CIGAR 101 · GLOSSARY

The Cigar Guys Cigar Glossary

Cigars come with their own language: some Spanish, some old factory slang, and some phrases you only hear in a lounge. You don’t need to know any of it to enjoy a good smoke. But once you know what the words mean, you’ll understand a lot more about what you’re smoking and why you like it.

This glossary covers the terms you’ll run into on bands, boxes, review sites and lounge conversations, from the field to the factory to the ashtray. Pronunciation guides are included for the Spanish terms, so you can order a “pee-LOHN fermented corojo” with confidence.

Missing a term? Let us know and we’ll add it.

Numbers

8-9-8: A traditional box packing where 25 round cigars sit in three stacked rows of 8, 9 and 8. Because the cigars aren’t squeezed into a square box, they keep their round shape. It’s a classic Cuban presentation.
70/70 Rule: An old rule of thumb for storing cigars at 70°F and 70% relative humidity. Many smokers now prefer a bit lower, around 65–69% RH, for a better burn, but 70/70 is still a good starting point. See also: Humidor, Relative Humidity.

A

Accordion Method: A bunching technique where the roller folds each filler leaf back and forth, like an accordion, before bunching it. The folds create air channels that help the cigar draw well. See also: Book Method, Entubado.
Acclimate: Letting newly arrived cigars rest in your humidor before you smoke them. Shipping and changes in storage conditions can upset a cigar’s moisture balance. A few days to a couple of weeks of rest usually helps.
Active Humidification: A humidor system that uses a fan, sensor or electronic unit to add moisture to the air on its own. It’s common in large cabinet humidors and walk-in rooms. See also: Passive Humidification.
Aging: Storing tobacco or finished cigars over time so the flavors can mellow and blend. Aging can happen at the leaf stage (in bales), after rolling (in an aging room) or at home in your humidor. See also: Box Aging, Escaparate.
Aging Room: A climate-controlled room at the factory where finished cigars rest, often for weeks or months, before they’re banded and boxed. Also called a cedar room. See also: Escaparate.
Air Cured: Tobacco dried naturally by hanging it in a well-ventilated barn, not with direct heat. Nearly all premium cigar tobacco is air-cured. See also: Curing, Casa de Tabaco.
AMS (American Market Selection): An older term for cigars with a green candela wrapper, which American smokers preferred in the mid-1900s. See also: Candela, EMS.
Ammonia: A sharp, unpleasant compound that tobacco releases during fermentation. Tobacco that hasn’t been fermented or aged enough can taste harsh or smell ammoniated. A fresh cigar that tastes “off” often just needs more rest.
Añejado / Añejo(ahn-yeh-HAH-doh / ahn-YEH-hoh): Spanish for “aged.” On a band, it usually means the tobacco or the finished cigars got extra aging time before release.
Anilla(ah-NEE-yah): Spanish for the cigar band.
Aroma: The smell of a cigar, both the unlit cigar and the smoke coming off the foot as it burns. Aroma plays a big part in how you experience flavor.
Ash: What’s left as the cigar burns. Well-made cigars often hold a firm, layered ash, but a long ash doesn’t automatically mean a better cigar. Ash color (white, gray, dark) depends on the soil and the minerals in the tobacco. Tap it off gently every inch or so.

