A

littany, abracadabra, argot, balderdash, banality, bombast, bunk, buzzwords, cant, cliche, colloquialism, commonplace term, doublespeak, drivel, fustian, gibberish, gobbledegook, hackneyed term, idiom, insipidity, jive, jive talk, language, lexicon, lingo, mumbo jumbo, neologism, newspeak, nonsense, overused term

aging

A mild state of fermentation during which completed cigars rest in temperature and humidity controlled cedar-lined rooms also called aging rooms.  This gives the tobaccos in the cigars a chance to both blend and balance the flavors.  In 2-3 years if stored under the proper conditions of both temperature as well as humidity, complex chemical processes begin to create subtle changes in flavor, and after 10 years or so their character begins to change much more dramatically. The British have long ago perfected the long term aging (or laying down) of cigars down to an art.  Keeping them in climate controlled storage rooms for additional years, and even for many decades.  Around 100 years ago the British aristocracy began the pursuit of vintage cigars by buying large lots solely for the purpose of smoking them decades later.  Most of these cigars will never become available to the public, but cigars sometimes as much as 70 years old occasionally do surface.  

Some connoisseurs believe that, like fine wines, cigars do at some point peak and would say that keeping cigars for extended periods may well not be optimal.  It should be noted though, that the British age and smoke their cigars at a somewhat lower temperature (65 F.) and humidity levels ( 60-65% RH).  This seemingly small difference may, over long periods of time offset any adverse effects.   ir co

Analogous to wines, the higher the quality of tobacco (cigars) the greater the benefit that will be seen from their aging. Wine aficionados know that generally speaking, the darker the wine ( with plenty of tannins) and the higher the quality, the greater the benefit from aging, and like their counterpart the darker the wrapper leaf, and the higher the quality of cigar, the greater the benefit.  The long term storing of low to medium quality cigars is a waste of otherwise useful cigar storage space.t4eparts true low quality

agronomy

The scientific study of agriculture. Specifically, applying the plant and soil sciences to crop production and soil management.    

air-curing

One of four main methods of curing, which involves removing all of the natural sap and moisture from tobacco leaves.  Air-curing is a natural drying process in which harvested tobacco leaves are hung to dry in an air-curing barn.  This is a wooden structure that can be either closed completely or ventilated, dependant upon conditions both in and outside of the barn.  It is closed to conserve moisture in dry conditions; in wet conditions moisture is removed by opening vents in the roof and/or opening side walls that are specially constructed for this purpose.  For the most part, air-cured tobacco is dried with natural heat; however, humid weather conditions may require a limited amount of artificial heat. Tobacco that has been air-cured is typically brown in color. 

allotment  

In the United States, the specific amount of acreage that can be used to grow tobacco by a farmer in any given year.  

American Market Selection (AMS)

A designation for the light and dark wrappers, Claro Claro, Candela, and Jade.   

asha

The ash is an excellent way to judge the quality of the tobacco, handling , fermentation, as well as the aging of any cigar.  Cigar ash ( if you allow it to build, and there is no reason not to other than potentially falling where you don't want it) should be both long and uniform in color.  Most premium cigars will cigars will produce ash that will range from white or grey to silver.  Cuban cigar ash can be almost black due to high levels of potassium in the soil.  The length of ash can be anywhere from 1-3 inches, but on rare occasions can be 4+ inches.  You can help control the burn of your cigar in the car or outside in the wind by letting it go as long as you can before you knock it off .  Short (inferior) filler makes an ash that falls off easily and can vary wildly in it's color, due to using short pieces of leaf and the use of additives like saltpeter, glycerin and others.

.

aroma  

The odor of  the smoke of a burning cigar.  A premium cigar should have a pleasant aroma , if it does not, then it is the result of inferior tobacco and or improper storage.a pleasant   

auction system

A process by which tobacco is sold by an auctioneer on a bid basis to a group of buyers, as is the case in the United States, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. 

B

 palaver, parlance, patois, patter, patter, rigmarole, shoptalk, slang, slanguage, speech, stale language, street talk, tongue, trite language, twaddle, usage, vernacular, vocabulary, weasel wordsbyword, catchphrase, catchword, diction, expression, idiom, locution, maxim, motto, parlance, phraseology, phrasing, remark, saying, shibboleth, slogan, styling, tag, terminology

bale  

In the United States, this term refers to a cube of tobacco.  Flue-cured tobacco bales weigh approximately 750 pounds each. There are two types of bales for U.S. burley tobacco: unitized bales, which weigh approximately 450 pounds, and farm bales, which weigh approximately 75 pounds. Tobacco is packaged in bales to facilitate storage and/or transport.  

band, cigar

According to legend, it is said that Catherine The Great wished to have her cigars "wrapped in silk" to protect the royal fingers.  In an effort to emulate royalty, the masses followed her lead.

