A Cuban cigar glossary
The words collectors use, from the factory floor to the box, in one place.
Short definitions, with sources. Where a term has a guide of its own, it's linked.
Sizes and shapes
- Vitola
- A cigar's shape and size. Robusto and corona are examples.
- Vitola de galera
- The factory name for a size, used across every Habanos brand, such as Mareva or Julieta No. 2. See Cuban cigar sizes.
- Vitola de salida
- The market name printed on the box, such as a brand's "No. 2".
- Ring gauge
- A cigar's diameter in 64ths of an inch. A 52 ring gauge is 52/64 inch across.
The leaf
- Capa
- The wrapper: the thin outer leaf, which gives the cigar its look and, according to Habanos, contributes little to its flavour.
- Capote
- The binder, which holds the filler and helps define the cigar's shape and how it smokes.
- Tripa
- The filler: a blend of two to four types of leaf that gives the cigar its flavour and aroma.
- Volado
- Filler leaf from the lower plant: light in flavour, valued for how well it burns.
- Seco
- Filler leaf from the middle of the plant: medium in strength, and in Habanos's words the most important leaf for aroma.
- Ligero
- Filler leaf from the top of the plant: full-flavoured and slow-burning; it adds strength.
- Medio tiempo
- A rare, extra-strong leaf from the very top of some plants, used for added intensity.
Boxes and releases
- Cabinet Selection (SLB)
- A slide-lid cedar box of round cigars tied in a silk ribbon. See box types.
- Dress box
- The common labelled box, decorated by hand, in which cigars are pressed square.
- SBN, BN, 8-9-8
- Semi Boîte Nature, Boîte Nature and the curved-sided 8-9-8 box. See box types.
- Box code
- The factory code and packing date stamped on the box, such as
EL ABR 19. See how to read a box code. - Edición Limitada (EL)
- Annual limited releases since 2000, usually three to five a year, with wrappers aged for at least two years; the cigars or boxes carry an extra black-and-gold marking with the year.
- Edición Regional (ER)
- Releases made at a regional distributor's request and sold only in that region, introduced in 2005.
- LCDH
- La Casa del Habano, the Habanos-licensed franchise of specialist shops; the first opened in 1990. An "LCDH exclusive" is a release sold only through them.
- Reserva
- A release whose filler, binder and wrapper were all aged for at least three years before rolling, in numbered, lacquered boxes.
- Gran Reserva
- As Reserva, with all the leaf aged for at least five years.
- Añejados
- Finished cigars aged in Cuba for at least five years after rolling, before release.
Storage and condition
- Humidor
- Any container kept at a controlled humidity for cigars, from a desktop box to a walk-in room. See humidity and temperature.
- Tupperdor
- An airtight food container used as a humidor. See how to set one up.
- Seasoning
- Bringing a new wooden humidor's cedar up to humidity before cigars go in. See how to season a humidor.
- Spanish cedar
- Cedrela, a tree of the mahogany family rather than a true cedar, used for most cigar boxes and humidor linings.
- Plume (bloom)
- A harmless, flat white bloom on a wrapper, not to be confused with mould.
- Sick period
- A phase some collectors describe when young cigars taste flat; its existence is disputed. See ageing.
Sources
- Habanos S.A.: The anatomy of a Habano; Ageing Habanos
- Cigar Aficionado: Vitola, Ring gauge, Factory names, Habanos today, Spanish cedar