Cigar Anatomy – Learn The Different Parts Of A Cigar

This post is dedicated to appreciating the finer details of your cigar! In this article, we share the anatomy of a cigar as well as a few cigars you may want to try if you haven’t already.

Anatomy of a Cigar

In order to appreciate a cigar one must first learn the parts of it.

Body & Foot

• The actual cigar itself, from cap to foot.
• The foot is the end of the side which is lit, preferably with a butane lighter or cigar specific match.

Wrappers

• Account for 60% to 90% of the cigars’ flavor.
• Responsible for making the cigar look appealing.

Bands

• A mark of the cigar type.
• Normally made of paper or foil and have the cigar brand on it.

Head & Cap

• The cap is the end of the cigar which you cut and smoke.
• The head is just before the cap.

Binder And Filler (Inside)

• Inside of the cigar body, similar to the tobacco leaf wrapper but on the inside, holding everything together.
• The filler is the tobacco/cigars’ contents.

Ring Gauge

• This is used to measure the size/thickness of a cigar. The way a cigar is measured is in terms of its ring gauge.
• The ring gauge of your cigar will explain the key characteristics of the cigar – the amount of smoke, burn time, flavor, aroma.
• It has been suggested that the thicker the ring gauge the cooler the smoke. There is more filler in a thicker cigar and therefore more flavor.
• A thicker cigar will provide more flavor than a thinner cigar due to the filler.

Choosing your First Cigar

This is not a case of expensive is best. Be sure to select your cigar to suit your needs and budget. You can get great cigars for quite cheap and there are many places both online and in stores where you can purchase them.

Let’s cover some of the basic types of cigars. This is a very broad subject but we will share 5 cigars/stogies to help you on your cigar purchasing quest.

Robusto

• Factory name: Hermosos
• Length: 5 inches
• Ring gauge: 50
• Smoke time: 45+minutes

These Cuban cigars are the smallest in our list of 5 cigars. Super common and easy to find they are also the shortest cigars. Imagine small and thick and that’s a Robusto. A nice strong flavor without the time needed to appreciate the bigger ones.

Belicoso

• Factory name – Campanas
• Length: 5 inches
• Ring gauge: 52

Quite famous amongst cigar fans due to their pointed rocket-like shape. With a thick base and pointed shape, the taste and strength are heightened. These cigars are pretty strong and burn quite fast.

Churchill

• Name: After Winston Churchill a famous politician.
• Length: 7 inches
• Ring Gauge: 47
• Smoke time: 1 hr +

These types of cigars need to be smoked with care and patience.

Lonsdale

• Factory name – Cervantas
• Length: 6-6.5 inches
• Ring Gauge: 42

Aptly named after Lord Lonsdale these cigars take roughly 45minutes to 1 hour to smoke. A great beginner cigar, producing an easy, light smoke without compromising on flavor.

Panatella

• Length: 6 to 7 inches
• Ring Gauge: 34 – 38

As per the length and ring gauge, these cigars are a lot thinner and longer than others. Quite popular amongst female and male cigar smokers alike.

Bottom Line

There are many cigars to choose from when beginning to smoke. Try a few out and see what you like. There are also many types of cutters – we recommend guillotine style cutters but v-cut cutters are also great. Now that you are familiar with cigar anatomy head over to our reviews of the best cigar cutter to heighten your smoking experience.