20 Cigar Slang Terms to Learn

As we know, the community of aficionados entails dedicated individuals who commit to gaining as much knowledge about the process and products related to cigars. Because of this, we here at Havana House have decided to write an article about cigar slang terms.

Smoking cigars is more than a habit, the niche hobby and lifestyle is rich in history as well as aroma, so it is only fitting to understand the language that comes with the community.

Here at Havana House, we not only share our interest in cigars with our fellow aficionados, but we also stock a broad range of Cuban cigars. You can find an array of our available collection in-store and online, not to mention perfect pairings such as cognac and whisky.

Cigar Nicknames

Cigars are not only referred to as cigars; there’s a rich vocabulary out there for you to use, which is especially useful if you’ve only just started smoking cigars!

Stick

A single cigar can be referred to as a stick.

Robusto

A substantial but short cigar that is thought to be one of the most popular cigar sizes. A Robusto is typically a 5 x 50 cigar that provides a short but full smoke.

Stogie

Stogie is one of the more commonly used nicknames for a cigar. The origin of this nickname is derived from the home of the Amish in Conestoga, Pennsylvania.

Situated in Lancaster County, the Conestoga wagon would transport families west in the 1800s. The drivers would smoke long, homegrown cigars made of rustic leaves that gave off an incredibly strong smell, these cigars became recognised as stogies.

Belvedere

A belvedere is the name for a cigar that is shorter and has thinner ends in comparison to a Corona. Corona’s are the benchmark cigar size, measuring 5.5 x 42. H. Upmann produced machine-made Belvederes in 1954. The Cuban cigars were 5” long with a ring gauge of 39.

The cigar’s vitola shape was a Perfecto, similar to the shape President John F. Kennedy liked; which were the machine-made H. Upmann Petit Coronas. JFK instructed his press secretary, Pierre Salinger, to buy these cigars on the eve of him signing the embargo against Cuba.

Puro

This term is increasingly popular in Spain. Puro refers to cigars made from tobacco from a single-origin. For example, Cuban cigars can be regarded as puros due to being made entirely of Cuban tobacco. Although, this term is widely used to refer to all cigars.

Cheroot

What traditionally defines a cheroot is a cigar shape that is cut square at both ends. It is also thought of as an untapered cigar that is originally from the South of India or Manila in the Philippines.

Cheroot has quite an interesting etymology among the other terms of cigars. Although the origin is yet to be determined, it is thought the word is derived from the Portuguese ‘charuto’, which originates from the Tamil word meaning ‘roll’ which is the following: curuttu, churuttu and shuruttu.

However, the French term ‘cheroute’ is more likely to be directly linked to the English ‘cheroot’.

Terms Related to Cigar Smoking

Like any other interest, there’s more to the language of cigars than names that refer to them. Below you will find terms that encompass the lifestyle of cigar smoking.

Herf

A herf is a rather fitting term that describes a gathering of people who have met to enjoy their cigars together.

A herf can describe groups of only a few to hundreds or more people. They are often present for backyard barbecues with plenty of food, beer and whisky to accompany the cigar smoking.

Runners

This occurs while the cigar is being smoked and the wrapper burns unevenly.

Foot

This is the end of the cigar that is lit.

Draw

This is the process of how well you can pull the smoke through the lit cigar while puffing.

Dry Draw

A dry draw is when the air is sucked through an unlit cigar after it has been freshly cut. This is done to allow you to taste its aromas.

Plume

A desirable trait of a cigar that is caused when the tobacco oils crystallise on the surface of the cigar throughout its ageing process.

Bouquet

A bouquet is an odour that is produced by a collective of aromas.

Dog Rocket

A dog rocket is a term used to describe a bad cigar. Although taste is subjective, this can range from being a generally poor cigar, or one that your pallet does not favour.

Nic Bomb

Nic bombs are incredibly strong cigars, smoking one can cause you to feel dizzy. When you encounter one, we would recommend eating something sugary, as sugar can help relieve the effects of excessive nicotine.

Yard ‘Gar

As the name suggests, this is a cigar that you might smoke to satisfy your craving in potentially less than ideal situations. So instead of smoking your favourite cigar, you might light a yard ‘gar while mowing the lawn or playing golf.

Nubbing

Nubbing is when you smoke your cigar to the very end before burning your lips. You’ll often find that you need a Cuban Roach Clip to hold the nub as the cigar burns away.

Ring Gauge

This is used to refer to the diameter of the cigar, which is measured by 64ths of an inch or millimetres.

Coolerdor

This a beer cooler that has been converted into a humidor, it is often spelt ‘coolidor’.

To convert the beer cooler, a humidification source is added. By doing this you have a much larger inventory to store your favourite or overflowing cigars. It’s a useful technique for those who prefer to buy boxes of cigars on sale.

Stacking

This is when you attempt to retain the long line of ash, also known as a ‘stack’, on the cigar for as long as possible. Some smokers take it one step further and try to keep the ash for the entirety of the cigar.

A stack is a desirable aspect of smoking as it can improve the smoking temperature and will signify a high-quality cigar.

For more information about cigars, you can refer to our blog. We have articles that refer to cigars, cigar pairings and iconic cigar smokers! You can also browse through our selection of cigars, ashtrays and much more here, at Havana House.