This may ,or may not have happened, but what is not conjecture is that in the early 1800's, Gustave Bock a Dutchman that was making Cuban cigars was first to be inspired to affix his logo around the body of  his cigars to distinguish his brand from others.  In the 50 years between 1870 and the1920's; over 250 million cigars were produced for domestic consumption, and over 1 million cigar brands came and went. By the early 1900's, 4 out of 5 men in America smoked cigars and this had a huge impact on the economies of both Cuba as well as Florida, which at that time was producing Clear Havanas. Cigar companies began calling upon printing companies to produce elaborate bands made by the finest artisans, utilizing the best printing processes available in an effort to vie for the customers attention. The subject matter for these bands ran the gamut from historical figures, presidents and famous personas of the day, to sexual overtures and innuendo, as well as butterflies, buildings and bingo. The elaborate nature of the images, replete with gold, silver and embossing caused the bands, boxes and inserts to be collected. Some inserts (top sheets) and bands were placed under glass or used as decorations in the home.  Today they are not only collected, but are also the central subject of art exhibitions.  Unique bands are no longer the sole domain of manufacturers, because today companies and individuals use private labeling to do what cigar bands have done for over 175 years, promote business.

HPCigar.com is the industry leader in the production of custom banded cigars. 

bandelier  

String onto which tobacco leaves must be threaded before they can be hung in a curing barn. The space between the leaves varies depending on the tobacco type and curing method.  

barrel  

The shaft or body of the cigar.

Belicoso

A general term used to describe cigars that share the common characteristic of being both of a large ring gage (50-60) and having a pointed tip. This term can be applied to the Petite (short) Belicoso, Torpedo, Pyramid, Perfecto, and Diadamas.

binder  

The tobacco leaf that holds the filler leaves together in a cigar and gives the cigar it's shape.  The binder is then covered by the wrapper, resulting in a finished cigar.  

black tobacco  

Another name for dark tobacco or tobacco that is dark in color and strong in taste. Black or dark tobacco is primarily used in cigars and dark cigarettes.  If used  as a wrapper it is referred to as Oscuro   

blade  

On a tobacco plant, it is the extended part of the leaf that is divided from the base to the tip by the stem; its framework is provided by the veins that extend from the stem. This term is used to refer only to the blade itself, it does not include any portion of the stem. In contrast, the term whole leaf is used to refer to both the blade and stem of a leaf.  It is also known as the lamina or web.  

blend  

A mixture of tobacco varieties. The purpose of creating a blend is to produce a quantity of tobacco that meets a customer's specifications of quality, flavor, body, and aroma.  The cigar's character depends on the blend which may have tobaccos from different crops, countries, and years.  

blending  

Mixing different varieties and grades of tobacco in order to produce a predetermined, uniform blend that meets a customer's specifications of quality, flavor, and aroma. The tobaccos are blended according to specific formulas or recipes that dictate the proportion of each type and grade used.  The master blender strives for a mixture that results in a consistently good taste as well as an even burn.   

bloom

In rare instances, bloom (or plume) appears as a fine white powder on the wrapper of  high quality cigars.  This highly desirable condition is seen in less than 1% of all cigars.  It is remarkable because it indicates an extremely high quality wrapper leaf that was perfectly fermented and subsequently stored under optimal conditions, and has been maintained in that condition ever since. This occurs naturally during the aging process because the wrapper exudes oils that actually cause the bloom, which when touched disapears.  It is frequently confused with mold, which has a somewhat blue-green or blue-grey appearance and cannot be so easily wiped away from the cigar.  See also plume.   

blue mold  

The scientific name for the disease that can damage both tobacco seedlings and mature plants is Peronospara tabacina. It develops in humid conditions and can destroy a crop in days. It is recognizable by the brown spots which appear on the leaves; these spots rapidly develop a bluish-grey coating and the leaves eventually whither and die.  It is also sometimes referred to as downy mildew. 

bodied tobacco

The tobacco leaves that grow on the upper half of the stalk; these leaves are thicker and heavier than the leaves that grow on the lower half of the stalk and thus have more "body".    

body  

1) A term used to describe the smoking characteristics of a cigar generally used as mild, medium or full-bodied .
2) A reference to the thickness, density, or weight of a tobacco leaf. Body is one of several characteristics that together determine the quality of tobacco.
3) the part of the cigar between the foot and the head.    

book  

A portion of tobacco that has been prepared for use in making cigars by hand. The tobacco in a book has been stemmed and will be used either as binders or wrappers.  Also known as a pad.  

boite nature (BN)

A natural wooden cedar box for cigars.  In the early 1800's cigars were transported inside of a pigs bladder ( in an attempt to make sure the tobacco was protected, and didn't dry out) with a vanilla pod thrown in, ostensibly to offset the odor. In 1830 the English banking firm of H.Upmann began shipping cigars using cedar boxes back from Cuba for it's board of directors  (they were greatly appreciative of this packaging improvement) and their best clients.  Today, the boxes are many times brought as cedar wood into the factory, the pieces are then cut and assembled. into boxes.  Then (dependant on their design) partially or completely covered with paper printed with logo's and other artwork.  The next step is to place the protective insert into the box, then the cigars, and finally the box is closed and a single nail is used to fasten the lid to the box.