B

Bale: A large, tightly wrapped bundle of fermented tobacco leaves used for storage, aging and shipping. See also: Tercio.
Band: The decorative paper ring around a cigar that shows the brand. Most smokers leave it on until the cigar has warmed up a bit, because peeling it off cold can tear the wrapper. Also called an anilla.
Barber Pole: A cigar rolled with two wrappers of different colors, spiraled around each other like a barber’s pole. The most common pairing is a light Connecticut leaf with a dark maduro.
Barrel: The main body of the cigar, between the head and the foot.
Beetle: See Tobacco Beetle.
Belicoso(beh-lee-KOH-soh): A figurado with a short, rounded, tapered head. The taper is usually shorter than on a torpedo or pyramid.
Binder: The leaf that holds the filler bunch together under the wrapper. It’s usually a tougher, less pretty leaf chosen for strength and burn, and it adds its own flavor. In Spanish it’s the capote. See also: Filler, Wrapper.
Blend: The specific mix of wrapper, binder and filler tobaccos in a cigar. Each leaf is picked for flavor, strength, aroma and burn. A master blender may work for years on one recipe.
Blind Tasting: Smoking a cigar without knowing what it is, usually with the band removed or covered. It’s the most honest way to judge a cigar.
Bloom: A fine, white, powdery film that can form on well-aged cigars when oils rise to the surface. It brushes off easily and doesn’t stain. It’s often seen as a sign of good aging. Also called plume. Don’t confuse it with mold. See also: Mold.
Body: How full or heavy the smoke feels on your palate, from light to full. Body isn’t the same as strength (nicotine) or flavor intensity, although they often go together. See also: Strength.
Boîte Nature(bwaht nah-TOOR): French for “natural box.” It means an unfinished cedar box, with no paper or lacquer, that lets the cigars breathe and pick up some cedar character.
Bonchero(bohn-CHEH-roh): The factory worker who forms the filler and binder into a bunch. Also called a buncher. In many factories, a bonchero and a roller work as a pair. See also: Torcedor.
Book Method: A bunching technique where filler leaves are laid flat and folded over like the pages of a book. It’s fast, but if it’s done carelessly it can lead to a tighter draw. See also: Accordion Method, Entubado.
BOTL / SOTL: Short for “Brother of the Leaf” and “Sister of the Leaf.” It’s a friendly name for fellow cigar lovers.
Bouquet: The overall smell of a cigar, especially the aroma of the unlit wrapper and foot.
Boutique: A small-production cigar brand, often family-run or owned by a blender, usually focused on distinctive blends rather than mass distribution.
Box Aging: Letting cigars rest in their original box, which some people think helps the blend come together more evenly.
Box Code: A stamp on the bottom of a box showing where and when the cigars were made. Box codes matter most for Cuban cigars, where they help confirm authenticity and age.
Box Pressed: A cigar with a square or rounded-square shape, made by packing it tightly in a box or pressing it in a mold. A box press can make a cigar feel nice in the hand, and some smokers say it changes the burn and draw. See also: Soft Press.
Bull’s Eye Piercer: See Punch Cutter.
Bullet Cutter: A small, portable punch cutter, often worn on a keychain. See also: Punch Cutter.
Bunch: The filler leaves wrapped in the binder, before the wrapper goes on.
Bundle: Cigars sold tied together, often wrapped in cellophane or paper, instead of in a box. Bundles are usually cheaper because there’s no fancy packaging.
Burn: How evenly and steadily a cigar burns. A good burn is even all the way around. See also: Canoeing, Tunneling.
Burro(BOO-roh): A large pile of tobacco leaves stacked for fermentation, a term used mostly in the Dominican Republic. See also: Pilón, Fermentation.
Butane: The clean-burning gas used in most cigar lighters. Unlike lighter fluid, it doesn’t leave a chemical taste on your cigar.

