In the cigar world, we can expect to hear an array of names when referring to a cigar, not only its brand name or the name of the company that produces it, but also allusions to the tobaccos composing it, namely, the wrapper around it. In addition to all of this, the cigar designation also depends on their size and shape.
There are two important aspects that define a cigar: its ring gauge or its length.
- Ring gauge, caliber or ring: it’s a measurement determined by the cigar thickness, usually expressed in 64 parts of an inch. Usually, it can range from 26, in thinner cigars, and 58, in the case of large diameter cigars.
- Length: this is simply the measure of a cigar from top to bottom. The number is also given in inches.
And the question that may arise now is: how do these measurements impact smoking? As explained by the master blender of La Aurora, Manuel Inoa, the length depends on the time the smoker can dedicate to enjoying the cigar, while the cigar ring gauge chosen will depend on the habits or taste of each smoker.
“With a lot of time on your hands you may smoke Churchill; if you don’t have much time, robusto, corona and petit corona,” highlights Manuel Inoa. And he adds: “The ring or ring gauge is set by the habit of each smoker: some people prefer thick cigars, while others prefer them thinner.”
In his view, the ideal ring gauge is a small one that allows for acquiring the strength of the cigar and perceiving the information from its notes, thereby increasing the pleasure of the smoke. “A thick ring makes you absorb more air than smoke, it will be more mixed. When the ring gauge is small or medium, the air is more concentrated with the smoke,” he summarizes.
As for the shape, cigars are usually straight, that is, they have the same thickness throughout the length, which is called a parejo cigar. When cigars are narrower in some places than others throughout the length, they are called figurados.
Taste is in variety
With this prior knowledge, this list gathers the measurements of the main La Aurora cigar types:
- Corona: 5 or 5 ½” long and ring gauge 37 or 42.
- Petit Corona: 4 ½” long and a thickness of 37.
- Gran Corona: 6 ½” long and ring gauge 50.
- Robusto: 5” long and ring gauge 50.
- Sumo Short Robusto: 4” long and a thickness of 54 or 58.
- Toro: 5 ½” or 5 ¾” long and ring gauge 50 or 54.
- Gran Toro: 5 ¾” or 6” long and a thickness of 54 or 58.
- Lancero: 6 1/8” long and ring gauge 40.
- Churchill: 7” long and ring gauge 47 or 50.
- Cetros: 6 3/8” long and a thickness of 41.
- Belicoso: although it is straight, the head has a pointed shape, like a cone. 6 ¼” long and ring gauge 50 or 52.
- 15 Minute Break: like the name suggests, these are small cigars to be smoked quickly. 3 ½” long and a thickness of 42.
- Salomon: irregularly shaped, like a cone at the top, whose ring gauge thickens subtly, and narrowing again at the end. 7 ¼” long and a thickness of 52/60.
- Zeppelin: shaped like a Zeppelin, this type of cigar has a length of 4” and ring gauge 58.
- Gran 107: 7” long and ring gauge 58.
- Nº1: 7 ½” long and ring gauge 50.
- Nº2: 7” long and ring gauge 47.
- Nº3: 6 ½” long and ring gauge 42.
- Nº4: 5 9/16” long and ring gauge 42.
- Nº5: 5” long and ring gauge 38.
- Caption: its shape is not even. This cigar has a very narrow top that progressively increases towards the middle, and then narrows again at the end. It’s 5 ½ long and the ring gauge at the thickest part is 47.
- Torpedo: its shape is also not even. A bit narrow at the top, it progressively widens towards the tip, where it reaches the highest thickness. 6” long and ring gauge 58.
- Gigante: 7” long and ring gauge 58.
- Ambassador: another figurado, starting with a narrow top and increasing its ring gauge towards the bottom, reaching its highest thickness in the last third, and narrowing again at the end. 4 ½” long and ring gauge 30/60.
- Founder’s Choice: 5 9/6” long and a thickness of 42.
Most of them are presented in metal or glass tubes.