Cigar box artwork in VF( very fine) to EX (excellent) condition can be quite valuable.  The example show here to the left, in EX condition (due to slight creases and the staple holes in the bottom right corner) is valued at $2,000.00.The same piece in MT (mint) condition would be well over $2,500.00.

  Other examples of the artwork used on these boxes and bands from the 1900's to the late 1930's are adjacent to the alphabetical start of each section of this lexicon.  See also insert and cigar band.cigar band  

bouquet  

The aroma of a  fine cigar before it has been lit.  If a cigar has been properly stored  the cigar should have a mild,  perceptibly pleasant "nose" to it.  

Border belt  

In the United States, the flue-cured tobacco market area located along both sides of the border between North Carolina and South Carolina.  

box pressed, Cuban

Box pressing is an old tradition originating in                           Cuba, where immediately after being rolled and still very damp, the cigars are placed in a press for 2-3 days  with pressure from all  four sides. The result is a unique, flat sided cigar with a rectangular shape. Although it is done for primarily for aesthetics, there is a slight difference in it's burn, as it tends to be more uniform. It can be some measure of a quality smoke, because if a manufacturer is looking to cut corners they tend not to add yet another step in the already complicated process of making premium cigars. 

These images show the HPCIGAR Cuban Box Press cigar. If you enjoy powerful  Cuban cigars, you'll love this one. Please note the warning label on the side of the band, this is a STRONG SMOKE!

breaking  

Dividing tobacco leaves from a hogshead or bale for inspection.  

breva  

Spanish for "brief". A type of Corona once known as a Rothchild ( this was the preferred size of Baron Leopold de Rothchild ) with a ring gage of approximately 48 and 5 inches long. The Baron commissioned the H Upmann company to make a cigar that was both robust in flavor, and could be enjoyed in a short period of time. Today's version of this cigar is the Robusto and is slightly larger in girth with a  50-52 ring  gage and 5 inches in length.  For many connoisseurs, this is the optimal size. See also Rothchild.

bright leaf   

1) A group of tobacco varieties that are flue-cured or fire-cured, after which the leaves range from light yellow to dark orange in color. Bright leaf is used mainly in cigarettes. Also known as Virginia tobacco.
2) On a burley tobacco plant, the third grouping of leaves from the top.  

broken leaf   

Unprocessed tobacco in which over 40 percent of the leaf has been lost because of excessive handling. This is differentiated from scrap, which is leaf that is broken into small pieces during the processing or manufacturing stages.   

buckeye  

1) A small, generally family owned, cigar making company.
2) A small ,shiny, dark brown nut that comes from the buckeye tree, the official state tree of the state of Ohio.    

bulk  

1) A term for a large quantity of tobacco.
2) A large stack of leaves that are being fermented. See Fermentation.   

bulk barn   

A type of curing barn used to cure bulked tobacco. Because the leaves are in stacks, rather than hung individually from the rafters, a bulk barn must be sealed so that enough air will pass through the dense piles of tobacco.  

bulk curing   

Curing loose leaves of tobacco in racks or boxes. This method of curing is only used on tobacco that requires a great deal of artificial heat.  

bunch

Up to four different types of filler tobacco that are blended to create the body of the cigar and are held together by the binder. The bunches are placed in a mold for 20-45 minutes so they will retain their shape,  the wrapper is then applied.  

burros  

The stacks of tobacco that are also referred to as the bulks.       Because the damp tobacco in the burros are stacked on top of each other they do not dry out, and the weight of the leaves tends to intensify the process of natural fermentation.  A thermometer is placed inside the burro and is carefully monitored . When the fermentation brings the temperature too high the pile is then restacked, and the fermentation process begins again .

bundle  

1) Tobacco leaves held together prior to processing with a tie leaf, string or raffia. Also known as a hand.
2) A method of packaging than  boxes in which cigars are wrapped in cellophane.  

butane

Either of  two alkanes, butane and isobutane having the same formula, and used as either a fuel or a propellant. This is an ideal fuel, because it is tasteless and odorless, and when used in a torch style lighter is ideal for the lighting of a cigar.  

buyer  

Someone who purchases tobacco for a leaf merchant. Buyers purchase tobacco to fill specific customer orders and/or to have tobacco on hand for orders that have yet to be placed. Buyers must be able to determine if the quality and quantity of a tobacco purchase will meet the customer's requirements and acquire the tobacco at a price that will allow the leaf merchant to make a profit when selling the tobacco to its customer.  

C

utterance, verbalism, verbiage, watchword, wordage, wording vocabulary, word stock, wordbook, wordlist, concordance, cyclopedia, encyclopedia, glossary, language, lexicon, palaver, promptory, reference, terminology, vocabulary, wordbook, analogue, annotation, answer, characterization, clarification, clue, comment, commentary, cue, delimitation, demarcation, denotation, determination, diagnosis, dilineation, drift, elucidation

Café  

A medium-brown colored wrapper.

