Sizing Up
When choosing the right cigar, there are many factors that could determine the type of flavor, burn and overall enjoyment of what you’ll light up. There are so many different sizes that have hit the market, it’s nearly impossible to list them all (or maybe my laziness would be a better excuse), and so I’ll just run over a few of the most popular.
As it stands today, Cuba alone produces over 65 different size cigars. Non-Havana brands tend to narrow the sizes down and offer more manageable lines, although many, like Arturo Fuente, Davidoff and Macanudo, have grown considerably.
A cigar size is described in terms of diameter and length. Should you hear someone talking about a “ring gauge”, you can rest assured that they wouldn’t be speaking of an engagement ring, but the diameter of a particular cigar. The ring gauge is a measurement divided into a 64th of an inch. A cigar with a ring gauge of 42 has a diameter of 42 / 64ths of an inch. The length is always calculated in inches.
The big bully of the block is the Churchill (appropriately named after Sir Winston Churchill), measuring over 7 inches in most cases with a ring gauge of 46-49. Next up is the Lonsdale, which rivals the Churchill in length (in some cases shorter), but has a smaller ring gauge of 40-45. The Lonsdale would fall under the “medium” category and is one of the most popular sizes. Now we move onto the Figurado, which can be summed up by any stick that does not have parallel or “straight” sides. Torpedoes, Perfectos, Pyramids and other unique shapes would fall under this category. The ring gauges and lengths will vary as well. And last on our short list, we have the Robusto. It’s short, it’s thick and it’s robust (such like some dates I’ve had in the past!). These gorilla fingers normally have the same diameter as the Churchills, but are much shorter, ranging in size from 4 to 5 and ½ inches.
Keep in mind that there is no correspondence between the size of a cigar and the flavor, quality and taste. A Churchill could very well be a mild cigar for its size, whereas a Robusto could knock you on your ass.
Don’t always be discouraged by the size of shape of a cigar. Enjoy trying different things, and who knows; maybe the strangest looking cigar could turn out to be your favorite.
Sizes Galore
As it stands today, Cuba alone produces over 65 different size cigars. Non-Havana brands tend to narrow the sizes down and offer more manageable lines, although many, like Arturo Fuente, Davidoff and Macanudo, have grown considerably.
A cigar size is described in terms of diameter and length. Should you hear someone talking about a “ring gauge”, you can rest assured that they wouldn’t be speaking of an engagement ring, but the diameter of a particular cigar. The ring gauge is a measurement divided into a 64th of an inch. A cigar with a ring gauge of 42 has a diameter of 42 / 64ths of an inch. The length is always calculated in inches.
The big bully of the block is the Churchill (appropriately named after Sir Winston Churchill), measuring over 7 inches in most cases with a ring gauge of 46-49. Next up is the Lonsdale, which rivals the Churchill in length (in some cases shorter), but has a smaller ring gauge of 40-45. The Lonsdale would fall under the “medium” category and is one of the most popular sizes. Now we move onto the Figurado, which can be summed up by any stick that does not have parallel or “straight” sides. Torpedoes, Perfectos, Pyramids and other unique shapes would fall under this category. The ring gauges and lengths will vary as well. And last on our short list, we have the Robusto. It’s short, it’s thick and it’s robust (such like some dates I’ve had in the past!). These gorilla fingers normally have the same diameter as the Churchills, but are much shorter, ranging in size from 4 to 5 and ½ inches.
Keep in mind that there is no correspondence between the size of a cigar and the flavor, quality and taste. A Churchill could very well be a mild cigar for its size, whereas a Robusto could knock you on your ass.
Don’t always be discouraged by the size of shape of a cigar. Enjoy trying different things, and who knows; maybe the strangest looking cigar could turn out to be your favorite.
Sizes Galore
posted by Fumo Santo | 1:55 PM
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