A luxurious, academic reference for novices and seasoned aficionados—crafted to feel like aged leather and brass.
Connecticut: Mild, silky, often grown under cloth. Adds creamy notes.
Maduro: Dark, aged via heat/fermentation. Adds sweetness, coffee, or chocolate.
Claro: Light tan, young tobacco, mild flavor.
Oscuro: Near-black, longest fermentation. Very robust, deep flavors.
Binder: The leaf holding the filler together, contributing burn and structure.
Filler: The core of the cigar, providing most of the flavor and strength.
Long Filler (Totalmente a mano): Uses whole leaves running the length of the cigar; premium construction.
Short Filler: Chopped tobacco pieces; faster burn.
Straight-sided cigars.
Corona: Typically 5.5" × 42.
Churchill: Typically 7" × 47.
Robusto: Typically 5" × 50 (The most popular size).
Toro: Typically 6" × 50.
Tapered or uncommon shapes.
Torpedo: Tapered head, straight body.
Perfecto: Tapered at both ends.
Pyramid: Tapered from the foot to a small cap.
Culebra: Three thin cigars braided together.
Terroir: The unique combination of climate, soil, and environment that gives tobacco a specific character.
Priming: Leaf positions on the stalk.
Volado (bottom): Mildest, best for burn.
Seco (middle): Medium strength, primary flavor contributor.
Ligero (top): Fullest strength, slowest burn.
Curing: Hanging tobacco leaves to turn yellow/brown, losing chlorophyll.
Fermentation: Tobacco stacked to heat up (up to 50∘C), reducing ammonia and harshness.
Extended Aging: Post-rolling time (months/years) to marry the flavors of the different tobaccos.
Earth: A dominant, core flavor, mineral or loamy.
Leather: Aged and savory, often linked to well-fermented Maduro.
Cocoa: Sweet and dark, unsweetened chocolate.
Cedar: Wood flavor from aging in Spanish cedar.
Barnyard: The aroma of fermented tobacco and hay (a sign of quality).
Draw: The ease with which air passes through the cigar (Too tight = plugged).
Ash (Flaky/Solid): A solid ash often indicates good, long filler tobacco and even construction.
Cold Draw: The flavor/resistance felt before lighting.
Retrohaling: Gently blowing smoke through the nose to experience a fuller spectrum of flavor.
Straight Cut (Guillotine): The most common, full opening for maximum draw.
V-Cut (Cat's Eye): Creates a wedge, offering a focused draw.
Punch: Creates a small, clean hole, preserving more of the cap.
Butane Torch: Hot, precise flame, fastest method.
Cedar Spill: Traditional, uses a strip of cedar; avoids foreign fuel taste.
Soft Flame Lighters (Matches): Requires patience; best for a gentle, even light, less intense heat.
