Understanding Cigar Vitolas
What a vitola is, why every Cuban cigar has two size names, and how the main formats compare.
The Art of Cuban Cigars
Explore the heritage, craftsmanship, brands and vitolas that have shaped one of the world's most recognized cigar traditions.
The catalogue
Featured collection
A curated selection from the catalogue, organised by brand, vitola and strength.
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Romeo y Julieta
Romeo y Julieta Churchills
- Vitola
- Churchill
- Strength
- Mild to Medium
The Julieta No. 2 factory size, named after the statesman long associated with the marque.
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Romeo y Julieta
Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills
- Vitola
- Short Churchill
- Strength
- Mild to Medium
A shorter companion to the Churchill, made in the Robusto factory size.
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Montecristo
Montecristo No. 3
- Vitola
- Corona
- Strength
- Mild to Medium
The traditional Corona proportions of 142 mm by 42 ring gauge.
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Montecristo
Montecristo No. 2
- Vitola
- Torpedo
- Strength
- Medium to Full
A tapered, pointed-head format — factory size Pirámides — widely known as the classic torpedo.
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Cohiba
Cohiba Lanceros
- Vitola
- Lancero
- Strength
- Medium to Full
The long, slender Laguito No. 1 format closely associated with the early history of Cohiba.
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Cohiba
Cohiba Robustos
- Vitola
- Robusto
- Strength
- Medium to Full
A short, thick Robusto from the marque created in the 1960s, often cited as a benchmark for the…
Heritage
Cuban cigar heritage
Cuban cigar making grew from tobacco traditions that predate European arrival, and by the nineteenth century Havana's factories had become known around the world. Much of the character associated with Cuban cigars is credited to the growing regions of western Cuba, above all Vuelta Abajo in Pinar del Río, and to the hand-rolling skills passed between generations of torcedores.
Our guide traces that story: the families who founded the classic marques, the factory sizes known as vitolas, and the long process that turns a leaf into a finished cigar.
Journal
From the journal
Read article: Understanding Cigar Vitolas
A History of Cuban Cigars
From Indigenous tobacco culture to the factories of nineteenth-century Havana, a concise history of how Cuban cigars earned their reputation.
Corona vs Robusto: What’s the Difference?
Similar length, very different proportions: how the classic Corona compares with the popular Robusto.
Explore the world of Cuban cigars
Browse the catalogue by brand, vitola and strength.