Cigar Strength VS Cigar Body

Aficionados, we’re sure you hear the terms light, medium and full, time and time again when choosing your next Cuban cigar. They’re used to describe the strength and the flavour of a cigar. However, these are two terms that seem to get either mistaken for one another, or people assume they’re the same thing. Well, these are two different factors to judge when it comes to tasting cigars. So, today we’re going to explore the difference between cigar body and cigar strength.

STRENGTH – Let’s start with cigar strength. So, it goes without saying that cigars contain nicotine – which is what provides the kick you get when puffing away. When referring to the strength of a smoke it is based on the nicotine content. The strength will give you an idea of the intensity of the nicotine level in your cigar. It’s also important to remember that it’s somewhat of a relative factor, as each person’s body reacts differently to nicotine – but you get the gist. If you’re searching through Cuban cigars online – here are some great light and full-strength cigars to try:

The Bolivar Belicosos Finos Cigar.

“STRONG TONES OF CEDAR AND LEATHER”

BOLIVAR BELICOSOS FINOS CIGAR – Many aficionados will know that if you're looking for a strong cigar – Bolivar is your go-to place. They’re famous for producing strong cigars. This particular smoke provides strong tones of cedar and leather – measuring at 140mm by a 52 ring gauge.

The Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial Cigar.

“FULL OF RICH COFFEE AND EARTHY NOTES”

HOYO DE MONTERREY EPICURE ESPECIAL – The Hoyo de Monterrey brand are known for their lighter smokes, which are ideal for cigar beginners. This cigar provides a lighter smoke but is full of rich coffee and earthy notes – measuring at 141mm by a 50 ring gauge.

BODY – Now onto the body of the cigar. This is more about the depth of the flavour. When your smoking you’d ask yourself questions such as – how much flavour can I taste? How intense are these flavours? What’s the texture like? It’s more about the different dimensions of the flavours than the actual impact of the cigar. So, the lighter, more floral tasting cigars would be classed as light-bodied. Then, those which have richer flavours such as coffee and pepper would be medium-full bodied smokes. Want to compare the two yourself? Here are great light-bodied and full-bodied smokes:

The Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No.1 Cigar.

“A MILDER SMOKE, WHICH IS GREAT FOR A BEGINNER”

HOYO DE MONTERREY EPICURE NO.1 CIGAR – This smoke measures at a lengthy 143m by a 46 ring gauge – delivering a milder smoke, which is great for a beginner.

The Partagas Serie D No.6 Cigar.

“DEEP, RICH EARTHY NOTES”

PARTAGAS SERIE D NO.6 CIGAR – This cigar delivers deep, rich earthy notes, typical of Partagas. It makes a great smoke if your searching for a strong smoke.

So, there you have it – the difference between cigar strength and cigar body. Although they’re two separate factors, they’re still some correlation between the two. Tobacco leaves that contain the most nicotine are often the most flavourful. Therefore, it is typical of the body and strength to match in level. We have a full range of cigars on our Cuban cigar shop – light, medium or full – you’ll find something for you. If you want to know more about how to choose the right cigar for you, check out our Cuban cigar blog: