If you are new to cigars, one of the simplest questions is also one of the most important: What exactly is a cigar?
A cigar is more than simply rolled tobacco. Its construction, tobacco leaves, size, shape, fermentation, aging, and blending all influence how it looks, burns, smells, and tastes.
This Cigar Basics FAQ answers the most common questions beginners ask about cigars in a simple question-and-answer format.
Quick answer: A cigar is a roll of tobacco wrapped in tobacco leaf or another material containing tobacco. Traditional premium cigars are generally constructed from three main tobacco components: filler, binder, and wrapper.
What Is a Cigar?
A cigar is a tobacco product made by rolling tobacco together and enclosing it with tobacco leaf or another material containing tobacco.
Cigars come in many forms, including small cigars, cigarillos, filtered cigars, large cigars, and handmade premium cigars. They can differ considerably in size, shape, tobacco blend, construction, and production method.
For cigar enthusiasts, however, the word “cigar” often refers to a traditionally constructed cigar made from carefully selected tobacco leaves.
What Is a Premium Cigar?
A premium cigar is generally understood as a higher-end cigar made with whole-leaf tobacco and traditional construction methods.
There is no single universally accepted definition of “premium cigar.” The National Academies noted that definitions can differ among researchers, regulators, industry participants, and the public.
For research purposes, the National Academies used characteristics including handmade construction, whole-leaf wrapper tobacco, substantial long-filler tobacco, no filter or tip, and no characterizing flavor other than tobacco.
In practical cigar terminology, premium cigars are usually associated with hand craftsmanship, whole-leaf tobacco, carefully selected blends, and greater attention to tobacco preparation and construction.
What Are the Three Main Parts of a Cigar?
A traditionally constructed cigar has three primary tobacco components:
- Filler
- Binder
- Wrapper
The filler forms the center of the cigar.
The binder surrounds the filler and helps hold the cigar together.
The wrapper is the outer tobacco leaf that gives the cigar much of its appearance and contributes significantly to its aroma and flavor.
These three components work together to determine the cigar’s construction, draw, combustion, aroma, and overall smoking experience.
What Is Cigar Filler?
Filler is the tobacco located inside the cigar.
It makes up much of the cigar’s internal structure and can consist of one or several types of tobacco leaves. In long-filler cigars, whole tobacco leaves are arranged inside the cigar to create the internal bundle.
The filler blend can have a major influence on the cigar’s body, strength, aroma, and flavor. Proper filler construction is also important for airflow and combustion.
What Is a Cigar Binder?
The binder is a tobacco leaf located between the filler and wrapper.
Its primary function is structural: it holds the filler tobacco together and helps maintain the cigar’s shape.
The binder also affects the cigar’s draw and burn because its construction influences how air moves through the cigar.
Think of the binder as the structural layer that connects the cigar’s internal filler to its outer wrapper.
What Is a Cigar Wrapper?
The wrapper is the outermost tobacco leaf of a traditionally constructed cigar.
Because it is visible, wrapper tobacco is usually selected for its appearance, texture, elasticity, and quality. It can also contribute significantly to the cigar’s aroma and flavor.
Common wrapper descriptions include terms such as Connecticut, Corojo, Habano, Cameroon, and Maduro, although these terms can refer to different tobacco varieties, origins, or processing styles depending on the cigar.
The wrapper is therefore both an important visual component and an important part of the blend.
Does the Wrapper Determine the Flavor of a Cigar?
Not by itself.
The wrapper can make a significant contribution to a cigar’s flavor and aroma, but the overall profile comes from the interaction of the wrapper, binder, filler, tobacco origins, fermentation, aging, construction, and combustion.
This is why two cigars with similar-looking wrappers can taste very different.
What Is Cigar Tobacco?
Cigar tobacco is tobacco specifically cultivated and processed for cigar production.
After harvesting, tobacco leaves typically undergo curing, followed by additional processing such as fermentation and aging depending on the tobacco and cigar-making process.
These stages can influence the tobacco’s color, aroma, texture, combustion characteristics, and flavor.
The final cigar is therefore the result of considerably more than simply rolling fresh tobacco leaves together.
Why Is Cigar Tobacco Fermented?
Fermentation is used to help develop the characteristics of cigar tobacco.