Cameroon 

A wrapper leaf that has a slightly sweet finish first cultivated on the North coast of Africa  in Cameroon. 

Candela  

A bright green wrapper also known as double claro. Heating the leaves during the drying process creates this color.   

cap

A circular piece of tobacco placed at the head of the cigar using a tasteless vegetable gum used to secure the wrapper to the binder. The caps purpose is to not allow the cigar to unravel, this is why when cutting the tip you shouldn't cut more that approximately 1/8 of an inch.  Each cigar is unique, and accordingly you should look at where the cap ends before cutting.  

Most of the domestically available cigars have been double capped, whereas Cuban cigars are uniquely always triple capped.  This characteristic, in conjunction with other considerations, is one of the ways that you can identify genuine Cubans from counterfeit cigars.

capa

The term in Spanish for the wrapper leaves. Wrapper leaves and can be any of 65 different variations

capoteca

Spanish for the binder of a cigar that holds the filler leaves together and gives the cigar it's shape and size. The binder, although it is selected for it's ability to hold the cigars shape also has flavor, and if properly selected will compliment the flavor of the filler and wrapper.

carotene  

A naturally occurring compound found in aged cigars.   

casing

Applying a pre-cutting solution to tobacco; the solution usually made of water, but sometimes sugar is added.  It is also known as saucing.  This moisturizing makes the leaves pliable so that they can be rolled into cigars.  

casa de tabaco  

 The Spanish phrase for the "house of tobacco", in common English it is known as a curing barn.   

catador  

A taster who's professional opinion is used at the factory to determine  the level of various qualities in a cigar such as bouquet, texture, and aroma in addition to the obvious one,  it's taste.   

cedar

The common term for Spanish cedar, used in all quality humidors.

cellar

The French word used to refer to a humidor  

cello

An industry term, it is short for the cellophane placed on an individual cigar.   

"centro fino"c"

The fourth of six primings, that means "thin center".v  

"centro ligero"  

Spanish for the "light center" priming. These leaves are the finest and are used as wrapper leaf.  

Chaveta    

A crescent shaped steel knife used by torcedores ( or rollers ) to cut the wrapper leaf  prior to being  applied to the binder and filler to complete the cigar.  The shape allows for a rocking from side to side as it cuts a curve across the leaf.  The blades are often fabricated from recycled industrial saw blades. Another term sometimes used for this type of knife is "tuck" 

cheroot  

A small, usually round but sometimes square, cigar that has a straight-cut mouth end and a straight-cut burning end.

Churchill  

A type of Corona.  A size of cigar that is customarily 7 inches long and has a 48 ring gauge.  This of course, was named after the  famous statesman Sir Winston Churchill.  His preferred cigar was this size of corona.  During WWII after one of the "blitzes" on London, he purportedly received a wire from Alfred Dunhill where his thousands of cigars were stored after they had received a direct hit, that stated " your cigars are fine sir" .At a dinner party he once stated the following, "My rule of life prescribed as an absolute sacred rite: smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and, if need be, during all meals and in the intervals in between them" It would be an understatement to say that his cigars were important to him. 

cigar  

In 1492 Columbus first witnessed native Cubans enjoying crude cigars or "cohibas" consisting of indigenous cured tobacco leaves twisted together and held with dried corn husk.  Cigars as we now know them are an invention of the Spanish who first constructed them using a filler, binder and wrapper in the 1700's.  This method was exported back to Cuba by way a decree from the Spanish king about 1740.

ciggarro

The Spanish term for cigar

cigarillo  

Spanish term that refers to cigars with exotic sizes, such as torpedos, pyramids, perfectos, and culebras. These are the most difficult shape to roll and are done by the most experienced ( ten years or more) rollers in the factory.  Accordingly, these rollers are often given the finest tobaccos to use due in part to their status.  

claro  

A pale green to light sometimes yellowish wrapper, usually grown under shade, sometimes preferred for it's neutrality

clean tobacco  

Tobacco that is relatively free of sand, soil, and non-tobacco related material. Tobacco leaves that grow on the upper portion of the stalk usually contain less sand and soil than those that grow on the lower portion of the stalk, closer to the ground. 

Clear Havana

A cigar made in the United States from all Cuban tobaccos prior to Kennedy implementing the Cuban Embargo in 1962.  

color  

The color of tobacco is a significant indicator of ripeness and overall quality. Monitoring color changes during ripening, curing, and fermentation plays a significant role in producing high quality tobacco and tobacco products.   

Colorado  

A medium brown to brownish red tobacco used as a wrapper leaf. It is also know as EMS, an acronym for English Market Selection which once was the Cuban designation for wrapper leaf whose ultimate destination was Europe.    

Colorado Claro  

A darker wrapper than the standard Claro, suggestive of a Cameroon.    

Colorado Maduro  

A medium brown wrapper, generally medium in strength.   

