Welcome to Bespoke Unit’s Cigar Glossary.
Below you will find more than 100+ cigar terms including industry lingo and technical terminology, as well as in-depth cigar resources for further reading.
How To Use The Cigar Glossary
Find A Term: Click on any letter in the “Alphabet Key” below to jump to a list of cigar terms that begin with that particular letter.
Learn A New Term: You may come across a new word or phrase while reading a definition. Click on any word or phrase that is linked for a full definition.
Explore Cigar Topics: Many terms include a “Learn More” section after the definition with a link to an in-depth resource or guide on that topic.
Anything Missing? If you can’t find the word you’re after, just leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you!
A
Accordion
A more complex technique of rolling cigars by folding the leaves like an accordion known also as the Entubar method in Cuba.
Ageing Room
A specific location in a cigar factory where rolled cigars are aged properly.
Amatista
Rarely seen today, amatistas are sealed glass jars that contain 25 to 50 cigars.
American Market Selection
Originally an importer of Cuban cigars until the embargo, AMS is often used as a synonym for Candela or Double Claro cigar wrappers.
Ammonia
A byproduct from tobacco fermentation. In large quantities the chemical is undesirable as it taints the flavour with an overwhelming unpleasant and bitter taste.
Aroma
A term often used to describe the specific smells or even tastes in a cigar.
B
Bale
An unstandardised unit of measurement for fermented tobacco.
Band
A paper ring that wraps around the cigar. They often feature the brand and are largely decorative. However, it has been suggested that they were introduced to hold the cigar together or even to prevent nicotine stains when holding the cigar.
Learn More: Parts Of A Cigar [Diagram]
Banda
Spanish for “Binder”.
Belicoso
A specific Figurado vitola with a short taper.
Binder
A tough and elastic tobacco leaf that holds the filler tobacco in place.
Learn More: Parts Of A Cigar [Binder]
Blending
The process of mixing various types of tobacco leaves in order to create a distinctive taste.
Bloom
A common misspelling of Plume.
Booking
A method of rolling cigars where the leaves are laid one on top of another.
Bouquet
The odor produced by a collection of aromas.
Box Pressed Cigars
These are cigars that are tightly packed into a box, which causes them to develop a square shape.
Brother Of The Leaf (BOTL)
Internet slang for a cigar enthusiast often employed in forums and social networks.
Bundle
An alternative to wooden boxes where cigars are distributed in cellophane wrapping in order to reduce costs.
C
Cameroon
A type of tobacco grown in West Africa with a renowned dark colour and toothy flavour.
Candela
A green-coloured cigar wrapper produced by quick fermentation and heat-curing.
Learn More: Cigar Wrappers [Candela]
Canoeing
A faulty cigar where one side burns faster than the other. The resulting shape resembles a canoe.
Cap
A small piece of wrapper leaf stuck over the cigar’s head to secure it, which is clipped before smoking.
Capote
Spanish for Binder sometimes referred to as the Capa.
Cedar
An aromatic wood from Spain or Asia often used for making and lining cigar boxes due to its ability to absorb moisture.
Cedar Spill
A strip of cedar that is formally used for lighting a cigar.
Cervantes
See Lonsdale.
Cheesecloth
Used to cover fields of tobacco in order to produce shade-grown wrapper leaf such as Connecticut.
Cheroot
A cheaply-made cigar.
Churchill
A cigar vitola that is around 7 inches long named after the famous British Prime Minister.
Learn More: Cigar Shapes & Sizes [Churchill]
Cigarillo
A short and thin machine-made cigar.
Claro
A particularly pale cigar wrapper often grown in the shade.
Learn More: Cigar Wrapper Colours [Claro]
Coffin
A small wooden box made to carry a single cigar.
Colorado
A medium-brown coloured cigar, which is among the most common.
Learn More: Cigar Wrapper Colours [Colorado]
Connecticut
The Connecticut River Valley is a tobacco growing region in Northeastern USA famed for its shade-grown broadleaf and pale, aromatic wrappers.
