among the best known in this category.

The torpedo

Intense and recognisable by its shell shape, the torpedo belongs to the Figurados family. It is an unusual format and one of the rarer ones. Also called a pyramid, it burns for 60 minutes.

The toro

Some aficionados describe the toro as the reference format. It is a few millimetres larger than the robusto, and owes its standing to the balance of its flavours. It takes around an hour to burn.

The panetela

Thinner than all the formats listed so far, the panetela is also longer. It suits smokers with more than an hour ahead of them. Being cylindrical, it belongs to the Parejo family.