C

Cabinet Selection: Cigars packed in a cedar cabinet or box instead of being pressed into rows. They’re often tied with a silk ribbon. See also: Media Rueda.
Cameroon: A thin, toothy wrapper leaf grown in Cameroon and nearby parts of Central Africa. It’s known for a sweet, slightly spicy flavor.
Candela(kahn-DEH-lah): A green wrapper made by drying the leaf quickly with heat so the chlorophyll stays locked in. It tastes grassy and mild. It’s also called Double Claro or Jade. See also: AMS.
Canoeing: When one side of a cigar burns much faster than the other, leaving a canoe-shaped dip. A quick touch-up with your lighter on the slow side usually fixes it.
Cap: The small round piece of wrapper leaf glued over the head of the cigar to keep it from unraveling. You cut the cap before you smoke. See also: Triple Cap.
Capa(KAH-pah): Spanish for the wrapper.
Capote(kah-POH-teh): Spanish for the binder.
Casa de Tabaco(KAH-sah deh tah-BAH-koh): A curing barn where harvested tobacco leaves hang to dry. Spanish for “tobacco house.”
Casing: Spraying or dipping tobacco with water so the leaves become soft enough to work with. In flavored cigars, casing can also mean adding flavor at this stage.
Cat’s Eye Cutter: See V-Cutter.
Cedar: See Spanish Cedar.
Cedar Spill: A thin strip of Spanish cedar, often taken from the cigar box, lit and used to light a cigar. It’s a classic, flavor-neutral way to light up.
Cellophane (Cello): The clear wrap around many cigars. Cello protects the cigar during handling and shipping. Whether you should age cigars in cello or out of it is a long-running lounge debate.
Chaveta(chah-VEH-tah): The flat, half-moon-shaped blade rollers use to trim wrapper leaves and shape caps.
Cheroot: A cigar cut flat at both ends, with no cap. It’s usually inexpensive and machine-made.
Churchill: A classic long cigar, usually about 7 x 47–48. It’s named after Winston Churchill, who was famously fond of large cigars.
Cibao Valley(see-BAH-oh): The fertile valley in the north of the Dominican Republic where much of the country’s cigar tobacco is grown, near the city of Santiago.
Cigar Bar / Lounge: A place made for smoking cigars and spending time with other smokers, often with a walk-in humidor, comfy chairs and drinks.
Cigar Boom: The huge jump in cigar popularity during the mid-1990s, when demand outpaced supply and dozens of new brands appeared.
Cigar Case: A portable holder made of leather, metal or another material for carrying a few cigars. It’s meant for short trips, not long storage.
Cigarillo: A small, thin cigar, often machine-made and sometimes sold with a plastic or wood tip.
Claro(KLAH-roh): A light tan wrapper color. Claro wrappers are often shade-grown and tend to be mild and smooth.
Clear Havana: Cigars made in the United States, especially in Tampa and Key West, from Cuban tobacco before the embargo.
Coffin: A small wooden box that holds one cigar, usually used for special or limited releases.
Cold Draw: Taking a puff through a cut, unlit cigar to check the draw and pick up early flavor notes before you light it.
Colorado(koh-loh-RAH-doh): A medium reddish-brown wrapper color, between natural and maduro.
Colorado Claro / Colorado Maduro: Wrapper colors on either side of Colorado. Colorado Claro is a lighter reddish-tan. Colorado Maduro is a deeper reddish-dark brown.
Complexity: How many different flavors and aromas a cigar shows, and how much they change as you smoke it. A complex cigar keeps you interested from start to finish.
Coning: When the burning end forms a cone because the outer leaves burn faster than the center. It often means the filler is too moist or the cigar is being smoked too fast.
Connecticut Broadleaf: A sun-grown, thick and hearty wrapper from the Connecticut River Valley. It’s usually fermented dark for maduro cigars and often gives a sweet, earthy, chocolatey taste.
Connecticut Shade: A light golden wrapper grown under cloth tents. It was first grown in the Connecticut River Valley and is now also widely grown in Ecuador. It’s known for creamy, mellow, smooth flavor.
Corojo(koh-ROH-hoh): A Cuban tobacco variety first developed in the Vuelta Abajo region and famous for its wrapper leaf. It’s spicy and aromatic and is grown today in Honduras, Nicaragua and elsewhere. Improved strains include Corojo ’99.
Corona: A classic medium-length cigar, usually about 5½ x 42–44. A lot of experienced smokers think it’s one of the most balanced sizes.
Corona Gorda: A slightly thicker corona, usually about 5⅝ x 46.
Covered Foot: A cigar whose wrapper is folded over the foot, so you light wrapper first. Its opposite is a shaggy foot.
Criollo(kree-OH-yoh): Spanish for “native.” It’s a traditional Cuban tobacco seed long used for filler and binder. Newer strains such as Criollo ’98 are grown in several countries.
Cuban Sandwich: A cigar with a short-filler core wrapped in long-filler leaves. It’s cheaper to make than a full long-filler cigar. See also: Mixed Filler.
Cuban Seed: Tobacco grown outside Cuba from seed that came from Cuban plants. It describes a plant’s family tree, not a cigar made in Cuba.
Cubatabaco: Cuba’s state tobacco company. Today, Habanos S.A. handles worldwide sales of Cuban cigars.
Cuje(KOO-heh): A long wooden pole used to hang tobacco leaves in a curing barn.
Culebra(koo-LEH-brah): Spanish for “snake.” It’s a novelty cigar made of three thin panetelas braided together. You usually untwist them and smoke them separately.
Curing: Drying harvested tobacco leaves, usually by hanging them in a barn for several weeks. Curing removes moisture and turns the leaf from green to golden brown. See also: Air Cured, Fermentation.
Cutter: Any tool used to remove the cap before smoking. Common types include guillotine, V-cutter, punch and scissors.