During fermentation, tobacco leaves are managed under controlled conditions, including attention to temperature and moisture. The process can help reduce harsh characteristics and develop more complex aromas and flavors.
The exact fermentation process varies according to the tobacco type, producer, region, and desired result.
Why Is Cigar Tobacco Aged?
Aging allows tobacco to develop further after curing and fermentation.
Depending on the production method, tobacco may be aged before it is rolled into cigars, while finished cigars may also be aged afterward.
Aging can influence the tobacco’s aroma, flavor, texture, and overall balance. The length and conditions of aging vary considerably among producers and cigar styles.
Are All Cigars Handmade?
No.
Cigars can be produced using different manufacturing methods, including machine production and hand construction.
Many traditional premium cigars are handmade or hand-rolled, but the word “cigar” itself does not automatically mean handmade.
This distinction is important when comparing premium cigars with machine-made cigars, cigarillos, and other cigar products.
What Is the Difference Between a Cigar and a Cigarillo?
The main differences involve size, construction, format, and product category.
A cigarillo is generally smaller than a traditional large cigar and may be manufactured differently. Some cigarillos may have filters or tips, while traditional premium cigars generally do not.
There is no single worldwide size threshold that perfectly separates every cigar from every cigarillo.
What Is the Difference Between a Cigar and a Cigarette?
Both are tobacco products, but their construction and typical format are different.
A traditional cigar is made from tobacco and is commonly wrapped in tobacco leaf. Cigarettes generally use processed tobacco wrapped in paper and are typically smaller.
Cigars also come in a much wider range of sizes, shapes, tobacco blends, and construction methods.
Most importantly, cigars should not be considered a safe alternative to cigarettes. Cigar smoke contains toxic substances, and cigar use carries health risks.
Do You Inhale Cigar Smoke?
Traditional cigar smoking does not require inhaling smoke into the lungs.
However, not inhaling does not make cigar smoking safe. Cigar smoke exposes the smoker to nicotine and other harmful substances, and cigar smoking is associated with serious health risks.
Do Cigars Contain Nicotine?
Yes.
Cigars are tobacco products and contain nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance.
The amount of nicotine exposure can vary considerably depending on the cigar, how it is smoked, and individual smoking behavior.
Are Cigars Safe?
No tobacco product is risk-free.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that cigars are not a safe alternative to cigarettes. Cigar smoking can expose users to toxic chemicals and is associated with serious health risks, including cancers and cardiovascular disease.
This FAQ focuses on cigar education and culture; it should not be interpreted as medical advice.
Why Do Cigars Have Different Shapes?
Cigars are produced in many shapes because construction, smoking characteristics, tradition, and aesthetics all influence cigar formats.
Common shapes include:
- Parejo
- Robusto
- Toro
- Churchill
- Corona
- Torpedo
- Belicoso
- Pyramid
Shape can influence the way a cigar draws, burns, feels in the hand, and develops during a smoking session.
What Does Ring Gauge Mean?
Ring gauge describes the diameter of a cigar.
One ring-gauge unit equals 1/64 of an inch.
For example, a cigar with a 50 ring gauge has a diameter of approximately 50/64 inch, or 0.78125 inch.
Ring gauge is different from cigar length. Two cigars can have the same ring gauge but different lengths.
Does a Bigger Cigar Mean a Stronger Cigar?
Not necessarily.
A larger cigar may contain more tobacco and may provide a longer smoking session, but size alone does not determine strength.
Strength depends on factors such as tobacco varieties, leaf position, blend composition, fermentation, aging, and construction.
A large cigar can therefore be mild, while a smaller cigar can be relatively strong.
What Does “Mild,” “Medium,” and “Full-Bodied” Mean?
These terms generally describe the perceived strength and intensity of a cigar.
- Mild: generally lighter in perceived strength and intensity.
- Medium-bodied: generally between mild and full-bodied.
- Full-bodied: generally stronger and more intense.
These descriptions are not precise scientific measurements. A cigar’s perceived strength can also change throughout the smoking session.
What Flavors Can You Find in a Cigar?
Cigar flavor descriptions can include:
- Cedar
- Coffee
- Cocoa
- Chocolate
- Nuts
- Leather
- Pepper
- Earth
- Cream
- Spice
- Dried fruit
- Sweetness
These descriptions are tasting notes rather than literal ingredients.