Corojo
A Cuban seed mostly made famous by the Camacho brand.
Corona
The most classic cigar vitola that is just over 5 inches long.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Corona]
Corona Gorda
See Toro.
Criollo
A native Cuban seed that is often shade-grown to produce light and aromatic wrappers.
Culebra
Three Panatela cigars braided together, which is named after the Spanish word for “Snake”.
Learn More: Cigar Shapes [Culebra]
Curing
A process that takes place directly after cultivation where leaves are hung in a barn to remove moisture before fermentation. Depending on the time allocated, the leaves will change colour from greens and yellow to darker hues of brown.
Cutter
A tool for removing a cigar cap.
Learn More: What Should You Use To Cut A Cigar?
D
Diadema(s)
A very large Perfecto-shaped type of Figurado cigar.
Learn More: Cigar Shapes [Diadema]
Double Claro
See Candela.
Double Corona
A very large cigar vitola also known as the Prominente in Cuba. Favoured by Winston Churchill, they are larger than Coronas but not twice as much.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Double Corona]
Draw
The process of sucking smoke through a lit cigar. The draw can vary in handmade cigars and can risk being too tight or too loose, which affects the burning temperature.
Dry Draw
A process where the air is sucked through an unlit cigar after cutting in order to taste its aromas.
E
English Market Selection
A medium-brown coloured cigar also known as the Colorado Claro. The term EMS is often employed when the cigar inventory had been vetted by British distributors, Hunters & Frankau.
Learn More: Cigar Wrapper Colours [Colorado Claro]
F
Fermentation
After curing, tobacco is moistened and left under pressure and heat. This process removes ammonia from tobacco and causes chemical changes that reveal its flavours and aromas.
Figurado
Any cigar shape or vitola that isn’t a straight Parejo such as a Torpedo or Perfecto.
Filler
The tobacco leaves inside a cigar that produces the smoke and majority of the cigar’s flavours.
Flag Leaf
Wrapper leaf that is used for capping cigars. A small piece of flag leaf should be kept on a cigar when cutting to prevent it from unraveling during the smoke.
Foot
The lighting end of a cigar.
G
Gordo
Also known as the Double Toro, Gordos are large and thick cigars whose name means “Fat” in Spanish.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Gordo]
Gordito
Diminutive of “Gordo”, Gorditos are short and thick cigars with a 60 ring gauge.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Gordito]
Gran Corona
One of the largest cigar sizes also known as the “Presidente” in Cuba. They come in over a whopping 9 inches with around a 47 ring gauge.
Guillotine
A flat-bladed cigar cutter with a hole for inserting the cap. It’s the most common cutter style and can come with either one or two blades.
Learn More: Types Of Cigar Cutters [Guillotine]
H
Habano
A term used to signify a cigar made solely from Cuban tobacco.
Habanos S.A.
The Cuban state-owned distributor of their native cigars.
Head
The end of the cigar that’s put in the mouth. It is often capped and requires clipping before doing so.
Learn More: Parts Of A Cigar [Diagram]
Hecho A Mano
Spanish for “made by hand” often labelled on hand-rolled cigars.
Homogenised Tobacco
Scraps of tobacco that have been bound together into a sheet using cellulose.
Honduras
The Republic of Honduras is among the leading so-called “New World” cigar-growing nations. It shares its borders with Nicaragua, which produces comparable quality cigars.
Humidor
A container or entire room dedicated to preserving cigars in ideal conditions.
Hygrometer
A device that detects the level of humidity, which is important when storing cigars.
J
Jalapa
A major Nicaraguan tobacco-growing region renowned for its red clay soil and refined leaves as a result.
Jamastran
A South-Honduran tobacco-growing valley near Danlí that is close to the Nicaraguan border.
K
Any suggestions or requests for words starting with this letter? Leave a comment below!