D

Despalillo(dehs-pah-LEE-yoh): The part of the factory where workers remove the center stem from tobacco leaves. Also called stemming.
Diadema(dee-ah-DEH-mah): A very large figurado, often 8 inches or more, with a closed, tapered head.
Dominican Republic: One of the world’s largest producers of premium handmade cigars, known for skilled rolling and smooth, well-balanced blends.
Double Corona: A long, full-gauge cigar, usually about 7½ x 49–52. It’s built for a long, relaxed smoke.
Draw: How easily air and smoke pass through a cigar. A good draw has a bit of resistance, like sipping through a straw. A draw that’s too tight is “plugged,” and one that’s too loose is “airy.”
Draw Tool: A thin metal poker you push into a plugged cigar to loosen the filler and open the draw.
Dry Box / Dry Boxing: Taking a cigar out of the humidor and letting it sit for a few hours to a day before smoking. Some smokers say this improves the burn and makes the flavors sharper.

E

Ecuador: A major wrapper-growing country. Its natural cloud cover acts like a shade tent, which makes it ideal for Connecticut, Habano and Sumatra wrappers.
EMS (English Market Selection): An older term for natural brown wrappers, which British and European smokers preferred over the green candela wrappers favored by Americans. See also: AMS.
Entubado(ehn-too-BAH-doh): A rolling technique where each filler leaf is rolled into a small tube before bunching. It’s slow, skilled work that gives a very even draw. It’s traditional in Cuba and used by some top makers elsewhere.
Escaparate(es-kah-pah-RAH-teh): A cedar-lined room or cabinet at the factory where finished cigars rest and lose extra moisture before packing.
Escogida(es-koh-HEE-dah): The sorting stage, where workers grade tobacco leaves by color, size, texture and quality.
Estelí(es-teh-LEE): A city in northern Nicaragua and the heart of the country’s cigar industry. It’s known for bold, rich tobacco.

F

Fermentation: A natural process where piles of cured tobacco heat up from moisture and pressure. Fermentation releases ammonia and other impurities and brings out the leaf’s flavor. Large piles are regularly turned so they don’t overheat. See also: Pilón, Burro.
Figurado(fee-goo-RAH-doh): Any cigar that isn’t a straight-sided cylinder. Examples include torpedoes, belicosos, perfectos, salomones and diademas. See also: Parejo.
Filler: The leaves that make up the inside of the cigar. Filler provides most of the flavor and strength. It can be long filler (whole leaves) or short filler (chopped pieces).
Finish: The flavor and feeling that stay on your palate after you exhale.
Flag Cap: A cap finished with a small twisted tail of wrapper leaf. Also called a pigtail.
Foot: The end of the cigar you light.
Freezing: Placing cigars (sealed in a bag) in the freezer for a few days to kill tobacco beetle eggs. Let them come back to room temperature slowly before returning them to the humidor.

