Now that you’re more familiar with how to measure
the width of a fine cigar, let’s take a look at
the length. True cigar aficionados take length so personally,
that sizes have actually been given names. Some of the
names came from prominent smokers, such as the Churchill
and Rothschild. Here are the most common cigars and their
sizes:
Pantella – 4 1/2 to 7 inches, 32 to 39 ring
Lonsdale – 6 1/2 inches, 42 to 44 ring
Petit corona – 4 1/2 to 5 inches, 40 to 43 ring
Long pamatella – 8 inches, 40 ring
Corona – 5 to 6 inches, 42 to 44 ring
Churchill – 7 inches, 47 to 49 ring
Robusto – 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches, 50 ring
Torpedo or pyramid – 6 inches, 36 to 52 ring
Double corona – 71/2 to 8 inches, 48 to 52 ring
Belicoso – 5 to 6 inches, 50 ring
Presidente – 8 1/2 inches, 52 ring
The names of the cigars are fairly standard throughout the industry. However, some brands use their own special names to identify their cigar size, sometimes just to draw attention to it. Once you become really familiar with the size and shapes it becomes much easier to just walk into a shop and pick a favorite cigar.
One other important consideration that goes along with the cigar size is the burn time. The larger sizes such as the presidente, sometimes referred to as gigante, take as long as sixty to ninety minutes to smoke. These cigars are usually enjoyed only at special occasions like weddings and births.
Most of the other sizes burn in about forty-five minutes, depending in part on how aggressively you smoke. Smaller cigars, like the belvedere and ascot, can be enjoyed in less than thirty minutes. One of the sizes that used to be very popular was the perfecto, which is pointed at both ends and about the size of a corona. However, it has fallen out of favor in recent years and is harder to find.