L
La Casa del Habano
A cigar store that is part-owned by Habanos S.A. and an officially-recognised producer.
Lance
A type of cigar cutter, which pierces the cap rather than cutting a hole.
Lancero
A cigar size that is similar to a Panatela but somewhat longer.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Lancero]
Lector
Someone who would read to the other cigar rollers in the factory. Although a dying practice, it can still be found in some locations.
Ligero
The strongest basic priming from a tobacco plant, which is found at the highest point.
Long Filler
Filler tobacco made from whole leaves or larger pieces that run through its entire length. The presence of long filler often suggests that the cigar was handmade.
Lonsdale
Also known as the Cervantes in Cuba, the Lonsdale was named after an English lord. It is slightly longer and thicker than a Panatela.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Lonsdale]
M
Machine-Made
When a cigar is referred to as “machine-made” it means that it was rolled using a device rather than by hand.
Maduro
One of the most famous wrapper hues that is obtained by a long fermentation and ageing process to produce a very dark and flavoursome leaf.
Medio Tiempo
The smallest and most potent leaves found at the top of the tobacco plant’s Ligero.
Learn More: Parts Of A Tobacco Plant [Diagram]
Mould
When a cigar is stored in an environment that’s too humid, it will develop mould, which will ruin the tobacco.
Mousehole Burn
Small burning holes that appear under the cigar’s ember along the wrapper.
N
New World
Any country that produces cigar tobacco outside of Cuba. This can include well-known countries like the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, as well as Cameroon, Ecuador, and Sumatra.
Nicaragua
Famed for its potent tobacco in Estelí, Nicaragua is a New-World cigar country in Central America similar to its neighbouring Honduras.
O
Oils
A well-cured and aged cigar stored in prime conditions will feature a glistening sheen on the wrapper. These natural oils produce the best flavours and is a highly-desirable trait.
Old World
An alternative term for Cuba, which implies it being the spiritual home of tobacco. This is somewhat similar to when the expression is used for wine when referring to Europe.
Oscuro
A dark wrapper shade that is a step above Maduro. Almost black in appearance, it’s a potent and rare wrapper.
P
Panatela
A long and thin vitola that was often considered a cigar ideal for women. Although its popularity waned, it has experienced a resurgence of late.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Panatela]
Parejo
The most classic cigar shape featuring a straight side and slightly rounded cap. Anything that differs from this design is referred to as a Figurado.
Perfecto
A type of Figurado vitola that features a bulge in the centre and is pointed on each end.
Petit Corona
One of the smallest cigar vitolas that is around 5 inches long. For those seeking a more affordable yet premium cigar, it’s an ideal option.
Pirámede
The Spanish term for a “pyramid” cigar. This is a type of Figurado that tapers all the way down the body.
Learn More: Types of Figurado Cigars [Pirámede]
Plugged
A term used to describe when a cigar’s draw is too tight to smoke, a plugged cigar is an infuriating experience. This is usually produced by a knot of tightly-packed tobacco that blocks passage of air or sometimes over-humidification.
Squeezing or massaging the cigar as well as using a lance can occasionally help alleviate the problem.
Plume
Plume is a supposedly desirable trait allegedly caused by tobacco oils crystallising on the surface of a cigar during its ageing process. It is often assumed that plume is different from mould. However, it’s a hotly-debated subject. You can learn about our thoughts in the link below.
Learn More: What Is Cigar Plume?
Priming
A tobacco plant features several layers that are cultivated one after another from the bottom upwards. These are known as “primings”.
Prominente
See Double Corona.
Propylene Glycol
A special liquid used as an alternative to water for maintaining the humidity in a humidor.
Punch
A type of cutter that makes a small hole in the cigar’s head by twisting a cigar blade into the cap.
Puro
A Spanish term used to suggest a cigar has only been made using the tobacco of a single country. For example, all Cuban cigars are traditionally Puros.