G

Galera(gah-LEH-rah): The rolling room in a cigar factory where the torcedores work.
Gordo: Spanish for “fat.” It’s a large ring gauge cigar, usually 60 or thicker.
Guillotine Cutter: The most common cigar cutter. A single or double blade slices the cap straight off. Double-blade cutters cut from both sides for a cleaner cut.
Gum: A clear, tasteless vegetable-based glue used to attach the cap and secure the wrapper.

H

Habano(ah-BAH-noh): This word has two meanings. A Habano with a capital H is a cigar made in Cuba. Habano also refers to a Cuban-seed tobacco variety grown in places like Nicaragua and Ecuador, known for a spicy, sweet profile.
Habanos S.A.: The company that handles worldwide marketing and distribution of Cuban cigars.
Half Wheel: See Media Rueda.
Hand: A small bundle of tobacco leaves tied together at the stems for handling during processing.
Handmade / Hand-Rolled: A cigar bunched, wrapped and capped by skilled workers instead of machines. Some factories use simple hand-operated tools for bunching, but the cigar is still made by hand.
Head: The end of the cigar you put in your mouth. It’s closed with the cap.
Hecho a Mano(EH-choh ah MAH-noh): Spanish for “made by hand.” See also: Totalmente a Mano.
Herf: A casual get-together where people smoke cigars and hang out. “Let’s herf this weekend.”
Honduras: A major cigar country known for full-flavored tobacco, especially from the Jamastrán Valley and the area around Danlí.
Hot: When a cigar burns too fast or too hot, often because you’re puffing too often. A hot cigar tastes harsh or bitter. Slow down and let it cool.
Humidification Device: Anything that adds moisture to a humidor, such as foam, crystal gel, beads, two-way humidity packs or electronic units.
Humidor: A box, cabinet or room that keeps cigars at the right humidity and temperature. Most are lined with Spanish cedar. Every cigar lover needs one.
Hygrometer: A gauge that measures the humidity inside your humidor. Digital models are usually the most accurate. Check yours now and then with a calibration kit or the salt test.

J

Jalapa(hah-LAH-pah): A valley in northern Nicaragua near the Honduran border. It’s known for silky, elegant tobacco and is especially prized for wrapper.
Jamastrán(hah-mahs-TRAHN): A valley in eastern Honduras known for rich, flavorful tobacco.
Jar: A glass or ceramic container that holds cigars, usually with a sealed lid to keep humidity in.

L

La Casa del Habano: An official chain of franchised stores and lounges around the world that sell Cuban cigars.
Lancero(lahn-SEH-roh): A long, slender cigar, usually about 7½ x 38–40. Many blenders think the lancero shows the wrapper leaf at its best.
Lector(lek-TOR): A reader who reads newspapers, novels and books aloud to cigar rollers while they work. It’s a long tradition in Cuba and in early Ybor City factories.
Ligero(lee-HEH-roh): Leaves from the top of the tobacco plant. They get the most sun and are the thickest, oiliest and strongest. Ligero gives a cigar power, but it burns slowly, so blenders usually place it in the center of the bunch.
Long Filler: Whole tobacco leaves that run the full length of the cigar. It’s the standard for premium cigars and burns more evenly and slowly than short filler.
Lonsdale: A long, slim cigar, usually about 6½ x 42–44.

M

Machine-Made: A cigar made fully or mostly by machine, often with short filler or homogenized binder. Machine-made cigars are cheaper and very consistent.
Maduro(mah-DOO-roh): Spanish for “ripe.” It’s a dark brown wrapper made by longer fermentation, extra sun exposure or both. Maduros often taste sweet, with notes of chocolate, coffee or molasses, but they aren’t necessarily stronger than lighter cigars.
Mata Fina(MAH-tah FEE-nah): A dark, naturally sweet tobacco from Brazil’s Bahia region.
Media Rueda(MEH-dee-ah roo-EH-dah): Spanish for “half wheel.” It’s a bundle of 50 cigars tied together.
Medio Tiempo(MEH-dee-oh tee-EHM-poh): The top one or two leaves on some tobacco plants. They’re rare and very strong, even more than ligero.
Mexico: Best known for San Andrés tobacco, a dark, earthy leaf grown in the state of Veracruz that’s widely used for maduro wrappers.
Mixed Filler: A filler mix of long-filler and short-filler tobacco. See also: Cuban Sandwich.
Mold: This word has two meanings. First, a fuzzy fungus that grows on cigars kept too humid. It’s usually blue, green or white, and it smudges or stains when wiped. Unlike bloom, mold means a humidity problem. Second, a wooden or plastic form used to press bunches into shape before wrapping.
Mouthfeel: The texture of the smoke on your palate, such as creamy, dry, oily, chewy or thin.

