In brief
- A vitola is a cigar’s size and shape.
- The factory name (vitola de galera) can differ from the name on the box (vitola de salida).
- Ring gauge is measured in 64ths of an inch.
In Cuban cigar making, the word vitola describes a cigar’s format: its length, its ring gauge and its shape. Understanding vitolas is the quickest way to make sense of any catalogue, because the same size is often made by many different marques.
Two names for every cigar
Each Cuban cigar has a vitola de galera — the factory name used on the rolling floor — and a vitola de salida, the commercial name printed on the box. For example, the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill carries a commercial name suggesting a Churchill, but it is made in the Robusto factory size. Our Cuban Cigar Terminology glossary explains more terms like these.
Measuring a cigar
Length is usually given in millimetres or inches. Ring gauge, or cepo, is the diameter measured in 64ths of an inch, so a 64 ring gauge cigar is one inch across. A 50 ring gauge cigar is therefore just over three-quarters of an inch thick.
The main formats
| Vitola | Typical factory size | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Corona | Coronas, 142 mm × 42 | Corona vs Robusto: What’s the Difference? |
| Robusto | Robustos, 124 mm × 50 | Corona vs Robusto: What’s the Difference? |
| Churchill | Julieta No. 2, 178 mm × 47 | What Is a Churchill Cigar? |
| Lancero | Laguito No. 1, 192 mm × 38 | What Is a Lancero Cigar? |
| Torpedo | Pirámides, 156 mm × 52 | What Is a Torpedo Cigar? |
| Corona Extra | Around 143 mm × 46 (Coronas Gordas) | H. Upmann: A Banker’s Cigar |
| Short Churchill | Often made as a Robusto, 124 mm × 50 | Romeo y Julieta: History of the Marque |
| Panetela / Short Panetela | Slender formats in several lengths | What Is a Lancero Cigar? |
Dimensions are the commonly published figures; individual cigars can vary slightly.
Parejos and figurados
Straight-sided cigars are called parejos; shaped cigars with tapered heads or feet are figurados. The torpedo and pirámide are the best-known figurados.
Why size matters
Size affects how long a cigar lasts, how it draws and how the blend is experienced. A thinner cigar has proportionally more wrapper; a thicker one has more room for filler. That is why many enthusiasts compare the same vitola across brands rather than the same brand across vitolas. Browse the catalogue by vitola to try it.