Pyramid
See Pirámede.
Q
Quisqueya
A type of curing barn used in the Dominican Republic with open walls that expose the contents to the elements.
R
Ring Gauge
A cigar’s diameter measured by 64ths of an inch or millimetres.
Learn More: How Are Cigars Measured?
Robusto
Now perceived as the most popular cigar size, a Robusto is typically a 5×50 cigar that provides a short but full smoke.
Rolling
The art of assembling a cigar by bunching and rolling the tobacco leaves together.
Runners
An unpleasant phenomenon where small parts of the wrapper burn unevenly during smoking.
S
Salomon
A Perfecto-shaped cigar that is particularly large.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Salomon]
Sand Leaf
Small leaves found at the base of the tobacco plant. They’re rarely used and often discarded to improve growth.
Scissors
Cigar scissors are a particular type of cutter that although hard to master, offer more precision than a typical guillotine.
Learn More: Types Of Cigar Cutters [Scissors]
Seco
The layer of leaves just above the Volado on the tobacco plant. They’re thin and large with little strength but with some intoxicating aromas.
Learn More: Parts Of A Tobacco Plant [Seco]
Shade Grown
Some tobacco leaves are grown under cheesecloth tents, which makes them thinner and less potent in flavour. Connecticut shade is one of the most famous examples of this technique.
Short Filler
This consists of small pieces of tobacco used to fill a machine-made cigar.
Shoulder
The curved area on a cigar’s head where the wrapper ends and the cap starts.
Sister Of The Leaf [SOTL]
The feminine variant of Brother Of The Leaf [BOTL] that’s growing in popularity and employed on social networks and forums.
Spill
Small strips of cedar used to light a cigar, which can be scavenged from boxes. It is said that cedar spills offer a more aromatic and purer cigar experience.
Splitting Ash
An annoying occurrence when the cigar’s ash begins to split on the stack.
Stack
Ash that remains at the end of the cigar when burning rather than falling off. A stack is a desirable aspect that improve the smoking temperature and indicates a quality-made cigar.
Stacking
The act of trying to keep a long ash, or “stack,” on your cigar for as long as possible. Some smokers will compete by trying to smoke an entire cigar without losing any ash.
Sumatra
A variety of “black tobacco” often used for cigar wrappers, Sumatra leaf is known for delivering punchy and spicy flavours. This Indonesean tobacco variety has been cultivated in Ecuador since the 1950s where it is favoured by manufacturers for producing a greater level of complexity and flavour.
Sun Grown
Unlike shade-grown, sun-grown tobacco consists of leaves exposed to direct sunlight. They’re often somewhat thicker with pronounced veins, which also provides a more potent flavour.
T
Tapado
The Spanish name given to cheesecloth tents for growing tobacco in the shade.
Tobacco Beetle
Small beetles that can burrow inside cigars and leaf holes and traces in their wake. A single beetle can ruin the entire contents of a humidor.
Toothy
A term that’s used to describe the appearance of a cigar’s wrapper that is usually covered in small dots or bumps, which are also visible in the ash. Typically associated with Cameroon wrappers, the small dots supposedly contain oils, which release a distinctive flavour.
Toro
A relatively large cigar vitola that’s gaining popularity as an alternative to Coronas. Toros are similar in size to Gordos except that their ring gauge is 50 rather than 60.
Learn More: Cigar Sizes [Toro]
Torpedo
A cigar vitola with a pointed head and a member of the Figurado family.
Triple Cap
A Cuban practice of applying three caps on a cigar’s head. It is a secure approach, which makes unraveling less likely.
Tubo
Cigars that are supplied in metallic tubes for safe transport and easy storage.
Tunnelling
A type of burning issue where the interior of the cigar burns faster than the outside.
U
Underfilled
Poorly-filled cigars that feel either soft or hollow to the touch. These may likely suffer from burn issues such as runners.
Learn more: Common Cigar Burning Issues