N

Natural: A medium brown wrapper, between claro and colorado.
Nicaragua: Now one of the top premium cigar countries. Its volcanic soil produces bold, rich tobacco, especially in Estelí, Condega, Jalapa and on Ometepe Island.
Nicotiana Tabacum: The scientific name of the tobacco plant used in cigars.
Nicotine Kick: The dizzy or queasy feeling that can come from a strong cigar, especially on an empty stomach. Eat beforehand, stay hydrated, and keep something sweet nearby.
Nub: The last little bit of a cigar. “Nubbing” a cigar means smoking it down to the very end.

O

Oil: The natural sheen on a well-grown, well-stored wrapper. An oily wrapper usually means good tobacco and proper humidity.
Olor Dominicano(oh-LOR doh-mee-nee-KAH-noh): A native Dominican tobacco variety, mostly used for filler and binder and valued for its aroma.
Ometepe(oh-meh-TEH-peh): A volcanic island in Lake Nicaragua whose mineral-rich soil produces distinctive, flavorful tobacco.
Oscuro(os-KOO-roh): The darkest wrapper color, almost black. It usually comes from long fermentation and leaves from the top of the plant.

P

Panetela(pah-neh-TEH-lah): A long, thin cigar, usually around 6–7 x 34–38.
Parejo(pah-REH-hoh): A traditional straight-sided cigar with a rounded head and an open foot. Coronas, robustos and toros are all parejos. See also: Figurado.
Partido(par-TEE-doh): A tobacco region in Cuba known especially for shade-grown wrapper leaf.
Passive Humidification: A humidifier that releases moisture on its own, without a fan or power, such as foam, beads, gel or humidity packs.
Perfecto: A figurado that tapers at both the head and the foot, often with a bulge in the middle.
Petit Corona: A smaller corona, usually about 4½–5 x 40–42. It’s great when you don’t have much time.
Pilón(pee-LOHN): A round, carefully stacked pile of tobacco leaves that ferments slowly. The leaves are rotated by hand so every leaf ferments evenly. See also: Burro, Fermentation.
Piloto Cubano(pee-LOH-toh koo-BAH-noh): A Cuban-seed tobacco grown in the Dominican Republic, mostly for filler. It’s known for rich, full flavor.
Pinar del Río(pee-NAR del REE-oh): Cuba’s westernmost province and home of the famous Vuelta Abajo tobacco region.
Plugged: A cigar with a draw that’s too tight or blocked, usually because the filler is packed too tightly or folded the wrong way. See also: Draw Tool.
Plume: See Bloom.
Pre-Embargo: Cuban cigars made before the US trade embargo went into effect in 1962. They’re rare, collectible and expensive.
Primings: The levels of leaves on a tobacco plant, harvested from bottom to top over several weeks. Each priming has its own character. See also: Volado, Seco, Ligero, Medio Tiempo.
Propylene Glycol (PG): A liquid used in some older humidifiers to help hold humidity near 70%. Many smokers now use distilled water or two-way humidity packs instead.
Punch Cutter: A cutter that removes a small circle from the cap instead of slicing it off. It makes a neat hole and helps keep the head from unraveling.
Puro(POO-roh): A cigar made entirely of tobacco from one country. Spanish for “pure.”
Purging: Blowing gently through a lit cigar to clear out stale, built-up smoke. It’s helpful after a relight or a long pause.
Pyramid: A figurado that tapers steadily from a wider foot to a pointed head. The pointed head focuses the smoke on your palate.

