Cigar Shapes - Is Bigger Better?

As it is with many things in life, some people measure how good a cigar is by its size.  But does size really matter?  Is a nine inch Perfecto with a rounded head really better than a four and a half inch long Petit Corona?  We’ll take a look at size in this article and see how the cigars you prefer measure up to the rest.  We’ll also show you the best way that you can compare cigars.

Cigar Shapes

Cigars come in all different sizes and shapes.  The shape, or format of a cigar, is actually a rather important factor.  Cigars are either “Parejos” or “Figuardos.”

Parejos are the traditional standard cylindrically shaped cigars.  The part you light, the “foot”, is open, and the part that you snip a piece off before you put it into your mouth, the “head”, is closed.

Figuardos are irregularly shaped cigars.  They could be shaped like a rope, a torpedo, or a pyramid.  Although different manufacturers call them by different names, all of these exotic cigars are fun.

Cigar Sizes

Although some countries use millimeters when referring to a cigar’s diameter and centimeters when referring to its length, in the United States, the United Kingdom and Cuba the diameter (the ring gauge) is measured by 64ths of an inch and the length is measured in inches.  So a cigar with a 45 ring gauge has a diameter of 45/64 of an inch.

High quality cigars are not graded by how much they weigh.  If they are weighed at all it’s in the factory, as part of quality control.

Parejos

Corona

The Corona is pretty much the standard Parejo.  Typically it is 5 ½ to 6 inches long and has a ring gauge of 42 to 44.

Petit Corona:

Petit Coronas are usually 4 ½ inches long with a ring gauge of 40 to 42.

Corona Gorda:

This cigar is traditionally 4 4/8 inches long and has a 46 ring gauge.

Double Corona:

As its name implies, this large cigar measures 7 ½ to 8 inches and has a large 49 to 52 ring gauge.

Churchill:

Named after Sir Winston Churchill, these cigars are essentially large Coronas.  They are usually 7 inches long and have a 48 ring gauge.

Robusto:

Robustos are becoming quite popular.  They’re sort of like a stocky Churchill and usually measure between 5 and 5 ½ inches with a 50 ring gauge.

Panetela:

Panetelas were very popular during the last decade of the twentieth century.  Similar to thin Coronas, Panetelas are between 5 and 7 ½ inches long and have a ring gauge from 34 to 38.

Lonsdale:

Lonsdales are longer than Coronas and thicker than Panatelas.  They’re usually 6 ¾ inches long and have a ring gauge of 42 to 44.

Figuardos

Torpedo:

As their name implies, Torpedos have a pointed head, a closed foot and a bulge in the middle.

Pyramid:

Most Pyramids are 6 to 7 inches long and have a ring gauge of around 40 at the closed head and between 52 and 54 at the open foot.

Belicoso:

In the past Belicosos were short Pyramids that were around 5 to 5 ½ inches in length.  They had a slightly more rounded head than Pyramids and had a ring gauge of 50 or less.  Today, however, Belicosos are not more than Corona Gordas or Coronas with tapered heads.

Perfecto:

Similar to a Torpedo, the Perfecto has a bulging middle and a closed foot.  However its head is rounded.  Perfectos can be as small as 4 ½ inches and as long as 9 inches.  Their thickness varies from a 38 to a 48 ring gauge.

Diademas:

Diademas are the big guns of the Figuardo family.  They are tapered cigars that are at least 8 inches long.  Their closed head is usually a ring gauge 40.  Sometimes the foot is closed and sometimes it’s open. But it’s always hefty. The ring gauge of a Diademas is at least 52.

Culebra:

The Culebra is a somewhat rare and exotic Figuardo.  Presented as one cigar, it’s really 3 Panatelas that are braided together.  Before smoking a Culebra you first unbraid it.  You might smoke one yourself and share the others with two close friends.  Each Culebra is often between 5 and 6 inches long and has a 38 ring gauge.


Does Size Really Matter?

Like with so many other things, one of the myths about cigars is that the bigger the cigar is the stronger it is.  However, there’s no real correlation between strength and size at all.  Some small cigars that are made out of strong tobacco pack a strong punch while some large cigars that are made from mild tobacco are really mellow and smooth.

In addition, there isn’t any real consistency from one brand to another.  So, if you were to compare two Robustos from two companies you’ll probably find that each one has its own unique taste.

The bottom line is that size really doesn’t matter.  Try them all.  See what you like.  And most of all have fun while you’re doing it.

Author Bio – Jason Daniels has been a cigar lover for the past dozen years.  You’ll often find him at his local coffee shop writing articles about cigars on his notebook computer.  Since coffee shops tend to frown on cigar smoking in their establishments he often has a pack of e-cigs by his side.