For example, when a cigar is described as having “coffee notes,” it does not necessarily mean coffee has been added to the tobacco.
Are Flavored Cigars the Same as Premium Cigars?
Not necessarily.
Some cigars are made with characterizing flavors, while traditional premium cigar definitions used in research generally exclude characterizing flavors other than tobacco. However, definitions of premium cigars vary by context.
Therefore, “flavored cigar” and “premium cigar” should not automatically be treated as interchangeable categories.
Why Do Cigars Need to Be Stored in a Humidor?
Cigars are sensitive to environmental conditions.
A humidor is designed to maintain a controlled environment for cigar storage, particularly humidity.
Proper storage helps preserve the cigar’s physical condition and can help maintain its intended smoking characteristics.
Storage conditions, however, should be considered together with the cigar manufacturer’s recommendations and the specific tobacco blend.
Can a Cigar Go Bad?
Yes.
Improper storage can cause cigars to become too dry or too moist. Poor storage can affect the wrapper, draw, burn, aroma, and flavor.
Cigars can also be damaged by mold, tobacco beetles, physical handling, or unsuitable environmental conditions.
Proper storage is therefore an important part of cigar ownership.
How Long Does a Cigar Last?
There is no single answer.
Smoking time depends on:
- Cigar length
- Ring gauge
- Construction
- Draw
- Smoking pace
- Individual smoking habits
A small cigar may take considerably less time to smoke than a large Churchill or double-corona format.
Does a More Expensive Cigar Taste Better?
Price does not guarantee that a cigar will taste better to every smoker.
Cigar price can reflect factors such as tobacco selection, production methods, labor, aging, brand positioning, packaging, scarcity, and distribution.
Taste is subjective.
A cigar that one smoker considers exceptional may not match another smoker’s preferred strength, aroma, or flavor profile.
What Makes a Good Cigar?
There is no universal answer.
Cigar quality can involve:
- Tobacco quality
- Construction
- Wrapper condition
- Draw
- Burn
- Aroma
- Flavor development
- Balance
- Consistency
- Storage condition
Ultimately, the “right” cigar depends on the individual smoker’s preferences.
How Do Beginners Choose Their First Cigar?
A beginner can start by considering:
- Strength – mild, medium, or full-bodied.
- Size – shorter cigars usually require less time.
- Flavor profile – creamy, woody, spicy, earthy, sweet, or coffee-like.
- Shape – choose a comfortable format.
- Origin and blend – different tobacco regions and blends can produce different characteristics.
- Storage condition – make sure the cigar has been properly stored.
For beginners, understanding these basic terms can make cigar descriptions much easier to read.
What Should a Beginner Learn First About Cigars?
A beginner does not need to memorize every cigar term.
Start with these six concepts:
Wrapper → Binder → Filler → Strength → Ring Gauge → Shape
Once these terms become familiar, cigar labels, reviews, and product descriptions become much easier to understand.
Is a Cigar Just Rolled Tobacco?
Technically, a cigar is a roll of tobacco covered by tobacco leaf or another material containing tobacco.
But a traditionally made cigar involves much more than simply rolling tobacco.
The final product can reflect the selection and preparation of tobacco leaves, fermentation, aging, blending, bunching, rolling, curing, storage, and craftsmanship.
That combination of agriculture and craftsmanship is what makes cigars such a distinctive tobacco product.
Cigar Basics: The Short Answer
If you only remember one thing from this FAQ, remember this:
A cigar is a tobacco product made by rolling tobacco and enclosing it in tobacco leaf or another tobacco-containing material. Traditional premium cigars are commonly built from three main components: filler, binder, and wrapper. Their characteristics are influenced by tobacco variety, origin, fermentation, aging, blending, construction, size, shape, and storage.
For beginners, understanding what a cigar is, how it is constructed, and how its basic terminology works is the foundation for exploring cigar reviews, cigar storage, cigar pairing, cigar brands, and the wider world of premium cigars.
About This Cigar Basics FAQ
This article is intended as an educational introduction to cigar terminology and construction. Definitions can vary between manufacturers, researchers, regulators, and cigar communities. In particular, there is no single universally accepted definition of “premium cigar.”
Health information in this article is based on public information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and should not be considered medical advice.