R

Regional Edition: A limited-release Cuban cigar made only for a specific country or market.
Relative Humidity (RH): The amount of moisture in the air compared with the most it can hold at that temperature. Cigars are usually stored between 62% and 72% RH. See also: 70/70 Rule.
Relight: Lighting a cigar again after it goes out. Purge first, then toast and relight, so you don’t trap stale, bitter smoke.
Retrohale: Gently pushing some smoke out through your nose instead of your mouth. It brings out flavors and aromas you can’t pick up any other way. Start with a small amount, because strong or peppery cigars can bite.
Ring Gauge: A cigar’s thickness, measured in 64ths of an inch. A 50 ring gauge cigar is 50/64 of an inch across. A 64 ring is one inch.
Robusto: The most popular cigar size in America, usually about 5 x 50. It’s short and thick, with full flavor in about 45 minutes to an hour.
Roller: See Torcedor.
Rosado(roh-SAH-doh): A reddish-brown wrapper with a rosy tint. It’s often grown from Corojo or Habano seed.
Rothschild: A short, thick cigar, usually about 4½ x 50. Also called a short robusto.
ROTT: Short for “Right Off The Truck.” It describes a cigar smoked as soon as it arrives, before it has rested in your humidor.

S

Salomón(sah-loh-MOHN): A large perfecto, usually over 7 inches long, with a pointed head and a small knob at the foot.
San Andrés(sahn ahn-DRESS): A valley in Veracruz, Mexico, known for dark, earthy San Andrés wrapper, a popular choice for maduro cigars.
Seasoning: Getting a new humidor ready by bringing the Spanish cedar lining up to humidity before you add cigars. If you skip it, the dry wood will pull moisture out of your cigars.
Seco(SEH-koh): Leaves from the middle of the tobacco plant. They bring aroma and flavor and are milder than ligero.
Shade Grown: Tobacco grown under cheesecloth or cloth tents. The shade makes thinner, smoother, more even leaves that are good for wrappers. See also: Tapado, Sun Grown.
Shaggy Foot: A cigar with an unfinished foot, where the filler sticks out past the wrapper and binder. Your first puffs taste mostly of the filler.
Short Filler: Chopped or shredded tobacco, often scraps from making long-filler cigars. It’s used in machine-made and budget cigars and burns faster and hotter than long filler.
Shoulder: The curved area where the cap meets the body of the cigar. Cut above the shoulder so the wrapper doesn’t unravel.
Smoking Time: How long a cigar lasts. It depends on size, construction and how fast you puff. A robusto might take 45–60 minutes, and a Churchill can take 90 minutes or more.
Soft Press: A light box press that gently squares a round cigar without fully flattening its sides.
Spanish Cedar: The aromatic wood used to line humidors and make cigar boxes. Despite its name, it isn’t a true cedar. It’s related to mahogany. It holds humidity well, pushes back against tobacco beetles and adds a pleasant aroma.
Stemming: Removing the thick central vein from tobacco leaves. See also: Despalillo.
Stick: Slang for a cigar. “Grab me a couple of sticks.”
Strength: How much nicotine you feel, from mild to full. It’s different from body and flavor. A cigar can be full of flavor but low in strength.
Sumatra: A tobacco variety originally from Indonesia and now also grown in Ecuador and elsewhere. It’s often used for wrapper and is known for subtle spice and sweetness.
Sun Grown: Tobacco grown in full sunlight. It’s usually thicker, darker, oilier and bolder than shade-grown leaf.
Sweet Spot: The point in a cigar, usually around the middle, where the flavors are most balanced and enjoyable.