Columbus , Christopher

"The two Christians met on the way many people who were going to their towns, women and men, with a firebrand in the hand, and certain weeds whose smoke they inhale which are dry weeds stuffed into a certain dry leaf in the form of a muset made of paper, like the ones the children make the day of the Holy Ghost, and burning a part of it, from the other part they suck or absorb or admit the smoke with breathing."...from the log of Christopher Columbus on the 4th of November,1492.

conditioning  

1) The process of adding moisture to tobacco so that it will be pliable enough to withstand handling, processing, and manufacturing without breaking into smaller pieces.  Special care must be taken to avoid over-conditioning, as this can lowers the quality of the tobacco  
2) The process of restoring a cigar to an ideal condition for maximum enjoyment of taste and an optimal burn prior to being smoked.    

Corojo  

The name of a farm in Cuba before the Castro regime came to power that first grew this tobacco.  It was once used extensively in some of Cuba's most famous brands.  True Corojo wrapper leaf has since become a rarity as a result of  it's propensity to be infected by Blue Mold.  Once this air-borne mold strikes a crop   it must be plowed under because it spreads like wildfire and is impossible to contain.  

contract system  

A process of selling tobacco that involves contracting a farmer's entire tobacco crop to one specific buyer.  

Corona  

1) A sub-category of Parejos (straight sided) cigars that have an open foot and rounded head. Coronas include Double Coronas, Presidentes, Robustos, and Churchills. The name originally came from the La Corona cigar factory in Havana, Cuba, which was the first to manufacture cigars with these characteristics. Before this, most popular cigars in the early part of the 20th century were figarados (shaped) cigars.

2) The last of the six primings done approximately 120 days after planting. This is the final step in the harvesting process.

3) The top of the tobacco plant immediately below the flower. Spanish translation of corona is " crown ".  T

crude tobacco  

1) Tobacco that has not yet been redried or processed.
2) Tobacco that has not ripened and been properly cured, and consequently remains green in color even after processing has occurred. Sometimes referred to as green tobacco.    

Cuba  

Island in the West Indies, south of Florida.  Comprising this island & several small nearby islands; gained independence from Spain (1898); 44,197 sq. mi.; pop 10,221,000; cap. Havana  

Cuban Embargo 

On the evening of February 2,1962 almost a year after the Bay of Pigs incident, President John F. Kennedy called his Press Secretary, Pierre Salinger into his office " Pierre, I need your help", " I'll do anything I can Mr. President" Salinger replied." I need a lot of cigars" the President went on, "How many," About a thousand" the President said. Returning the next morning the President called Salinger and asked him to come to his office immediately.  When he arrived, the president asked " How did you do, Pierre?," Very well sir ," overnight, he had purchased one thousand two hundred Cuban H. Upmann petite coronas.  The president smiled, walked to his desk, pulled out the decree and immediately signed Presidential Proclamation # 3447 ( Embargo on all trade with Cuba) at 8:06am, February 3, 1962, and thereby enacted the Cuban Trade Embargo.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN F. KENNEDY, President of the United States of America, acting under the authority of section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (75 Stat. 445), as amended, do Hereby prohibit, effective 12:01 A.M., Eastern Standard Time, February 7, 1962, the importation into the United States of all goods of Cuban origin and all goods imported from or through Cuba.

Cuban Seed

            Fidel

Cuban Seed  are seeds from plants originally grown in Cuba that have been grown in another country. The tobacco seeds are so small that a single once contains 250,000 seeds. The country whose climate is most like Cuba is Nicaragua. It is for this reason that Cuba is now having some of  the wrapper leaf they use grown in Nicaragua, having depleted their soil in some areas.  

It is worth noting, for the sake of those who were forced to sacrifice, that these seeds were removed by the Cuban vegueros (tobacco farmers) after the Castro regime came to power.  These were the men that had made Cuban tobacco legendary.  Great cigars can be ethereal things, and one of life's great pleasures and experiences, they made great cigars.  

When Fidel Castro came down from the mountains on New Years Eve in1959 they immediately lost their homes, farms, businesses, bank accounts and all that went with them. Some of them, having believed that Fidel would bring democracy to Cuba had actually been supporting Castro by sending him money for years as he hid in the mountains.  Before they left, Castro had their dogs "euthanized" to make sure that they had no reason to ever return.   They left Cuba with their families, their seeds and generations of  hard earned knowledge and moved to countries with similar soils and climates and started over, many of the best then going to Nicaragua. These men and their sons, now produce some of the greatest cigars in the world.

Cubatabaco  

The company name formerly used by the Cuban government for their worldwide distribution. It is now called Habanos S.A.  

