We all love to talk about what we love, and the same goes for Cuban cigars. But the confusion of new cigar terminology when discussing cigars can sometimes take the fun out of the experience. Finding new Cuban cigars in India can be extremely difficult if you don’t understand the terminology. Additionally, understanding cigar terminology and appropriately using phrases will help you create a good impression on other cigar enthusiasts and, most significantly, enjoy your cigar-buying and smoking experience more.
So, we’ve created a handy guide to help you out with understanding the terms commonly used in the cigar world. Let’s start with the first 6 letters of the alphabet.
A:
Active Humidification System
It is a mechanical or electrical device that circulates and exhausts humidity in a humidor. These systems are frequently used in larger cabinets or humidors.
Aging
Before and after being rolled into a cigar, premium tobacco might be aged for a few months or several years. Aging is the process of letting tobacco rest under carefully supervised settings so that undesired contaminants can leave. Both completed cigars and tobacco in its whole leaf form are aged by the cigar makers.
Ash
It refers to the tip of a lit cigar. The ash on the end of a cigar ideally develops a little bit before being softly tapped off. Magnesium-rich soil produces tobacco plants with bright, white ash, whereas black ash is seen when there are nutrient deficiencies in the soil.
B:
Band
It is a ring of paper around the top of a cigar that displays the brand name and other information, such as the country of origin, and is frequently bright and elaborate. Cigar bands frequently feature complex lithography and elaborate brand logos. Today, some cigars come with several bands. The band is sometimes attached to the foot of the cigar.
Barber-Pole
A barber-pole cigar is rolled with two different wrapper leaves that are alternated by the cigar roller, giving the cigar’s surface the impression of having a barber-pole (or candy cane) design. The effect is most frequently attained by switching between Maduro and Natural wrappers.
Blend
The term “blend” describes the entire mixture of tobaccos used to make a premium cigar. The external wrapper leaf, one or two binder leaves, and up to five filler leaves make up the majority of a cigar’s blend. Many cigar manufacturers never disclose the precise components of a certain blend beyond the basic geographic areas from where the tobaccos come. Several farms and tobacco-growing regions may contribute tobacco to a single blend.
Bloom
It is a white substance that coats the cigar. It develops when the tobacco’s oils crystallize over time. Although it may initially appear to be mold, many cigar enthusiasts prefer this appearance since it indicates the cigar has been aged for a long time.
C:
Cap
The cap covers the cigar’s head to protect the cigar’s wrapper leaf. There are numerous types of caps, such as the triple Cuban cap (or a cap with three seams). Pigtails, which have a thin twist of tobacco curled up at the cigar’s head and resemble the fuse of a stick of dynamite, are another style of immediately recognizable cap. The cap must be clipped off a cigar before smoking it.
Cedar
The majority of cigar boxes and humidors are made of cedar, particularly Spanish cedar. Spanish cedar responds favorably to moisture and makes it easier for cigars to mature once they are boxed. Many premium cigars also have cedar as a flavoring element.
Corona
It refers to the standard length for cigars, at about 5 inches. Although there are other cigar shapes and sizes, this one is the most common and the norm.
D:
Draw
It refers to the action of pulling air through the cigar or the pull itself, as a noun. A cigar’s structure can be determined by how smoothly it draws. The draw can also be affected by the cut style, which can make it either looser and more open or more concentrated.
E:
Ecuador
It is a country in South America renowned for producing a variety of wrapper leaves. Natural cloud cover in the area and volcanic soils rich in nutrients result in an unmatched wrapper leaf. Most of Ecuador’s tobacco is grown in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, just outside of Guayaquil.
Entubar
In this more sophisticated manner of rolling a cigar, the leaves are rolled into a fan or accordion shape before being folded back on themselves. This folded style, which is often referred to as an accordion fold, was invented in Cuba. It is thought to be the superior folding method for enabling adequate airflow through the cigar, allowing it to draw and burn more evenly.
F:
Fermentation
Premium tobacco must go through fermentation, which can take several months or longer, after being harvested and cured. For fermentation, large piles of tobacco leaves are built that can weigh up to 4,000 pounds or more. Ammonia and other impurities are released from the tobacco by natural pressure caused by the weight of the tobacco combined with heat (temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit).
Filler
It refers to the cigar’s innermost leaves. The binder leaves encircle the filler leaves. In premium handmade cigars, several filler leaves are frequently used (between two and five). In contrast to short-filler, or chopped-up leaves in cigars created by machines, the leaves are rolled “whole” in long-filler cigars.
Finish
The term refers to the taste that lingers in your mouth after taking a puff. Milder cigars won’t have a very strong finish, while fuller-bodied cigars will undoubtedly have a more pronounced aftertaste.
Conclusion
Learning about cigars might become more challenging and perplexing with new words. But even a newbie in the world of cigars can communicate like a pro by learning the lingo. And now that you are on your way to becoming a cigar expert, you might as well start having conversations about it with other cigar enthusiasts while enjoying a cigar. If you want to buy some premium cigars in India from the comfort of your home, check out Cingari. We have a large collection of cigars and will have them delivered to your doorstep within a few days.