T

Tapado(tah-PAH-doh): The cheesecloth covering used to shade tobacco plants as they grow. Spanish for “covered.”
Tercio(TEHR-see-oh): A traditional Cuban bale of tobacco wrapped in yagua, the bark of the royal palm. The yagua lets the leaves keep aging while they’re stored. See also: Yagua.
Thirds: Smokers usually divide a cigar into three parts: the first, second and final thirds. Many cigars change flavor between them.
Toasting: Gently warming the foot of a cigar with a flame before lighting it, so it lights evenly and doesn’t scorch.
Tobacco Beetle: A tiny pest (Lasioderma serricorne) whose eggs can hatch in warm, humid conditions, leaving small pinholes in cigars. Keep your humidor under about 72°F. If you see holes, freeze the affected cigars right away.
Tooth: Small bumps on the surface of a wrapper. Cameroon wrappers are especially known for their “toothy” texture.
Topping: Cutting off the flowers of a tobacco plant so its energy goes into the leaves, which makes them bigger and more flavorful.
Torcedor(tor-seh-DOR): A skilled cigar roller, especially the expert who applies the wrapper and cap. Great torcedores train for years.
Torch Lighter: A butane lighter with a strong, wind-resistant jet flame. It’s fast, powerful and great outdoors. Use a light touch so you don’t scorch the foot.
Toro: A popular modern size, usually about 6 x 50–52. You get robusto-style flavor with a longer smoke.
Torpedo: A figurado with a pointed, closed head. The name is often used interchangeably with pyramid.
Totalmente a Mano(toh-tahl-MEN-teh ah MAH-noh): Spanish for “totally by hand.” It means the whole cigar was made by hand from start to finish.
Triple Cap: A cap made of three layers of wrapper leaf. It’s a mark of fine craftsmanship, especially in Cuban cigars.
Tubo(TOO-boh): A cigar packed in its own glass, metal or aluminum tube. Tubos are great for travel, but they don’t replace a humidor for long-term storage.
Tunneling: When a cigar burns down the center while the outside stays unlit. It’s usually caused by over-humidified filler or uneven bunching.
Tupperdor / Coolerdor: A homemade humidor made from an airtight plastic container or cooler. It’s cheap, effective and popular for storing large collections.
Two-Way Humidity Pack: A sealed pouch of salt and water that both adds and absorbs moisture to hold a set humidity level, such as 65% or 69%. It’s an easy, low-maintenance choice for most humidors.

U

Underfilled: A cigar without enough filler. It feels spongy, draws loosely and burns hot and fast.

V

V-Cutter: A cutter that cuts a wedge-shaped notch into the cap. It opens up more surface for the smoke while keeping the cap stable. Also called a cat’s eye cutter or wedge cutter.
Veins: The visible lines running across a wrapper leaf. Premium wrappers usually have fine, smooth veins.
Vertical: A set of the same cigar from different release years, smoked side by side to see how age changes it.
Vitola(vee-TOH-lah): The size and shape of a cigar, meaning its length, ring gauge and form. In Cuba, the “vitola de galera” is the factory name for a size, and the “vitola de salida” is the name used on the market.
Volado(voh-LAH-doh): Leaves from the bottom of the tobacco plant. They’re mild and have little flavor, but they burn well, so blenders add them to help the cigar burn evenly.
Vuelta Abajo(voo-EL-tah ah-BAH-hoh): The world-famous tobacco region in Cuba’s Pinar del Río province. Many people consider it the best tobacco land on earth.

W

Wedge Cutter: See V-Cutter.
Wineador: A wine cooler converted into a cigar humidor. It’s popular because it controls temperature, which helps in hot climates like Florida.
Wrapper: The outer leaf of a cigar. It’s the most expensive and carefully chosen leaf in the blend. It sets the cigar’s look and has a big effect on flavor and aroma. See also: Capa.

Y

Yagua(YAH-gwah): The bark of the royal palm tree, used to wrap tercios (bales) of tobacco in Cuba. It keeps the leaves at a steady humidity while they age.
Ybor City(EE-bor): The historic neighborhood in Tampa, Florida, once known as the “Cigar Capital of the World.” In its heyday, hundreds of cigar factories ran there, many making Clear Havana cigars from Cuban tobacco. A few still operate today.

Have a term we missed, or a lounge slang word we should add? Reach out to The Cigar Guys and we’ll consider it for the next update.