Culebra  

Culebra is Spanish for snake.  Three cigars each 5 to 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 34 are twisted together, resembling 3 intertwined snakes..  These cigars originally were created to deter theft within the factory.  At the start of each day, the rollers were given 3 culebras and because of their unique appearance, their supervisors could better monitor what was being smoked on premise.  The cigars have to be unwound to be smoked.  In order to avoid breakage, these cigars must be kept well humidified.    

cujes  

Long poles used in the curing barns that allow the wrapper leaf  to cure more evenly.  Using needle and thread  around 100 leaves are bound together ad are hoisted up and left to dry for between 45-60 days depending on the conditions (temperature and humidity) within the curing barn. This additional step of using cujes is done because it is very delicate leaf as well as very valuable.  

curing

Immediately after harvesting, tobacco is dried to remove all of the natural sap from the leaves so that it can be further processed and/or manufactured. There are four primary methods of curing, air-curing, flue-curing, fire-curing, and sun-curing, but all curing focuses on regulating the rate at which moisture and impurities are removed from the tobacco.   

curing barn  

A structure in which the necessary conditions for curing tobacco can be created and controlled by opening and closing the barn doors, thereby adjusting the rate at which the process occurs.  During the 45 to 60 days the leaves are being cured the green leaves loose their chlorophyll and turn brown from the carotene.s are   

custom band  

Custom bands, no longer the sole domain of  the manufacturers because today companies and individuals use private labeling to do what cigar bands have done for 150 years, promote business.

HPCigar.com is the industry leader in the production of custom banded cigars.

 See Also Private Label.

cutters  

The largest leaves on a flue-cured tobacco plant, which are located near the middle of the stalk. Cutters are prized for their color, moisture content, and elasticity.  

D

exemplification, explanation, explication, exposition, expounding, fixing, formalization, gloss, individuation, interpretation, key, outlining, rationale, rendering, rendition, representation, settling, signification, solution, synonym, terminology, translation, Aging, air-curing, allotment, American-blend cigarettes, American Market Selection, AMS, aroma, aromatic tobaccos, auction system, bale, band, bandolier, barrel, binder, black tobacco, blade, blend, blending, bloom, blue mold, bodied tobacco, body, book

date codes, Cuban 

dark air-cured tobacco  
 

A type of tobacco that is distinguished from other types primarily by the fermentation process it undergoes. It is the fermentation that gives dark air-cured tobacco its medium to dark brown color and distinct aroma.  Dark air-cured tobacco is used in cigars, dark cigarettes, pipe mixtures, and chewing tobaccos.  light air-cured tobacco, in contrast, is not fermented at all.  

debudding  

The process of pruning the flowers at the top of the tobacco plant ,forcing it to concentrate all of it's energy to leaf production rather than procreation.
 

desbotonar

The deflowering of the tobacco plant done in order to concentrate the plants energy into leaf promotion, as opposed to flower production  This process occurs approximately four weeks after the plant has been transferred to the fields from the seed bed.   .his 

diadamas

A  large belicoso cigar that is approximately 8 inches in length that usually has an open foot, but will occasionally have a closed foot in the style of a perfecto. 

divine  

A metaphor used by some cigar aficionados to describe the taste of the middle section of a cigar as it is being smoked.

Double Claro  

The lightest of wrappers: a green-colored wrapper that results from picking the tobacco leaves before they reach maturity. These are cigars lacking in all aspects.  

draw  

The amount of air that gets pulled through the cigar. A properly rolled cigar allow an amount of air that is not too little ( it is then too much like work to be considered a pleasure) or too much air which makes it burn too hot and ruins the flavor...  

E

Boite Nature, BN, Border belt, box pressed, Cuban, cigar, cigar, cigar, cigar, cigar, cigar, breaking, breva, bright leaf, broken leaf, buckeye, bulk, bulk barn, bulk curing, bunch, bundle, buyer, Café, Candela, Cap, café, casing, Casa de Tabaco, Chaveta, cheroot, Churchill, Cigarillo, Claro, clean tobacco, Clear Havana, color, Colorado, Colorado Claro, Colorado Maduro, conditioning, contract system, corona, crude tobacco, Cuba, curing, curing barn, cut rag, cutters, dark air-cured tobacco, dark cigarettes, Double Claro, Draw, Eastern belt, English-blend cigarettes

Eastern belt  

In the United States, the flue-cured tobacco market area located in the eastern and central portions of North Carolina.  

8-9-8  

A method of packing a box of cigars with rounded sides that has 3 rows; eight on the top, nine in the middle and eight on the bottom.  

encallado

A method of growing wrapper leaf in open sunlight in conjunction with using a perimeter of cheesecloth that blunts the impact of the winds on the all too delicate wrapper leaves. Although not used until recently because it was believed to not be possible to grow wrapper leaf. in the Dominican Republic, this method is enjoying a revival, as it shifts from growing filler to wrapper leaf.  

encogedor 

A specialist that determines the exact shade of wrapper leaf before they are  placed in a box. This is a highly skilled craft because the cigars for a particular box are selected from a color range of 65 different shades.   factory to

English Market Selection (EMS)  

Characterized by a medium-brown colored wrapper, with more taste, and slower burning than a Claro.   

entubar  

A method of rolling originating in Cuba who's proponents say creates a superior airflow through the cigar. Rather than "booking" the filler, the torcedors fold each individual leaf back upon itself before bunching them together. 

