A torpedo is a cigar whose head tapers to a point. In Cuban factory terminology, the best-known size of this shape is the Pirámides: 156 mm long with a 52 ring gauge, tapering toward the head.
Torpedo, pirámide or belicoso?
Terminology varies. Strictly, a pirámide tapers gradually along its length, while some definitions of torpedo describe a cigar with a closed foot and a bulge in the middle as well as a pointed head. In everyday use, though, “torpedo” is widely used for pointed-head cigars such as the Montecristo No. 2. A belicoso is usually shorter with a more rounded taper. See our Cuban Cigar Terminology glossary.
The Montecristo No. 2
The Montecristo No. 2 is the most famous example and is frequently used as the reference torpedo; read Montecristo Cigars: History of a Numbered Classic.
Why the shape matters
Shaped cigars are harder to roll than straight ones. The taper also concentrates the smoke at the head, and many smokers feel the flavour develops as the cigar widens. How you cut the pointed head changes the draw noticeably — a small cut gives a tighter draw, a larger cut a more open one.
Browse every Torpedo in the catalogue.
