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Lexique complet du cigare : tous les termes essentiels

Complete Cigar Glossary: ​​All the Essential Terms

The cigar blog

The complete cigar lexicon: all the essential terms

Wrapper, filler, cepo, vitola, head and foot: the amateur's vocabulary explained simply, from A to Z.

This cigar lexicon gathers the words you hear at a tobacco shop, read on a box, or exchange with fellow aficionados. The vocabulary of Havanas blends Cuban Spanish, French tobacco shop jargon, and a few English terms: without a key, it can be confusing. From the leaves that make up the cigar to its formats, and including storage in a cigar humidor, every definition below is short and direct, to help you understand, choose, and better enjoy your cigars, whether they are Cuban, Dominican, or Nicaraguan.

Anatomie d'un cigare Tête (coiffe, à couper) Bague Cape Sous-cape Tripe (le cœur du cigare) Pied (allumage) Cepo : diamètre en 1/64e de pouce · Longueur : en millimètres
The parts of a cigar: from the head you cut to the foot you light, the filler forms the heart.

Cigar anatomy: heart, interior, and end of a cigar

A cigar consists of three layers of tobacco and two ends. Knowing these five words is enough to follow a conversation among enthusiasts.

WrapperThe thin, refined outer leaf that gives the appearance and part of the taste.
BinderThe leaf that wraps and holds the filler, beneath the wrapper.
FillerThe assembly of leaves in the center: it is the heart of the cigar.

What is the heart of the cigar?

The heart of the cigar is the filler: the assembly of tobacco leaves placed in the center, which provides the majority of the aromas, strength, and combustion. In a quality cigar, these are whole leaves (long filler) arranged in an accordion fold to ensure a good draw. The blend generally combines three types of leaves: volado for combustion, seco for aroma, and ligero for strength.

What is found inside a cigar?

The interior of a cigar consists of the filler, wrapped by the binder; the wrapper then covers the whole. There is no paper or visible glue in a traditional cigar: only a neutral vegetable gum secures the wrapper at the head.

What is the end of a cigar called?

The end of a cigar refers to two things. Physically, the end you light is called the foot, and the one you put in your mouth is the head (closed by the cap). In terms of smoking, the end refers to the final third, the most intense part; the small remaining piece, which is left to extinguish in the ashtray, is often called the butt or stub.

Good to know: tasting is traditionally divided into three thirds. The first is often called the "hay" (light notes), the second the "divine" (most balanced aromas), and the third the "manure" (the most full-bodied). These colorful names appear in the glossary below.

The cigar lexicon from A to Z

Here are the essential terms listed in alphabetical order. Spanish words are frequent: they come from Cuba, the cradle of high-end cigars, and have become established worldwide.

A

  • Accordion: a rolling technique where the filler leaves are folded in a Z shape for an even draw, particularly in figurado cigars.
  • Aficionado: Spanish term for a cigar enthusiast.
  • Match: traditional lighting method preferred by purists, provided you wait for the sulfur to burn off.
  • Amarillo: "yellow" in Spanish; describes the hue of an aged tobacco leaf.
  • Ammonia: gas resulting from incomplete fermentation, recognizable by a pungent odor.
  • Anilla: Spanish name for the cigar band.
  • Aroma: the combination of smells and flavors perceived upon lighting and during smoking.

B

  • Band: paper ring indicating the brand; it can be removed after a few minutes, once the wrapper has warmed up.
  • Belicoso: short conical shape, intermediate between torpedo and parejo.
  • Blend: mixture of tobacco leaves from different terroirs.
  • Wood: material used for humidors and cigar boxes, most often cedar.
  • Box: rigid container that protects and displays cigars.
  • Bouquet: the sum of a cigar's aromas.
  • Torch lighter: lighter with a powerful, concentrated flame, ideal for a quick and even light.
  • Storm lighter: lighter designed to resist the wind.

