Cigars In a Nutshell - A Taste of Integrity Part 2 Cigar Shapes Cigar Shapes
Cigars come in different shapes. The shape of the cigar will determine the mouth feel and how it is made. In Spanish, there is the word "vitola" that conveniently covers both and size. But, in English, shape and size must be separated. Basically, cigars can be divided into two categories: straight sides or parejos and irregular shapes or figurados.
Straight sided cigars are the kind most smokers smoke. Even these may vary from maker to maker and from country to country. Here might be the best time to explain a little of how a cigar is made. This may be a bit elementary for some, but for a new cigar smoking public let's not take anything for granted.
Basically, cigars are made of tobaccos. Of course we all knew that. The tobaccos used in a cigar can come from any number of countries like: Honduras, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Brazil, Cameroon, Sumatra, Java, Cuba (of course), Canada and the United States. Where tobacco is grown makes a difference in the taste, feel and aroma that you smoke.
Really what you taste when you smoke a fine cigar is the integrity of the soil, the seed, the growers contribution, and the producer or maker of the cigar dedication, the merchant's care that sell you the cigar, and you the smoker's ability to appreciate the art of a cigar.
Each cigar is made, usually from a blend of tobaccos. Different tobacco leaves from the plant are: volado, the bottom most leaves - the mildest of the leaves; seco, the middle leaves - medium flavored; and lingero, the top leaves - the strongest in taste. How the tobaccos are blended from the plant as well as from different countries is what gives your cigar that special taste and aroma.
When a cigar is made it has a head, the part you clip and put in your mouth to smoke; and the foot, the end of the cigar that you light. All premium handmade cigars are closed off at one end, the head. In straight sided cigars it's easy to tell which end to light because of the closed end you clip and put into your mouth. A cigar like the Culebra, a three panatelas braided together may present a problem. If you are not sure which is the head or the foot of the cigar ask you merchant, they will happy to demonstrate the head and the foot of each cigar.
Following is a list of some standard shapes with their average size in parentheses (gauge or ring size used to measure the diameter of a cigar - 1 gauge is 1/64 of an inch):
Straight Sided Cigars - Parejos
There are three basic categories of the straight sided parejos; coronas, panatelas and lonsdales.
Coronas (6 inches by 42 to 44 gauge) These have usually been the benchmark for manufactures. Coronas have an open foot and a closed head, which is rounded. There are several coronas types you should know. These are Churchill's usually 7 inches long and 47 gauge; robusto, 5 inches long and 50 gauge; and double coron, 7 1/2 inches long and 49 gauge.
Panatelas (7 inches by 38 gauge) Panatelas are usually longer that a corona, but have a much smaller gauge. They are also open footed and closed head.
Lonadales (6 1/4 inches by 42 gauge) Thicker than panatelas, and longer than coronas. The longer the length, the cooler the smoke and the bigger the gauge the fuller the taste.
Irregular Shapes - Figuarados
The irregular shapes or figuarados can be any out of the ordinary shaped cigar. Among the irregular shaped cigars are: pyramids, belicoso, torpedo, perfecto, culebra and the diademas.
Pyramid Has pointed closed head that widens out to an open foot.
Belicoso A small pyramid-shaped cigar with a more rounded head and less pointed shape.
Torpedo Has a pointed head, a closed foot, and a bulge in the middle.
Perfecto Has two closed rounded ends with a bulge in the middle. The rounded end is the head and the more pointed end the foot.
Culebra Three panatelas braided together
Diademas One of the hardest cigars to make. It is a giant cigar 8 to 9 inches long or longer. Usually has an open foot but sometimes it will be made like a perfecto with a closed foot.
Often a smoker chooses the cigar based upon how much time, smoke or mouth feel they wish to enjoy at a particular moment. In the morning maybe a smaller gauge for less smoke or shorter length for time available to enjoy. In the afternoon, maybe a full torpedo to get an energy uplift. The evening one might choose a Churchill for a more slow, longer smoke. The smoker has choices. Choices in the art of cigars.
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