"Envuelto a mano"  

A Spanish phrase literally meaning "surrounded by hand" used to describe the contents of a box of cigars that were completely made by machine, and were subsequently sorted by their color and packaged by hand.  

escaparates  

Cabinets that cigars are placed in immediately after being rolled to allow the cigars to settle by airing them over a period of weeks.  

escogida

The sorting house where the tobacco leaves are sorted according to their size color and texture.  It is at this time that the filler leaves have their stems stripped out and soaked in water.  In preparation for handling the wrapper leaf is sprayed with pure water, and the filler is sprayed with the mixture made from the soaked stems. They are then placed on the planchas and returned for the second time to the fermentation house. With the leaves wet and stacked in 6 foot high "burros" the second more powerful fermentation begins and continues under a watchful eye for the next 60 days use

F

 English Market Selection, EMS, fermentation, Figurado, filler, finished, head, fire-curing, fire-cured tobacco, Flag, Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative, Stabilization Corporation, flue-curing, Foot, frog-eye, frog-stripping, fumigation, grade, grading, grading school, green tips, green tobacco, green weight, Gum, hand,

factory codes, Cuban  

• BM: Briones Montoto (Belascoain 852, Havana) -Formerly Romeo y Julieta
• CB: Carlos Balino (San Carlos 816, Havana) -Formerly El Rey del Mundo
• CFGS: (regional facility in Cienfuegos)
• EL: El Laguito (2302 Calle 146, Marianao, Havana)
• FL: Por Larranaga (Carlos III no. 713, Havana)
• FPG: Fernando Perez German (Industria 520, Havana) -Formerly Partagas
• FR: Miguel Fernandez Roig (Zulueta 106, Havana) -Formerly La Corona
• HM: Heroes de Moncada (13402 Ave. 57, Marianao, Havana)
• JM: Jose Marti (Amistad 407, Havana) -Formerly H. Upmann
• PR: (regional facility in Pinar del Roi)
• SS: Sancti Spiritus (regional facility in Sancti Spiritus)
• TLP: Lazaro Pena (group of factories in San Antonio)
• TTB: Granma (regional facility in Bayamo)
• TH: Holguin (regional facility in Holguin)
• VSC: Villa Santa Clara (regional facility in Santa Clara)  

fermentation  

Workers gather the tobacco leaves together in a large 6 foot pile (bulk) after the harvest.  The leaves are moistened and allowed to ferment. There are primarily two types of fermentation, natural and forced fermentation. These processes are where the tobacco changes color and gains much of it's ultimate flavor. Forced fermentation is done in days or weeks, whereas natural fermentation is done over a period of months.  Natural fermentation is a chemical reaction caused by moisture and warm temperatures and in the process releases nicotine, ammonia and other compounds.  The temperatures may reach 140° inside the bulk before it is taken apart and restacked.  This process called working the bulk, temporarily halts the fermentation process.  Natural fermentation sometimes known as aging, is the preferred method and gives the tobacco a more even coloration and  flavors that are milder and more complex. It is used in all premium cigars.  

Forced fermentation on the other hand is much quicker and involves placing tobacco in huge stacks so that the chemical reaction caused by the moisture and warm temperatures is intensified by the pressure the tobacco is under. This process is used for cigarette and short filler ( low quality ) cigars. It should be noted that some otherwise premium cigar producers have resorted to this method at times of high demand (some still do) and have literally sacrificed quality in the process.  

Fermentation house

The building where the most important act in creating great cigars occurs,  the process of natural fermentation.  

Figurado

A Spanish term that refers to cigars with exotic shapes such as Torpedos, Pyramids, Perfectos, and Culebras and Diadamas. These are the most difficult shapes to roll and are done by the most experienced rollers. Accordingly, these rollers are often given the finest tobaccos due in part to their status within the factory.  

This famous image of Sigmund Freud shows him enjoying a Perfecto. It is possible he consider this to be the "perfect" shape, we may never know, for it was he that once said "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".... S"

filler  

The tobacco blend used in the body that form the inner core of the cigar. Usually a Master blender decides which tobaccos and in what proportions are used to obtain the ultimate flavor he seeks. Although it is true that some of the flavor comes from the wrapper, it is the filler that accounts for most of the flavor and quality of the cigar. High-grade cigars are made with long fillers, or whole leaves running the length of the cigar, which are then hand-rolled. Low-grade cigars use short fillers, or scraps of lesser quality tobaccos, which are fed into a machine and sometimes then finished by hand..  

finish  

A term used to describe the last lingering taste on the palette after taking a puff on a cigar. Mild cigars lack any perceptible degree of finish, either in terms of complexity or length. This terminology is also used in conjunction with the description of wines, and like wines, the darker they are, the more "finish" they will have.   

finished head  

The head of a cigar that has been formed by the wrapper leaf, not by a cap.  A torpedo or pyramid is made in this manner.   