C

  • Gauge: diameter of the cigar, expressed in 64ths of an inch (see cepo).
  • Candela: green wrapper, dried quickly, with a light and grassy taste.
  • Wrapper: outer leaf that gives the appearance and influences the taste.
  • Cap: small piece of leaf that closes the head of the cigar, to be cut before smoking.
  • Humidor: closed container, most often lined with cedar, that maintains stable humidity (discover a cedar humidor for your cigars).
  • Cedar: aromatic wood used in cigar humidors for its ability to regulate humidity.
  • Ash: gray residue left by combustion; firm and light ash often indicates good rolling.
  • Cepo: gauge measurement, equal to 1/64th of an inch (a 50 cepo is about 20 mm in diameter).
  • Churchill: long and elegant format, popularized by Winston Churchill.
  • Cigar: product made of fermented and rolled tobacco leaves.
  • Cigarillo: small cigar intended for a short smoke.
  • Tobacco shop: boutique specializing in the sale of cigars.
  • Claro: light wrapper, with a mild taste.
  • Heart: another name for the filler, the central part of the cigar.
  • Head: rounded end, covered by the cap.
  • Colorado / Colorado Claro / Colorado Maduro: intermediate brown shades on the wrapper.
  • Corojo: variety of Cuban tobacco with a spicy taste.
  • Corona: classic, long, and thin format.
  • Body: perceived intensity of the cigar, from mild to full-bodied.
  • Cigar cutter: sharp tool that opens the head of the cigar.
  • Cuba: cradle of high-end cigars.
  • Culebra: cigar in the shape of a braid made of three panetelas.

D

  • Diadema: figurado in the shape of an elongated cone.
  • Divine: second third of the smoking experience, when the aromas are most balanced.
  • Double Corona: large cylindrical format, for a long smoking session.
  • Double Ligero: strong leaves from the top of the plant.
  • Mild: refers to a cigar that is light in taste, recommended for beginners.

E

  • Cigar case: accessory that protects your cigars while traveling (see our cigar cases).

F

  • Leaf: basic element of the cigar, classified according to its position on the plant.
  • Figurado: cigar with a non-cylindrical shape: pyramid, torpedo, perfecto.
  • End: last third of the tasting, the most intense; by extension, the consumed foot.
  • Finish: final impression left on the palate: persistent aromas, length.
  • Hay: first third, with light notes.
  • Format: size and shape of the cigar (see module and vitola).
  • Cigar smoker: enthusiast sensitive to the complex aromas of well-crafted tobacco.

G to I

  • Grand Corona: long and thin format, for a smoke lasting over an hour.
  • Guillotine: cigar cutter with a single or double straight blade.
  • Habano: authentic Cuban cigar.
  • Habanos S.A.: company that distributes Cuban cigars internationally.
  • Honduras: country recognized for its quality tobacco terroirs.
  • Humidor: another name for a cigar box, equipped with a humidifier.
  • Humidity: ideal level between 65% and 72% to store cigars.
  • Hygrometer: device that measures humidity in the humidor.
  • Intensity: perceived strength of a cigar, which varies according to the leaves and their fermentation.
  • Interior: the filler and binder, hidden under the wrapper.

J to L

  • Jalapa: valley in Nicaragua known for mild and aromatic tobacco, often used as a wrapper.
  • Jet flame: concentrated and intense flame of torch lighters.
  • Kenya: African country whose plantations are sometimes used in experimental blends.
  • Ligero: leaves from the top of the plant, rich in oils and powerful in aroma.
  • Lonsdale: long and relatively thin format (approx. 165 mm, 42 cepo).

M to O

  • Maduro: dark, long-fermented wrapper, with sweet, spicy, or earthy notes.
  • Mareva: classic Cuban format (approx. 129 mm, 42 cepo), also called Petit Corona.
  • Mezcla: blend of tobaccos of different origins, Spanish equivalent of "blend".
  • Module: French term equivalent to cigar format.
  • Nicaragua: country with volcanic soils, known for powerful and complex cigars.
  • Nicotine: alkaloid present in tobacco, responsible for the "kick".
  • Olor: mild tobacco variety grown in the Dominican Republic.
  • Gold: light and golden shade of some Connecticut Shade-type wrappers.
  • Oscuro: very dark, almost black wrapper, with intense flavors.

