Cuban cigar sizes: the vitolas de galera
Every Habanos cigar has two names: the one on the box, and the factory name for its size. Here are the principal sizes, with lengths and ring gauges.
Cuban cigars are made in a set of standard factory sizes, each with a name of its own: the vitola de galera. The same size can appear under different brands and market names, the vitola de salida printed on the box. Knowing the factory name lets you compare cigars across brands and record exactly what you have.
Reading the numbers
- Length is given in millimetres.
- Ring gauge is the diameter in 64ths of an inch: 50 is 50/64 inch, about 19.8 mm.
- Published figures sometimes differ by a millimetre or two. Where Habanos publishes a size, we use its figure.
The principal sizes
| Factory name (vitola de galera) | Often called | Length (mm) | Ring | Figure from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguito No. 3 | Small panetela | 115 | 26 | Habanos |
| Perla | Très petit corona | 102 | 40 | Habanos |
| Mareva | Petit corona | 129 | 42 | Habanos |
| Corona | Corona | 142 | 42 | Habanos |
| Cervantes | Lonsdale | 165 | 42 | Reference works |
| Dalia | 8-9-8 / lonsdale | 170 | 43 | Reference works |
| Laguito No. 2 | Panetela | 152 | 38 | Reference works |
| Laguito No. 1 | Lancero | 192 | 38 | Habanos |
| Corona Gorda | Corona gorda | 143 | 46 | Reference works |
| Hermoso No. 4 | Corona extra | 127 | 48 | Reference works |
| Julieta No. 2 | Churchill | 178 | 47 | Habanos |
| Prominente | Double corona | 194 | 49 | Habanos |
| Petit Robusto | Petit robusto | 102 | 50 | Habanos (product news) |
| Robusto | Robusto | 124 | 50 | Habanos |
| Petit Edmundo | Petit Edmundo | 110 | 52 | Habanos |
| Edmundo | Edmundo | 135 | 52 | Habanos |
| Campana | Belicoso | 140 | 52 | Reference works |
| Pirámide | Pyramid / torpedo | 156 | 52 | Habanos |
| Cañonazo | Robusto extra | 150 | 52 | Habanos |
| Duke | Robusto extra | 140 | 54 | Habanos (product news) |
| Geniales | Robusto extra / gordo | 150 | 54 | Habanos (product news) |
| Montesco | Wide churchill | 130 | 55 | Habanos (product news) |
"Reference works" means sizes as given in standard references where we didn't find a Habanos figure. Brand and vitola names belong to their owners.
A few sizes and where you'll see them
Habanos's own announcements tie several factory sizes to specific cigars, which helps when you're trying to place one:
- Cañonazo: Habanos lists the Cohiba Siglo VI in this size.
- Duke: announced as the size of the Partagás Serie E No. 2.
- Geniales: the size of the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo de San Juan.
- Montesco: the size of the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills.
- Pirámide: the Montecristo No. 2, for example, is a Pirámide.
- Edmundo: the Montecristo Edmundo launched in 2004 at 135 × 52.
Factory name or box name?
Record both. The box name tells you exactly which cigar you have; the factory name tells you its size and lets you compare it with others in the same size from different brands. When a box name is just a number ("No. 2"), the factory name is often the clearest way to describe it.
Sources
- Habanos S.A.: Principal shapes and sizes
- Habanos S.A. product news: Partagás Serie E No. 2, Le Hoyo de San Juan, Wide Churchills, Petit Robusto, Edmundo
- Cigar Aficionado: What's a Cuban cigar factory name?
- halfwheel: Montecristo No. 2 Gran Reserva
- Simply Cigars: Principal cigar shapes and sizes; Wikipedia: Vitola
Questions collectors ask
What is a vitola de galera?
The factory name for a cigar's size and shape, used across all Habanos brands. The name printed on the box, such as a brand's 'No. 2' or 'Robusto', is the vitola de salida, or market name.
What is ring gauge?
A cigar's diameter in 64ths of an inch. A 50 ring gauge cigar is 50/64 of an inch, about 19.8 mm, across.
What size is a Cuban Robusto?
In Habanos's figures, the Robusto factory size is 124 mm long with a 50 ring gauge.