fire-curing  

One of four main methods of curing, which involves removing all of the natural sap and moisture from tobacco leaves. As its name suggests, this particular method of curing involves exposing tobacco to the heat and smoke of open fires; doing so allows the leaves to absorb the aromatic substances in the smoke, which will in turn affect the tobacco's taste. The type and age of the wood, as well as the duration of the tobacco's exposure to the smoke, all affect the tobacco's taste, which is why these factors vary depending on the end-product that is desired.   

first page

A European reference to the wrapper (or first leaf) of a cigar.perperce

flag  

An alternative to a cap. The flag method of finishing a cigar involves shaping the wrapper leaf at the head of the cigar so it secures the wrapper. Sometimes it is tied off in a pigtail or a curly head.   

flaum

A German term for the "plume" sometimes found on a cigars wrapper.

foot  
 

The end of the cigar you light. Most often it is pre-cut, except in the case of perfectos and some diadamas, which are closed at both ends and require the smoker to make an additional cut to prepare the cigar for smoking.    

format 

Is European term used to describe the various lengths, diameters and shapes of a cigars.     

frog-eye  

A whitish spot on tobacco leaves that gives the tobacco a ripe appearance; this spot is actually the result of a disease.  

frog-stripping  

A method of preparing cigar filler that involves removing the stem of a tobacco leaf in such a way that the two halves of the leaf remain joined at the top; this is said to resemble a frog's legs, hence the name. The resulting "frog-strips" are used as long filler in cigars.    

fumigation  

Using chemicals to control and/or eliminate insects.  When tobacco is stored, the storage facility must be fumigated to protect the tobacco from the damage insects can cause.  

G

Hand-Rolled, harvesting, Havana, Head, HHS, hogshead, Hot, Humidor, immature, import quota, indigenous tobacco, Jade, kilogram, kilo, Lacioderma, lamina, leaf, Ligero, light air-cured tobacco, long filler, Lonsdale, loose leaf, loose leaf auction, lugs, Machine-made, Maduro, manipulation, manufacturer, marrying, mature, maturity, Middle belt, midrib, Mixed Filler, moisture content , Mold, naked, Natural EMS, nested tobacc

galera

The room or "gallery" in which the rolling takes place within the factoryn the factoryTe

grade  

A symbol, letter, number, or some combination of the three, that is given to tobacco as an indicator of its quality. The tobacco's stalk position, color, texture, elasticity, and leaf size are among the factors taken into account when determining its grade. B4F, which signifies "fair quality orange leaf," is an example of a grade.   

gordaG

A term meaning "fat" in Spanish. Corona gorda is the term used in reference to large coronas.

grading  

Assigning pre-defined symbols, letters, or numbers to tobacco as an indicator of its quality. The tobacco's stalk position, color, texture, elasticity, and leaf size are among the factors taken into account in the grading process. Most tobacco is graded before it is sold; the grade it receives determines (in part) the price a buyer will be willing to pay for the tobacco. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has 117 official tobacco grades. Manufacturers and leaf dealers also have their own grades that they use within their companies. 

grading school       

A class that teaches interested parties how to identify and classify various leaf types according to the USDA tobacco grading system. The class lasts approximately two weeks and is taught by a grader (someone who grades tobacco) from the USDA.  

green tips  

The uppermost leaves of U.S. flue cured , burley, or dark air-cured tobacco that are still green in color after drying has occurred.  

green tobacco  

1) Tobacco that has not yet been dried or processed.  
2) Tobacco that has not ripened and been properly cured, and consequently remains green in color even after processing has occurred. Sometimes referred to as crude tobacco.  

green weight  

The weight of tobacco prior to being dried.  

guillotine  

A cigar cutter that uses a single razor sharp blade that comes down at an angle to cut the cap.  

gum

A tasteless, odorless vegetable adhesive used to secure the head of the wrapper leaf around the finished bunch.   

H

non-tobacco related material , offal , Olor, oriental tobacco , Oscuro, packaging, pad, Panatela, picking, pile, plume, pound, premium cigar, price support program, priming, primings, prize room, processing, Propylene Glycol, PG, Puro, pyramid, Quota, rag, raw tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, red leaf, redried tobacco, redrying, regrading, Relative Humidity, Ring Gauge, roasting, robusto, roller, run of the crop, sample, sample room,

hand  

A group of five to thirty tobacco leaves held together prior to processing with a tie leaf, string or raffia that are hung together after harvest. Later these hands are piled together to make a bulk for fermentation.  

hand-rolled  

A cigar made entirely by hand .In Spanish "hencho e mano",  literally " made by hand". The finest cigars in the world are made in this manner, and so they are made with the best wrapper, binder and filler.   

harvesting

The process of collecting tobacco leaves from the field at the time when leaf maturity has reached its desired stage; harvesting can be done by either manual or mechanical means. flue-cured and oriental tobacco is harvested in stages, meaning that individual leaves are removed from the stalk as they ripen (leaves generally ripen from the ground up.), rather than al