P to R

  • Parejo: classic, cylindrical shape, with a rounded head and straight foot.
  • Cigar punch: tool that creates a circular hole in the head of the cigar.
  • Perfecto: figurado closed at both ends, bulbous in the center.
  • Small: module under 120 mm, for a short break.
  • Foot: end that you light.
  • Puro: cigar whose leaves all come from the same country.
  • Manure: nickname for the last third, the most full-bodied.
  • Pyramid: conical figurado, pointed head and wide foot.
  • Quai d'Orsay: brand of Cuban cigars created for the French market, cited here as a reference.
  • Reserva: cigar rolled with long-aged leaves.
  • Robusto: popular format (approx. 124 mm, 50 cepo), balanced and aromatic.
  • Rosado: wrapper with pinkish reflections.
  • Rolling: manual shaping of leaves to form a cigar.

S to T

  • Seco: middle leaf of the plant, which provides aroma in the filler.
  • Binder: leaf that wraps the filler inside the cigar.
  • Sumatra: Indonesian tobacco renowned for its thin and spicy wrappers.
  • Sweet Cap: cigar whose head has been lightly sweetened.
  • Tobacco: plant cultivated for its leaves, the basis of the cigar.
  • Head: end that you cut and place in your mouth.
  • Draw: resistance felt when inhaling: fluid, tight, or perfect.
  • Toro: intermediate format between Robusto and Churchill (approx. 152 mm, 50 cepo).
  • Torpedo: cigar with a pointed head, similar to the pyramid.
  • Filler: blend of leaves placed in the heart of the cigar.
  • Triple cap: Cuban finish for the head, consisting of three layers.
  • Tubo: individual metal case that protects a cigar.

U to Z

  • Machine-made: mechanical rolling, as opposed to hand-rolling.
  • V-cut: V-shaped cut that opens the head without the risk of splitting it.
  • Aging: resting of tobacco or cigar that allows aromas to meld.
  • Viso: leaf located between the seco and the ligero, balanced and aromatic.
  • Vitola de galera: factory format name.
  • Vitola de salida: commercial name given by the brand (e.g., Montecristo No. 4, for a Mareva).
  • Vitola: generic term for the size and shape of a cigar.
  • Volado: leaf from the bottom of the plant, which ensures combustion.
  • Volute: spiral of smoke.
  • Vuelta Abajo: region in western Cuba, considered the most prestigious terroir.
  • Vuelta Arriba: central region of Cuba, with lighter tobacco.
  • Wrapper: English word for the cape leaf.
  • Yamasá: region of the Dominican Republic with a complex terroir.
  • Zafra: tobacco harvest period.
  • Zino: brand of modern and aromatic cigars, cited here as a reference.

Tip: don't try to memorize everything at once. The ten most useful words for daily use are wrapper, filler, head, foot, cepo, vitola, draw, body, maduro, and humidor. The rest will come naturally as you enjoy your cigars.

The main cigar formats

The format, or module, is defined by two figures: length in millimeters and the cepo. The measurements below are common benchmarks; they vary slightly from one factory to another.

Format Length Cepo Indicative duration
Mareva (Petit Corona) approx. 129 mm 42 30 to 40 min
Robusto approx. 124 mm 50 45 min to 1 h
Lonsdale approx. 165 mm 42 approx. 1 h
Toro approx. 152 mm 50 1 h to 1 h 15
Churchill approx. 178 mm 47 1 h 15 to 1 h 30
Double Corona approx. 194 mm 49 1 hr 30 min or more

Note: A figurado (torpedo, pyramid, perfecto) is not cut the same way as a parejo. Its pointed head requires a light cut, just below the tip, to preserve the draw without opening it too wide.

Putting cigar lexicon into practice

Vocabulary takes on its full meaning when applied. Here is a typical tasting, described using words from the glossary.

A four-step tasting

1Observe and prepare. Examine the wrapper (claro, colorado, maduro), check its flexibility to the touch, then open the head with a guillotine, V-cut, or cigar punch, depending on the vitola.
2Light the foot. First, heat the foot without touching it with the flame while rotating the cigar, then draw gently to ignite the entire surface of the filler.
3Follow the three thirds. The beginning reveals light notes, the middle the balance of the blend, the end (or "purin") the full power of the ligero. Let the ash fall off on its own.
4Conclude and store. Set the cigar down and let it go out on its own. Remaining cigars go back into their humidor, at between 65% and 72% humidity.

