Aficionado/a
Respectively, a male or female cigar enthusiast.
Band
A label near the head of a cigar that typically displays the brand name of the manufacturer.
Binder
A layer of tobacco leaf found between the wrapper and the filler. The binder holds the filler leaves and makes the cigar burn evenly.
Body
A cigar's body refers to the degree of its sensory effects on the mouth and nose while smoking. Descriptions of body range from light to full.
Brazil
A large South American country that produces dark, rich tobacco.
Cap
A small piece of wrapper at the tip of the head.
Churchill
A classic large-sized cigar named for former British Prime Minister and cigar lover Winston Churchill. Measures 7 inches long with a 50 ring gauge.
Cigar Case
A small case for carrying cigars with you on a day-to-day basis. Cigar cases are smaller than humidors and don't maintain humidity, so they aren't a good solution for long-term storage.
Connecticut
Connecticut tobacco is a variety typically grown in shade and which is popular for cigar wrappers. Connecticut tobacco is known for having low nicotine content and a spicy flavor.
Corojo
A cigar wrapper that is stronger than Connecticut. Corojo is native to Cuba, but is now mainly grown in Honduras.
Corona (Cigar Size)
A cigar size of 5.5 inches long with a 42 ring gauge.
Corona (Leaf)
The top leaves of a cigar plant. These are rarely used in cigars due to their small size.
Cuba
The historical center of the cigar industry. Cuban tobacco is very strong and aromatic.
Culebra
An exotic class of figurado cigars made of three thin cigars braided together.
Cutter
A tool used to cut the head end of a cigar for smoking.
Dominican Republic
Tobacco growing in the Dominican Republic has become an important industry on this beautiful Caribbean island.
Double Corona
A larger variant of the corona size that measures 7.5 inches long with a 49 ring gauge.
Ecuador
A South American country that is known for growing light-colored, mild tobaccos.
Fermentation
A process that takes place over time when tobacco leaves are stacked together and kept moist. Fermentation diminishes nicotine content while enhancing flavor and aromatic qualities.
Figurado
A term referring to any cigar whose sides are not straight from end to end.
Filler
The tobacco leaves making up the center of a cigar. In most cases, the filler is a blend of more than one tobacco variety, often including tobaccos from entirely different countries.
Flavor
A cigar's flavor is the unique taste imparted to it by the tobaccos of which it is made. Tobaccos from different sources have different flavors. Flavor varies by intensity, which can be defined as how pronounced a cigar's flavor is.
Foot
The pre-cut end at which a cigar is lit.
Gran Corona
An especially large corona variant measuring 9.5 inches long with a 47 ring gauge.
Head
The closed end through a cigar is smoked.
Humidor
A storage box made specifically for cigars. A humidor replicates the humidity of the environment in which tobacco is grown and processed to keep cigars fresh and flavorful. Humidors can be made from many materials, but Spanish cedar is traditionally the preferred choice.
Indonesia
The Asian nation of Indonesia is known for growing dark tobacco leaves that are neutral in flavor.
Ligero
Tobacco leaves directly below the corona layer. These leaves are highly valued for use in premium cigars due to their flavor and strength and are larger than corona leaves.
Lighter
One of several kinds of devices used to light a cigar. Although several types of lighters exist, cigar purists will tell you that cigars should always be lit with a wooden match. However, many cigar enthusiasts use butane lighters, as these impart little to no chemical flavoring during the lighting process.
Maduro
Among the darkest types of wrapper, maduro leaves are specially aged for several years before being incorporated into premium cigars. Despite their dark color, these wrappers are known for a sweet flavor.
Nicaragua
A Central American country that grows tobacco.
Oscuro
An extremely dark wrapper leaf that is allowed to ferment longer than a maduro. Also known as a double maduro.
Perfecto
A figurado cigar with a closed foot, rounded head and a bulge in its center.
Pyramid
A popular class of figurado cigars with tapered heads.
Ring Gauge
A unit of measurement used for the circumference of a cigar. Each ring gauge unit is equal to 1/64th of an inch.
Robusto
A cigar size of 5 inches long with a 50 ring gauge.
Seco
Mild leaves from the middle of the tobacco plant, below the viso layer.
Strength
The strength of a cigar refers to the chemical effects of the nicotine contained within its leaves. The more nicotine a cigar contains, the stronger it is said to be.
Toro
A cigar size of 6 inches long with a 50 ring gauge
Viso
Leaves below the ligero layer on a tobacco plant. These leaves are typically used in the filler.
Volado
The lowermost leaves on a tobacco plant. Volado leaves are extremely mild, but are added to cigars because of their superior combustion.
Wrapper
The outermost layer of a cigar. The leaf in which a cigar in wrapped will give it its visual characteristics, as well as somewhere between 30 and 60 percent of its overall flavor.