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Cigar Selection: Colors, Shapes, and Sizes

The first characteristic to consider when choosing a cigar is the color of the wrapper. Ranging from a brownish green Candela wrapper to the near black of the Maduro, the wrapper is a key element in many people's choice for a cigar.

Although there are over 100 identified shades of cigar wrapper, they can all be separated into these categories:

 

Double Claro

Claro

Claro Colorado or "Natural"

Colorado

Colorado Maduro

Maduro / Oscuro

Colors:

• Double Claro
  Also known as “American Market Selection” [AMS] or “Candela,” this is a green wrapper. Once
  popular, it is rarely found today.
• Claro
  This is a very light tan color, almost beige in shade; often grown in Connecticut or from
  Connecticut seeds in Ecuador.
• Colorado Claro
  A medium brown found on many cigars, this category covers many descriptions. The most
  popular are “Natural” or “English Market Selection” [EMS]. Tobaccos in this shade are grown in
  many countries.
• Colorado
  This shade is instantly recognizable by the obvious reddish tint.
• Colorado Maduro
  Darker than Colorado Claro in shade, this color is often associated with African tobacco, such as
  wrappers from Cameroon, or with Havana Seed tobacco grown in Honduras or Nicaragua.
• Maduro
  Very dark brown to almost black. Tobacco for Maduro wrappers is primarily grown in
  Connecticut, Mexico, Nicaragua and Brazil. These dark wrappers – which usually offer a
  sweeter taste – are usually created by leaving leaves on the plant longer and then curing them for
  longer periods, but there are some who take shortcuts and boil or “cook” leaves to create the dark
  shade.
• Oscuro
  This is black . . . really black. This shade of wrapper reappeared with more frequency in 2001
  after being almost off the market in the 1990s.

Cigar Sizes:

There are 20 different sizes and shapes for cigars. Below are the ones we find the most common.

Cigars are measured by length, and "ring" which is the diameter of the cigar. Length is measured in inches, and ring is measured in 64ths of an inch. So, a cigar that is 7 x 47 (a typical Churchill) is 7 inches long and 47 / 64 (about 3/4 ) of an inch in diameter.

Sizes typically range in length from 4 inches to 9 inches long, and in ring from 25 to 64. Clearly, the longer or thicker the cigar, the long it will take to smoke.

Here is a chart with all of the different sizes:

Shape	Classical Length x Ring	Length range	Ring range
Giant	9 x 52	8 & up	50 & up
Double Corona	7 3/4 x 49	6 3/4 x 7 3/4	49-54
Churchill	7 x 47	6 1/2-7	46-48
Perfecto	none	all	all
Pyramid	7 x 36->54	all	flared
Torpedo	6 1/2 x 52	all	tapered
Toro	6 x 50	5 5/8-6 5/8	48-54
Robusto	5 x 50	4 1/2-5 1/2	48-54
Grand Corona	6 1/2 x 46	5 5/8-6 5/8	45-47
Corona Extra	5 1/2 x 46	4 1/2-5 1/2	45-47
Giant Corona	7 1/2 x 44	7 1/2 & up	42-45
Lonsdale	6 1/2 x 42	6 1/2-7 1/4	40-44
Long Corona	6 x 42	5 7/8-6 3/8	40-44
Corona	5 1/2 x 42	5 1/4-5 3/4	40-44
Petit Corona	5 x 42	4-5	40-44
Long Panatela	7 1/2 x 38	7 & up	35-39
Panatela	6 x 38	5 1/2-6 7/8	35-39
Short Panatela	5 x 38	4-5 3/8	35-39
Slim Panatela	6 x 34	5 & up	30-34
Small Panatela	5 x 33	4-5	30-34
Cigarillos	4 x 26	6 & less	29 & less

 

Tips

Here are 3 good tips to remember while choosing a cigar

1. The cigar should be firm. IF you squeeze the cigar it should give a little bit, but if it is too soft then it is a sign of an over-humidified cigar.
2. The cigar should not be so dry that it is flaky or fragile. This is a indication of a dry cigar (under humidified). Dry cigars burn hotter and faster, and can be uncomfortable to smoke.
3. Moldy cigars should be thrown away. Be sure you do not confuse mold with plume. Plume is the white ash like residue that can be brushed off. This is a sign of good aging.

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