The workshop's advice

Before choosing a humidor, look at your preferred format and your purchasing habits. For a dozen robustos and a few coronas on your desk, the CARBON humidor (26 × 22 × 6.8 cm, approximately 35 cigars) combines a carbon fiber and glass exterior, a Spanish cedar interior, and an electronic hygrometer that is readable from the front without opening.

If you travel with your modules, the LOUIS XIII takes the form of a 27 × 21 × 8.5 cm briefcase, featuring a removable perforated Spanish cedar tray, a built-in hygrometer, and a humidifier, for about 30 standard-sized cigars. For a larger collection, the EAMES Edition humidor (24 × 32.5 × 25 cm) distributes about 110 cigars across five drawers, including one dedicated to the humidifier, in a full Spanish cedar interior.

A gift idea for an enthusiast

Giving an accessory means giving the ritual that goes with this vocabulary: a cigar cutter for the head, a torch lighter for the foot, and a humidor for storage. For a birthday, Father's Day, or retirement, a well-chosen accessory will accompany the enthusiast for years.

Cutters and guillotinesOpen the head cleanly, regardless of the ring gauge Torch lightersA concentrated flame for a well-lit foot Hygrometers and humidifiersKeep your cigars between 65% and 72% Travel casesProtect the wrapper and head during travel

Frequently asked questions about cigar lexicon

What is the heart of a cigar?
The heart of the cigar is the filler, meaning the blend of tobacco leaves placed in the center. It provides the essential aromas, strength, and combustion. In a handmade cigar, the filler is "long": the leaves are whole and arranged along the entire length. Generally, volado is added for combustion, seco for aroma, and ligero for power. The proportion of each leaf defines the character of the cigar, from mildest to fullest-bodied.
What is found inside a cigar?
Inside a cigar, there is only tobacco: the filler in the center, surrounded by the binder, a more robust leaf that maintains its shape. The wrapper, fine and neat, covers the whole thing. A traditional cigar contains no paper or visible additives; only a neutral vegetable gum secures the wrapper at the head. Short-filler cigars, which are more economical, use chopped leaves that burn faster and offer fewer aromatic nuances.
What is the end of a cigar called?
The end you light is called the foot, and the one you put in your mouth is the head. In tasting, the end of a cigar corresponds to the final third, sometimes nicknamed the "purin" (sludge/manure), as it is the most intense part. The small remainder that is left to go out in the ashtray is called the nub or the butt.
What does a cigar's "cepo" mean?
The cepo (ring gauge) expresses the diameter of a cigar in 64ths of an inch. A 64 ring gauge therefore corresponds to one inch, or about 25.4 mm, and a 50 ring gauge to about 20 mm. The higher the ring gauge, the thicker the cigar, which generally results in rounder smoke and slower combustion. The ring gauge is always indicated along with the length in millimeters to define the format: a Robusto, for example, measures about 124 mm with a 50 ring gauge.
What is the difference between vitola, module, and format?
These three words denote the same concept: the size and shape of a cigar. "Module" is the French term, while "vitola" comes from the Spanish vitola. Cubans distinguish between the vitola de galera, a technical name used in manufacturing (e.g., Mareva), and the vitola de salida, a commercial name chosen by the brand. A single technical format can thus have several commercial names depending on the brand.
What does "maduro" mean on a cigar?
Maduro means "ripe" in Spanish. The term refers to a dark wrapper, obtained through a longer or more intense fermentation of the leaves. It often provides sweet notes of cocoa, spices, or earth. Be careful, a maduro wrapper does not necessarily mean a stronger cigar: the power depends primarily on the filler. On the color scale, one finds, in order: claro, colorado claro, colorado, colorado maduro, maduro, and oscuro.
What humidity level should cigars be stored at?
Cigars are ideally stored at between 65% and 72% humidity, at a stable temperature of about 16 to 20 °C. This rate is monitored with a hygrometer and maintained with a humidifier placed in the humidor. A humidor lined with cedar helps stabilize the environment. When new, it must be conditioned for 24 to 48 hours before holding cigars; otherwise, the dry wood will absorb their moisture.

Vocabulary mastered, now onto storage

Cedar, hygrometer, stable humidity: find desktop, glass-topped, or travel humidors, with free delivery.

Discover our selection of humidors
Written by Benjamin B. — Founder of Atelier Atypique

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